Once specific goals have been established, a person has to work towards their goals each and every week. As such, this week I will expand my GAME plan, describing what resources I will need to carry out my plan, any additional information I will need and the progress I have made so far in the classroom.
The first standard from NETS-T that I will incorporate is standard number one: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. In this standard, Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments (National Education Standards for Teachers, 2008). The second standard from NETS-T that I will incorporate is standard number two Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments (National Education Standards for Teachers, 2008).
The resources that I will need for the first part of my GAME plan are broken into two categories, technological and additional resources. Technology wise I will need access to the computer lab in order to further my students learning and allow them to practice what they have learned in my classroom. This should help provide opportunities for my students to display their creativity and guide their own learning in the classroom (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). Also, I will utilize the classroom computer and the Smartboard to model different methods for the students and to bring a sense of realism into the classroom setting. By utilizing my available technology I will allow my lessons and material to be more individualized to the specific student allowing more content to be learned by every student (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). Technology allows increased personalization of the material helping to build on the information the teacher is able to teach in the classroom.
The additional resources I will need are first and foremost, that of time. As a working professional time is always at a premium and will be needed to make changes in the classroom. Before each lesson I will sit down and examine what I have planned and see how it can be changed to benefit my students the most in my classroom (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). The most beneficial changes to the classroom will be those that have minimal stress on the students and in the classroom yet implement changes by integrating technology in a useful, helpful manner. Secondly, I will need support from my colleagues and the school system in general to help make changes in my classroom. I will need to reach out to my peers to help with ideas for changes and to support my progress, maybe even extending my ideas into their own classrooms.
There is also some additional information I will need to help my GAME plan become successful. Finding ideas and strategies to use technology in my lessons may be challenging and I may need to examine what research proven strategies have been used via online material and professional journals. I want to ensure success in my GAME plan and thus will research material that has been proven to be useful in helping students to succeed. I will also need to keep my class resources close at hand to ensure I stay on task when creating a GAME plan and make sure my is developed fully in my own classroom.
At this point the GAME plan is still in the initial stages of creation and implementation. I have begun to examine my plan more fully and have looked at some of my lessons changing them slowly to bring more technology into my room. I have also began to converse with some of my peers to see if it is possible to bring the same strategies into other classrooms across multiple disciplines.
References
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful
classroom use: A standards-based approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Program Five: Meeting
student needs with technology: part one.
Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD
National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). (2008). retrieved November 9, 2010 from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
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Randy,
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that once you have access to the computer lab your students will practice what they have learned- what exactly will they be practicing? Do you have a plan once you get in the computer lab or is the decision going to be left up to the student? Technology offers so many options and since many schools lack enough computers to practice, time in the computer lab is vital! As time is one of your necessary resources, planning ahead might save some. Maybe one day students can explore blogs, after you model how to use one of course. This way your students are on the same topic, but they can explore at their own pace. Have you considered implementing a classroom blog? Once students become familiar with it this might be a good tool to use for several lessons and the familiarity would be beneficial for your students and digital technology helps to meet the needs of diverse learners (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Some possible blog sites to try (if you wanted to create your own) are: www.blogger.com, edublogs.org, and 21Classes.com (Richardson, 2009).
Connie
6th SS/LA
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer).(2010). Program Five: Meeting student needs with technology: part one. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD
Richardson, Will. (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Pr.