Final blog post Reflections Week 7

As I reflect on the GAME Plan I developed back in week 2, I can truly say I have had to step back and take a look at everything I have done thus far and make it make sense to me.  The two indicators I chose to focus on, after my colleagues made suggestions to me, I realized could be worked on together and I started to focus my attention on doing just that.  Indicators 2a & 2b  to design and adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to prompt student learning and creativity and to develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning and assessing their own progress.  I know that I am adapting and designing my lessons so that technology is included in as many of the lessons as possible and I am searching for ways to include PBLs and project based learning in as many of the lessons as possible.  Dr. Ertmer (Laureate Education, 2009a) mentioned in her video how important it is to establish and incorporate appropriate technology to further enhance and enrich the lesson.  Which is what I want to do this school year with my lessons. I have created a survey the students will take from Google Docs to determine how they feel about group work and to get their input as to how they feel the group work can benefit them.  I have also developed a KWHL sheet for them to use as they begin their lessons to give their own personal blue print of how they want to manage and structure their learning experience.  I am all for making sure students get all of the benefits out of their learning experience.

As often as I can I will use technology I plan to have all of my students establish Google accounts to be able to utilize Google Docs on a daily basis.  I am also making sure they have their blogs sites set up because they will journal online.  As much as I can I will utilize the available technology and resources to ensure my students know how to appropriately use technology at school, home and in society and use it safely (Ribble, 2008).  I hope to be able to use problem-based learning a great deal in my classes to help my students learn how to work together and accomplish a task with all of the members carrying out their part.  I know PBLs have so many positive characteristics for the students and it provides me with an opportunity to act as facilitator and guide my students to higher heights (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b).  I already use social networking as much as I possibly can and I would like to be able to network with students from another school at least not sure how that will work because of the restraints we have but I am going to check into it.  My students always have stories to tell so if I can take this and make it into a learning experience it will only benefit the students I see this as a win win situation because according to Dr. Abrams (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009c) digital storytelling builds research skills, analytical skills, creative thinking skills, problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills, and communication skills.  The students would have to make meaning from information they took in visually(Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

I can definitely say this class was very challenging to me, but I have learned so many useful strategies and gotten so many suggestions on ways to incorporate technology into my lessons and I am excited to begin the process.  I keep reminding myself about the importance of students being able to keep the light on and not requiring them to have to power down when they come to school but instead finding ways to contribute to and enhance the light (Prensky, 2008).

Reference

http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010).Visual literacy through digital storytelling. Baltimore, MD: Author

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009a). Enriching content area learning experiences with technology Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Spotlight on technology: problem-based learning part 1. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009c). Spotlight on technology: digital storytelling part 1 . Baltimore, MD: Author.

Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.

Ribble, M. (2008). Passport to Digital Citizenship. (Danish). Learning & Leading With Technology, 36(4), 14-17.

Monitoring your GAME Plan Progress Week 4

After reading some of the suggestions my colleagues have made, I decided that I could combine the two indicators I felt I needed to work on and work on them simultaneously to begin my lifelong journey learning to teach with technology and incorporating the technology in my lessons (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009).

The progress I have made towards the goals in my GAME Plan are that I have begun to redesign lesson plans to include the technology component to further enrich the learning environment and to assist students with being able to manage their own learning which is what Dr. Ertmer (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) says that incorporating technology in the lessons where appropriate will do.  I am also reviewing the various sites I have discovered and bookmarking them so that the students will not have to spend much time looking for the information and spend more time researching, creating and learning.  I have been thinking about how I would like to set up my lessons for project based learning and the manner in which I would like to set up the groups so that I will have all of the prep work done and we can get into the learning part of the plan.  I have already started to think about and contact speakers I know the students would benefit from as well as get the career specialist to put me on their calendars to come into my class as a part of the support team I hope to utilize.  I have purchased a camera and camcorder for my students to use when they begin putting together their power points, and other types pf presentations.

I do not believe I need to modify my action plan just continue to monitor and adjust when and if needed.  I have learned the benefits of project based learning and how if they are linked to authentic real world instruction, the students can and will really benefit (2009).  I just continue to go back to what Prensky (2008) says about how much students already know when they come to school and the lights they already have on and the experiences they have already had before coming to school and I know we as educators have to tap into what they already know and help them move to another level of learning with support, guidance and technology.

this is not a questions but  a concern regarding filters and blocks on the computers.  How often do I use problem based learning and is it ok to use it for most of the lessons during the year?  I am also concerned about appropriate social interaction when students work together on a project or problem.

