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.