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.
Hi Rodrigo,
ReplyDeleteIt was hard to come up with a complete GAME Plan without really knowing what we wanted to learn and how we would do. I think it would be helpful if you thought of some specific ideas for monitoring and evaluating what you will learn. Try to think of some scenarios. For example, if you are successful and learn to use Infinite Campus, what is something more you can do afterwards? If you aren't able to use it, or it doesn't go as you hoped, how can you improve or is there another progam you can use? Having a back-up plan is always helpful when trying something completely new to me! Good luck!
Sarah
Rodrigo, I think both of your goals are worthwhile ones. Both technologies will benefit your students as well as communication with parents. I'm willing to bet that as you act and monitor your goals will become more narrow and specific to your classroom. My only tip is this: don't get lost in all the smartboard templates. There are so many teachers who have posted smartboard stuff that they have used. The only problem I have encountered is that many are specific to that teacher's style or classroom. Don't be afraid to create your own unique lessons. Often it is easier to start from scratch than to thoroughly modify another person's work. Good luck!
ReplyDelete-Matt DeAmaral
Hey Matt,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice on the smartboard templates. I will definitely search for stuff that I can borrow from others.
Well, my GAME plan on learning Infinite Campus has come to almost a halt. Even with the instruction book in hand, it is very difficult to figure out without having someone trained to use it guide me. Most of he things I have learned have been trial and error and I'm not even sure if I'm doing some things correctly. I will have to wait until I can meet with a trained colleague or sign up for the tutorial at the begining of the year. Which kind of blows my plan to get ahead of the game onn this one.
ReplyDeleteAs for the GAME plan on the SmartBoard training...it's been a great plan so far. I have been able to tap into the minds of 5 teachers that are regulars at using the SmartBoard and they have shared numerous ways to use it for instruction, games, and interactive activities. I have also taken Matt's advice and have been searching (and finding) many teachers willing to share their activities. So far so good.