Reference

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.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.

Week 3-Carrying out your GAME Plan

Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer (2009) pointed out that learning to teach and to teach with technology specifically, are lifelong journeys (p.1).  I am finding myself questioning everything I thought I knew.  As I was reviewing my GAME plan from last week and looking back over comments made by my classmates, I realized how both indicators 2a & 2b could be done simultaneously.  One strategy I know I will use is to have them do more project based assignments as Vicki Davis (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) suggests where they are developing their own questions and researching for the answers in a group setting with me as facilitator and each of the group members supporting each other throughout the process and using the different skills that each of them possess to come up with the answers which is what Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer (2009) calls authentic instruction.

Resources I will need is access to certain sites for students so that they can do research, create certain documents take virtual field trips, newspapers, guest speakers, discussion groups and parents.  I already have the computers in my class the only problem is that my district has put in a lot of filters and blocks which keep the students from accessing so many useful sites.

Additional information could come from government agencies/companies, community leaders, television shows and news, magazine articles and personal experiences.

Steps I have taken so far are checking out web sites to be used in the classroom, requesting to have additional software purchased for my classroom, looking at ways to revise my lesson plans and reflecting on ways to involve my students in the planning phase of my lessons so that students are actually able to take an active part in what they are learning.  I am also looking at lessons to see how they relates to the real world so that I can include that part in the lesson as well.  I realize the more the students can see the relationship to the real world the more likely the chance it will be of interest to them and the more technology I can incorporate and according to Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer (2009) the task will be less difficult and more stimulating to the students (p. 40).

Reference

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.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Tonya Moton

Developing my personal GAME Plan-Week 2, July 3, 2012

Dr. Cennamo (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009a) talks about the plan for self-directed learning and it is called the GAME plan, a plan to help a person determine how they learn best.  As I reflected on the National Education Standards for Teacher (NETS-T) to determine which indicators I felt most comfortable with and those I do not feel as confident or proficient in.  The fact that I teach a Personal Finance and a Business Law class, makes what I teach  real world and authentic because  I am preparing them to understand laws that govern society and how to live within the laws as well as how to plan to make a living for themselves and save for purchases and their futures.  I am already using many of the standards listed, I just need to incorporate more technology into the lessons where appropriate to further enhance and enrich the lesson according to Dr. Ertmer (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b).

The indicators I am going to share a GAME plan for are indicators 2 a & b. 

The first indicator I am developing a GAME plan for is to design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

The goal is to take a lesson plan I already have established and incorporate appropriate technology with it and engage my students in a more authentic lesson with the technology there to support the lesson.

Action is to engage students in the lesson with the technology which will help them with their critical thinking skills, creativity, decision making skills and to become self-directed learners.

Monitor what is taking place constantly in the classroom to see if the students are grasping what it is they are to be learning  and if the technology is appropriate for the lesson to tie it all together as Dr. Ertmer stated (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b).

To evaluate I would have some type of exercise for the students to demonstrate if they actually grasped the concept and developed any higher level thinking skills, if I need to review and revised the lesson or if I need to start again using another method all together.

The next indicator I would develop a GAME plan for is to develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. Prensky (2008) says we should find out how students want to be taught by conversing with them and allowing them to have their say (p. 45).

My goal would be to involve the students directly in planning, monitoring, and evaluating their learning activities and sequences (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009, p.86).

The action would be to have students  to chart the things they know, want to know, and how they will learn it in some type of chart form to help them keep track of what is taking place and keep them on track.  It will be a guide to help them figure out how they will go about searching for the information they want to know.

Students would be able to monitor their progress by making notes on their chart which will provide them with where they are with what they want to know.

Students would evaluate what they have learned, chart it and be able to determine if they learned what they set out to learn or if they did not quite learn all it was they felt they wanted to learn and start to understand how they learn best.  I would be able to reflect on the kinds of things that took place in the class to determine if I need to make changes to the plan or if this plan will work as it is.

I realize I might have to try my GAME Plan more than once to see if it really will work because sometimes it takes more than one try to see if a plan will really work, but I know in order for me to be able to integrate the technology effectively Dr. Ertmer (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b) says I have to have the knowledge, confidence, belief and a supportive culture.  I am working hard on the knowledge I am not afraid to make mistakes and to ask for help I am not afraid to give up some of the controls because I believe students learn from each other all the time and the fact that students have different backgrounds makes technology even more important to level the playing field (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b).

Reference

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.

http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009a). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.

