Final Reflection Blog: August 20, 2010
As we come to a close on this technology course I have to say that it has been one of the most enlightening classes I have ever taken. The Game plan we were introduced to and developed for ourselves is a strategy that I personally will continue to use throughout my teaching career. My first GAME plan Goal was to become proficient at using the new software that our district has implemented for grading and communicating with parents. I quickly learned that my Action plan of having a colleague tutor me was not going to work out since he was unavailable much of the summer. I am currently stuck on my Action plan until the beginning of the school year to attend a training session.
My second Goal had a much better outcome. It is to model digital-age work and learning by becoming a proficient user of the new Smart Board in my classroom. I was able to not only locate numerous websites with tutorials but many colleagues willing to share their knowledge and expertise. I have discovered that the teaching community is definitely one of selflessness. The GAME plan kept me accountable throughout the summer to be better prepared to model this technology to my students and I cannot wait to introduce this new engaging and fun learning tool to my students.
The most important impact the GAME plan will make in my instructional practice will be that it will keep me accountable in becoming a life learner who strives his best to accomplish the goals he sets before him. It’s hard to leave the goal behind once the GAME plan is established. Even the goal I was not able to accomplish in the timeline I would have liked to. I will continue my Action plan when school begins and finish my GAME plan before the first semester ends. I also believe that by teaching The GAME plan to my students for them to follow during assignments will make them better learners and teach them a life long strategy.
In my instruction I will be creating lessons with technology in mind to incorporate all that I have learned in this course. It would be unrealistic for me to say that I will use all of it in my class but my plan is to introduce it in small doses. Starting with something as simple as a blog and hopefully moving towards digital storytelling by the end of the year. I too have to find ways to change my lessons to incorporate these new technology tools so I know it will take time. Hey, sounds like another GAME plan.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Learning about all of the Technology available for our use in the classroom can be a bit overwhelming to teachers that do not use much besides a projector. I have come to discover that not all of it is something I will use but, I can choose the ones that are best suited for my content and students.
The NETS (ISTE, 2009) are standards that promote modeling digital age self-empowerment to the students to give them the confidence to use this technology throughout their educational career and beyond. My GAME plan for this coming year is to help my students get acclimated with the technology that is available to us through our district.
My goal is to develop my student’s skills in PowerPoint, SmartBoard, blogging, and wiki’s. Assigning projects that give them the opportunity to work with these programs collaboratively, I believe they can learn to become responsible digital citizens. Although we are limited to these programs, I believe that change is coming to our district in the form of making the administration aware of our technology needs. I just discovered recently that my request for a SmartBoard was approved so I have been busily training, with the help of colleagues everywhere, to familiarize myself with its uses. I also put in a request for a faculty training session and it too was approved (all part of the GAME plan). Our staff will be formally trained by a professional this coming school year.
Learning about video storytelling also brings about a big change in how I will assign projects. This is a change for me but a refreshing addition for my students who I know will be excited to create using technology.
Finally, I would like to train my students to use the GAME plan to help them become life long self-directed learners. “Self-directed, metacognitive learners engage in three key processes: planning, monitoring and evaluating their learning activities” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009 p3). This is an imperative skill that will continue to improve and sustain their life long learning process.
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.
ISTE. (2009). The Iste national educational technology standards (nets•t) and performance indicators for teachers. Retrieved from iste@iste.org, www.iste.org.
The NETS (ISTE, 2009) are standards that promote modeling digital age self-empowerment to the students to give them the confidence to use this technology throughout their educational career and beyond. My GAME plan for this coming year is to help my students get acclimated with the technology that is available to us through our district.
My goal is to develop my student’s skills in PowerPoint, SmartBoard, blogging, and wiki’s. Assigning projects that give them the opportunity to work with these programs collaboratively, I believe they can learn to become responsible digital citizens. Although we are limited to these programs, I believe that change is coming to our district in the form of making the administration aware of our technology needs. I just discovered recently that my request for a SmartBoard was approved so I have been busily training, with the help of colleagues everywhere, to familiarize myself with its uses. I also put in a request for a faculty training session and it too was approved (all part of the GAME plan). Our staff will be formally trained by a professional this coming school year.
Learning about video storytelling also brings about a big change in how I will assign projects. This is a change for me but a refreshing addition for my students who I know will be excited to create using technology.
Finally, I would like to train my students to use the GAME plan to help them become life long self-directed learners. “Self-directed, metacognitive learners engage in three key processes: planning, monitoring and evaluating their learning activities” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009 p3). This is an imperative skill that will continue to improve and sustain their life long learning process.
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.
ISTE. (2009). The Iste national educational technology standards (nets•t) and performance indicators for teachers. Retrieved from iste@iste.org, www.iste.org.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
As I continue to improve on what I have learned so far about using a Smart Board, I keep getting responses to make sure I learn to use it proficiently. There are many teachers using their Smart Boards as projectors when a simple projector will do. Being granted a technology gift like the Smart Board is not common so I feel I need to continue learning its uses and the advantages it gives me to alter my lessons.
