When using
a GAME plan to guide self directed learning, one sets goals, takes action to
meet those goals, monitors their progress, and evaluates their effectiveness at
achieving their goals (Cannamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). By setting goals one
can better plan for their learning and help with follow through in order to
complete their goals. The GAME plan is a simple and efficient tool to use to
guide one’s learning, especially when it comes to setting out to learn new
technology on your own.
I will use
the NETS for Teachers to guide my goals in learning and integrating technology
in my classroom. My
first goal will align with indicator one of the NETS for Teachers, to
facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity (ISTE, 2008).I would
like to design projects and lessons that allow for students to use technology
to guide their learning, and use various technologies to creatively express
student learning.
A second goal will align with
indicator five, to engage in professional growth and leadership (ISTE, 2008).
Technology is constantly changing and updating. As an educator I need to stay
current and proficient in using the newest technology and integrating it in my
classroom in order to teach my students 21st century skills and have
them college and career ready.
In order to achieve these goals I
will enroll in our fall educational technology conference and continue with my
masters classes in technology to further my professional development. I will
take one new way of creatively using technology and incorporate it into my
classroom each quarter. I will monitor my progress by assigning a creative and
new technology project each quarter, and evaluate my learning and student
learning when I assign grades at the end of each quarter. I will give myself a
grade on how I implemented the new technology, assess student learning, and
have students share how they thought the technology enhance their learning and
engagement.
I will
extend my learning by taking a project or technology that worked well and
trying in another of my content area classes or pushing the project further
through more time, more technology use or using it in a new way on another
content area. If I find that some technology projects or lessons did not go
well, I will work with my peers and find other professional development
resources to aid my learning and thus aid my students.
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.
International Society for Technology in Education. [ISTE]. (2011). NETS for teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx
International Society for Technology in Education. [ISTE]. (2011). NETS for teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx
Hi Jennifer! I commend you on your commitment to continue to grow professionally and stay abreast of the latest technology. One of the reasons I chose Walden for my Master's program was because I could specialize in technology. I have never been a tech-savvy person and knew that as an educator, I would need to learn such skills in order to be effective in the 21st century. I wish you luck on your technology projects every quarter. I think that is an excellent goal to strive for. Do you have access to technology at your school? At my school, it is difficult to even get into the lab. Our wireless doesn't work and the students and I get very frustrated!
ReplyDeleteI am currently in between jobs, I was working in Missoula, MT at Target Range School, but will be teaching this fall in Billings, MT at Boulder Elementary. At Target Range we had an incredible technology coordinator who had us up to date with the latest and greatest due to a tech levy passing and her writing/receiving several grants. we had wireless over cable to support both our desktops and laptops, we had two labs (one a lab and the library as a lab) and three mobile laptop carts. We also had interactive whiteboards/projects in every room, as well as kindles, iPods and digital cameras available to check out....spoiled!
DeleteAt my new school I'm not entirely sure how much technology will be available. I have 4 desktops and a projector in my classroom and there is a lab attached to the library. Students have a scheduled computer class, and I am not sure how the lab scheduling will work. Hopefully I will have technology available because I have become so reliant on it! My new district just passed a huge technology levy and building reserve levy, so hopefully we will have many resources!
Hello Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful that you are staying up to date with your experiences in technology. What specific types of technology do you want to use in your teaching? Are there any specific areas or projects you would like to modify with its use? We currently are a one-on-one laptop school and have detailed professional development groups that focus on content specific uses for technology where we work together to help better incorporate of technology use. I would recommend developing a similar PLC groups at your school.
Jason
I would like to use more technology in my communication arts class besides using it as a researching and word publishing tool. I find that I do that too often and need to take more advantage of simulations and games for things like grammar and spelling.
DeleteI am going to be at a new school this fall and am excited to see what PLCs they have in place and how I can bring my background knowledge to enhance and learn more technology I can use in my classroom.