Final Reflections 2/19/2012

After looking at my "Personal Theory of Learning," I find that I still feel the same way and I still believe students learn form their experiences and they will learn what is most important to them the quickest.  I know that we as educators have to make the lesson real world as much as possible and it needs to be meaningful to the students or at least we have to figure out a way to get them to buy into the lesson.  I have changed the way in which I do a number of things in my classroom and I am learning to have more group lessons as well as to get the students actively engaged because the more involved and actively engaged they are the more learning takes place.  this course has made me see how technology can enhance learning and I realize that I use all of the learning theories at some time in my lessons and that there is a place in the curriculum for all of them.

I will use technology as often as I can and I will encourage the students to do the same.  They will work more on presenting with power point and I will have them blogging more as well as trying other forms of technology.  I think virtual field trips are marvelous and as often as I can find one to go along with the lesson I will use it in my instructions.   I am trying to include the creation of a voice thread in my lesson I showed my students the voice thread I created and they seem to think it was cool so I would like to have the class complete one.

I would like to have my students blog instead of writing in their journals and I am going to start at the beginning of the year and have my students set up their sites as soon as they start school so they can begin blogging immediately.  I am also going to implement virtual filed trips in my lesson plans in order for my students to be able to experience and get a visual of what it is we are studying.  I want to start them out creating voice threads and have a situation already planned out when school starts that they will begin working on almost immediately in groups.  Each group will have the same problem and they will have their specific tasks to analyze, make decisions about and perform.  I do not see foresee any of the voice threads being the same.

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

On a daily basis, we teachers see how much students are affected and learn from their environment.  Everyday I have students telling me about something they did or heard from a parent or grandparent that influences the way they see things and how they learn.  Each and every student has a uniqueness about them and their experiences reflect that uniqueness if we take the time to listen and allow them to elaborate.  Many times we have to steer the conversation back to where we want or need it to be but rather we want to admit it or not learning is taking place within the classroom from each other this is certainly social learning.  I tend to agree with Kim that each of us has our own reality and  none of us will see the same thing in the same way it might be similar but we will still see it differently (Kim, 2001).

Cooperative learning allows students to interact with their peers to construct things through problem solving, decision making, critical thinking, analyzing, researching, negotiating,discussing, and evaluating.  Students helping students learn and working together in a group setting to reach a common goal and enhance learning without the teacher having to tell them everything or having to tell them how to do it just there to guide and assist if and when needed. Once students feel they are needed and a part of something they tend to feel better about them self and they tend to attendance increases as well as more appropriate positive peer interaction. Students are sharing and comparing which is certainly what social learning is all about (Palmer, Peters & Streetman, 2003).

Technology is like the missing link to the puzzle it plays a role so unique and vital because it facilitates the group collaboration.  Groups can communicate through technology and not be in the same room, house or even in the same city any time of day or night as long as the technology is available this certainly does help them to be lifelong learners which is exactly what we want for our students, to never stop learning.

References:

Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 1/26/2012, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Palmer, G., Peters, R., & Streetman, R. (2003). Cooperative learning. In M. Orey (Ed), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 1/26/2012, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Melenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA ASCD.


https://voicethread.com/share/2675449/

How generating and testing hypotheses correlate with the principles of constructivist/constructionist learning theories

Generating and testing hypotheses is another way of helping students to engage in more complex processes and overall strengthen their understanding of content (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2008). This is certainly a way of creating artifacts while students are being actively engaged (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  When a student generates and test hypotheses, it is not an absolute thing but has been uniquely constructed in the mind of the student this is constructionism and learning certainly is taking place, which is what we as teachers want to happen.
 
The main focus of the instructional strategy and constructionism is to make sure the learner is involved with the entire process from start to finish and feels he/she is an active part of the process from start to finish.  Instead of the teacher lecturing and making all of the decisons, it becomes a group effort with the teacher acting as facilitator and guide.  Listening to the discussions and providing feedback when needed as to keep the process going in the intended direction.  The students are more responsible for the learning taking place and they are doing the investigating, creating, and problem solving once they are given clear instructions (Han & Bhattacharya, 2001). 

The fact that there is technology out there to assist students with being able to interpret data and not have to spend all of their time gathering it is a plus for teachers and students, we need to do our best to engage our students with this technology as soon as we can to get them use to the higher level thinking skills which will prepare them for those 21st century high technology jobs.

Reference:

Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 1/22/2012, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist leanring theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&Coursenav=o&bhcp=1

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Melenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA ASCD.
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