One thing I have learned so far that I can apply to my instructional practice is how to take my class on a virtual trip to any country in the world. I can have my students research the different regions of Spain and have them take the rest of the class on a tour of their region. They can present points of interests and historical sites with actual satellite pictures from Google Maps. It’s great! A goal I’m still working on is to collaborate with the rest of the foreign language department to create some similar projects for the different grade levels. This will get students using the Smart Board throughout their high school experience.
Next time I set a similar goal, I think I would try the learning approach of asking my colleagues, either in my school or the internet, for help first. There is always someone willing to share not only their work but experiences with it. This social networking with colleague on the internet is priceless. No matter what you decide to present to your students, there is always someone who has done it before you.
One thing I have learned so far that I can apply to my instructional practice is how to take my class on a virtual trip to any country in the world. I can have my students research the different regions of Spain and have them take the rest of the class on a tour of their region. They can present points of interests and historical sites with actual satellite pictures from Google Maps. It’s great! A goal I’m still working on is to collaborate with the rest of the foreign language department to create some similar projects for the different grade levels. This will get students using the Smart Board throughout their high school experience.
Next time I set a similar goal, I think I would try the learning approach of asking my colleagues, either in my school or the internet, for help first. There is always someone willing to share not only their work but experiences with it. This social networking with colleague on the internet is priceless. No matter what you decide to present to your students, there is always someone who has done it before you.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Wow...this stinks! I posted information on my blog on Wednesday and now (Sunday) I get on to see if anyone responded and my post is not there. Oh, well...there goes my grade!
Anyways, I had posted that I have thrown in the towel my GAME plan to learn more about Infinite Campus. Even with the manual in hand, it is too difficult to manipulate and learn all that it offers without a trained professional showing me. I will have to wait and take the training offered at the beginning of the school year. So much for getting ahead of the game.
As for the GAME plan on learning to use the Smart Board...much more successful.
I have definitely tapped into some great resources such as five teachers that are proficient in using it. They have shared many of their secrets of creating a successful Smart Board game, lesson, or interactive project.
I feel that my action plan of finding trained colleagues to help me has been very effective.
I have learned the many different ways of incorporating the use of a Smart Board into my lessons without it always being a game. I have also learned that there are many teachers in cyberspace willing to share their ideas and their Smart Board programs so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel.
So far so good. Having fun with this one and very excited to use the Smart Board this coming year.
Anyways, I had posted that I have thrown in the towel my GAME plan to learn more about Infinite Campus. Even with the manual in hand, it is too difficult to manipulate and learn all that it offers without a trained professional showing me. I will have to wait and take the training offered at the beginning of the school year. So much for getting ahead of the game.
As for the GAME plan on learning to use the Smart Board...much more successful.
I have definitely tapped into some great resources such as five teachers that are proficient in using it. They have shared many of their secrets of creating a successful Smart Board game, lesson, or interactive project.
I feel that my action plan of finding trained colleagues to help me has been very effective.
I have learned the many different ways of incorporating the use of a Smart Board into my lessons without it always being a game. I have also learned that there are many teachers in cyberspace willing to share their ideas and their Smart Board programs so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel.
So far so good. Having fun with this one and very excited to use the Smart Board this coming year.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
After visiting the Web site for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and examining the National Education Standards, I have created my GAME Plan for strengthening my confidence in the following two indicators in the NETS-T:
Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
Goal
Learn to become proficient in all aspects of a SmartBoard
Action
Search for a professional development course to learn how to use a SmartBoard.
Seek an online tutorial or seek a teacher who is already an expert in using a Smartboard.
Monitor
Which method of action is most efficient and effective?
Evaluate
What do I still need to learn?
What method of action was most valuable in attaining my goal?
What is my next step?
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
Goal
Become proficient at using the new software (Infinite Campus) that our district has implemented for grading and communicating with parents.
Learn to use and implement Castle Learning Online (supports classroom instruction through content-related review assignments, practice sessions and benchmark testing). Many peers already use it and are experts at it.
Action
Take a professional development course on how to become an expert at using Infinite Campus (mandated by our district).
Seek a teaching colleague that is adept at using Castle Learning Online to teach and mentor me on learning to use it and make it available to my students.
Monitor
Am I learning to use Infinite Campus in a timely manner so that my students, parents and I can take advantage of all it offers?
Is Castle Learning Online helping to promote higher level thinking in my Spanish class?
Are my students taking advantage of the extra help it offers?
Evaluate
What do I still need to learn?
Have I implemented what I have learned to communicate relevant information and Ideas effectively to students, parents and peers?
What is my next step?
Let me know if you have any suggestions about my GAME plan.
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