Behind every successful endeavor, there is a game plan; this is especially true in education. With our students exposed to technology in their life outside school, we must find a way to integrate technology inside the classroom. In order to become a successful teacher of 21t century learners, I must complete and implement a game plan that includes the technology that is such an important part of their life. In order to guide the direction I want my teaching to take, I must have a solid action plan on how to accomplish these goals. This plan includes using the GAME plan using the ISTE (2010). The two standards that I have chosen are:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
2. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Goals and Actions
I am currently revamping many of my lessons to include technology-enriched activities. Specifically, I have set up an account on Schoology, in which students may edit, compose and suggest essays in an online setting. I also want to include assessments on this site. In order to properly instruct my students, I will model the lesson first, that way insuring complete understanding from my students. Secondly, I will continue to continue my understanding and education in technology, as there are new developments daily! In order for me to be the best instructor, I must first be current on all the technology that is available to my students. My district offers several a year, and although my class does not have EReaders at this time, I am taking a class on their use in the classroom in hopes we will acquire the in the future.
Monitor
In order to monitor myself, I will have weekly reflections in which I will see what worked, what did not and how I will change it in the future (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2008). I will use a blog to monitor this progress and set up a time weekly in which I will post, making me accountable for this goal. This self-monitoring will be essential in helping me accomplish my goal, as well as adjusting the lessons for the future (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).
Evaluation
In order to evaluate my progress, I will evaluate the student’s progress and engagement in the lesson. This will be done at the completion of each unit and allow me to see how successful the lesson was in engaging the students and improvement in their writing. I will also look to the students for their feedback on what they feel was beneficial and what they would change. Their feedback is crucial. For my second goal, I will self monitor and adjust as needed. Since technology is such an ever-changing field, I will always challenge myself to stay abreast of new developments and to serve as a role model to my students.
By designing a game plan, my lessons will be more directed and focused, therefore hopefully having favorable results. It is my hope to be a life long learner as well as showing my students through example that learning is a life long process (Cennamo, et al., 2009).
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom
Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
ISTE. (2008). The ISTE NETS and performance indicators for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved
from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program 1: Promoting self directed
learning with technology. [DVD]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore,
MD.
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Hi, Edie!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of Schoology, but as a middle school language arts teacher who too often skimps on writing in favor of the more heavily assessed reading, it sounds like something that I should investigate as I work to upgrade my own lessons with technology. I am especially eager to see how you bring assessment into the picture using this site.
I look forward to learning from your progress as you act on your GAME plan. Best of luck!
Trina
Edie, I also have never heard of schoology. Is it similiar to a wiki in the sense that students can edit each others work? Can you monitor their changes? It sounds interesting especially if you could see the initial work and the progress student's make step by step to the finished project. I would love something like that in math in which I could monitor each step of solving a difficult equation and be able to monitor how students recognize and learn to correct themselves. A big step in the direction of creating independent learners. Interesting post, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of schoology, but it sounded a little like edmodo. I have since gone online and created a schoology account. Looks like it just might be a great way to incorporate a technology aspect to some of my writing assignments that don't involve online inquiry. I really appreciate you sharing this site with us and I am especially pleased that we will be able to access it at school--so many sites have been blocked that you never know what might be a no go. I think this is a great way to have an online community with my students that they can access at school and not have to worry about being able to access the internet at home or somewhere else. Look forward to trying this out with my students and sharing it with my colleagues!
ReplyDeleteCathi
Okay...I have to check out Schoology.com and see just what I am missing! This is the fun part about these blogs...so much to learn from each other and it just proves how much our own students can learn from their peers.
ReplyDeleteLike you, Edie, I really want to continue my own professional growth as much as I want to guide my students in theirs. I have not incorporated as much technology into my classroom as I want to, and I keep thinking I will when I am not so pressed for time, but perhaps this is just an excuse I am using for my own lack of confidence. These weekly blogs will help hold us accountable as much as they will give us a chance to share and learn from each other.
You are so driven and involved in your school and district that I have little doubt you are going to excel at whatever you attempt. I will definitely stay close in an attempt to see what you have recently discovered and are finding out!
Edie,
ReplyDeleteI have also never heard of Schoology. I am looking forward to hearing how it goes for you!
April Grabanski
Edie to Trina
ReplyDeleteYou can use it on reading as well, I have already checked it out and you can actually download short stories onto it! Yipeee for no longer making 70 copies!
Liz-yes, you can monitor changes, that is the beauty of this site and one of the many reason I chose it. Actually, my friend who teaches calculus was the fist of us to us it, so I am sure it would be beneficial to you as a math teacher. Good Luck!
Cathi-This is the first site of this type I was able to access at school. The students love it so far, in fact I have gotten several messages this weekend telling me how much they like the practice essays I have up, anything to get them excited about writing!!
Jane-i feel the same way, TIME! It is what I need, hopefully this summer I have a list of things I want to accomplish for next year, without having homework and papers! Thank you for your kind words, this is what happens when your only child leaves for college-you overload!
I am ready to cut back, I have adjusted, lol.
April-Check it out, so far it is great, there is so much you can do with it. I like the fact you can download, monitor and track. It is so easy to navigate as well. Let me know if you need any help.
Great teachers know how essential it is to establish goals, monitor them and ensure they are evaluated. Much of the progress that students and teachers make is specifically from various types of evaluation which could be determined based on observation, test or task results or simply questioning the students to receive confirmation that are either progressing or not. Hence, teachers must be prepared to modify their lesson plans even immediately after teaching the first lesson to a set of students. The advantage that teachers have as we use lesson plans as ‘blue prints’ is that we can modify the approaches to suit the learners’ needs but an architect may have trouble persuading a client to accept a change that is not on the ‘blue print’.
ReplyDeleteEstablishing an account with Schoology is a potentially great start to embracing that you need to extend you awareness how to integrate technology into the educational environment. Familiarity with programs taught to students can give them the motivation to continue learning. I would hope that your students would even use Schoology to share opinions about topics that not only impact on them within the classroom but on the world around them.
Best wishes as you progress towards achieving these goals.
K. Kerr