Reflection
Throughout this course, the critical importance of utilizing technology in instruction has become obvious to me. I have been made aware of so many rich technology resources that I can have my students utilize to enhance their learning and better their assignments and projects. As an English teacher, who is continually pressured to make sure I am adequately teaching to the standards and hitting all of the required curriculum, it is easy to lose perspective of the importance of including technology in into as many different lessons as possible. This class has given me a renewed focus on making sure I am giving my students the best education possible, by actively incorporating technology elements into my curriculum. Is it realistic for me to utilize technology every day? No. Is there lab space available to me on a daily basis? No. However, I can make a conscious effort to schedule lab time in advance to ensure my students do not have to be limited.
Thanks to my classmates, I have been introduced to a variety of different websites that I hadn’t known about prior to this class, and they will all enable me to give my students a number of different learning experiences and technology-rich lessons.
In addition, working through the GAME plan model also reminded me of the importance of creating structured, well-formatted lesson plans. I was already practicing many of the components that are present in the GAME plan, but it was a good reminder to make sure each of my lessons identify the technology that I will use, the modifications I will make for individual students, as well as a clearly-identified back-up plan.
As a whole, this class has given me some incredibly valuable resources that I will take with me into this new school year, and I will make focused, conscious effort to create and implement lessons that utilize technology as a means to enhance learning.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Are you finding the information and resources you need?
As I reflect on my GAME plan and the actions I’ve taken thus far, I am feeling confident that this is going to be a successful endeavor for me. As I stated in my earlier post, I have signed up for two technology training sessions at the beginning of the school year, and I have also been in contact with my building IT person to set up some times for us to meet and discuss the various technologies specifically available in my building. Both of these steps will allow me to fully take advantage of the district-sponsored, FREE technologies that are at my disposal during the school year. In addition, I have been spending more time navigating the Prezi website (www.prezi.com) to better learn the software and to create some initial presentations for my students that I will use at the beginning of the year.
As for my blog, it is simply a matter of me finalizing my plans and committing to what I want to include on the blog. As this is a creative endeavor, I continue to change my mind, so I have spent some time browsing other “teacher” blogs to see what those teachers are doing with their spaces.
Do you need to modify your action plan?
I am comfortable with my action plan as it is. I continue to fluctuate on how I want to format my blog and deliver the content, but the concept and purpose of the blog remains the same. I have contemplated simply creating a teacher webpage, but I like the openness of the blog, and the way it allows for direct dialogue and communication in a way a website does not.
What have you learned so far?
Thus far, I have been reminded of something I knew before; technology is an incredible tool that can be used to enhance lessons, classrooms, communication, etc. Though some of the technology tools require a great deal of work on the outset (creating blogs, creating Prezi presentations, setting up WebQuests, etc.), the end result allows for a streamlines, more efficient product/communication/outcome. In addition, the technology feature gives the added element of familiarity for students, as they spend a large majority of their time embracing technology in their daily lives, thus increasing student interest.
What new questions have arisen?
I am nervous about keeping up my blog, and I question whether or not I will be able to be as diligent at keeping it up to date as I want to be. When the school year starts and all of the extra-curricular commitments are added, I worry that my blog won’t be as effective as it could be. Aside from me realistically questioning my own ability to give the blog the needed amount of follow-through, I have no questions at this time. (Side note: I know I will be able to keep my blog up to date to most standards and expectations, but I am the type of teacher who wants everything I do in the classroom to exceed expectations, so we’ll see this goes!)
As I reflect on my GAME plan and the actions I’ve taken thus far, I am feeling confident that this is going to be a successful endeavor for me. As I stated in my earlier post, I have signed up for two technology training sessions at the beginning of the school year, and I have also been in contact with my building IT person to set up some times for us to meet and discuss the various technologies specifically available in my building. Both of these steps will allow me to fully take advantage of the district-sponsored, FREE technologies that are at my disposal during the school year. In addition, I have been spending more time navigating the Prezi website (www.prezi.com) to better learn the software and to create some initial presentations for my students that I will use at the beginning of the year.
As for my blog, it is simply a matter of me finalizing my plans and committing to what I want to include on the blog. As this is a creative endeavor, I continue to change my mind, so I have spent some time browsing other “teacher” blogs to see what those teachers are doing with their spaces.
Do you need to modify your action plan?
I am comfortable with my action plan as it is. I continue to fluctuate on how I want to format my blog and deliver the content, but the concept and purpose of the blog remains the same. I have contemplated simply creating a teacher webpage, but I like the openness of the blog, and the way it allows for direct dialogue and communication in a way a website does not.
What have you learned so far?
Thus far, I have been reminded of something I knew before; technology is an incredible tool that can be used to enhance lessons, classrooms, communication, etc. Though some of the technology tools require a great deal of work on the outset (creating blogs, creating Prezi presentations, setting up WebQuests, etc.), the end result allows for a streamlines, more efficient product/communication/outcome. In addition, the technology feature gives the added element of familiarity for students, as they spend a large majority of their time embracing technology in their daily lives, thus increasing student interest.
What new questions have arisen?
I am nervous about keeping up my blog, and I question whether or not I will be able to be as diligent at keeping it up to date as I want to be. When the school year starts and all of the extra-curricular commitments are added, I worry that my blog won’t be as effective as it could be. Aside from me realistically questioning my own ability to give the blog the needed amount of follow-through, I have no questions at this time. (Side note: I know I will be able to keep my blog up to date to most standards and expectations, but I am the type of teacher who wants everything I do in the classroom to exceed expectations, so we’ll see this goes!)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Carrying Out My GAME Plan
Creating a technology-rich classroom is not a simple undertaking. It is not enough to utilize a few comfortable forms of technology on a regular basis. Instead, I need to continually incorporate new and different technologies into my classroom. This is a task that is going to require me to really extend and push myself. Like I’ve said before, I have a tried and true batch of technologies I fluently use in my day-to-day teaching, but as my goal states, I want to work on incorporating most, if not all, of the technology available to me through my district.
In order to accomplish this goal, I am going to have to be diligent in seeking out opportunities to be trained on the new technologies, while also being a self-directed learner, teaching myself how to use the new technologies (Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer, 2009). I have signed up for two technology training sessions through my district, and I have contacted my building IT specialist, requesting some assistance during the beginning of the year teacher work days. Both of these steps will help me reach my goal of successfully implementing new technologies into my classroom.
My second goal of creating a classroom blog is proving to be a fun challenge. I have yet to actually publish my blog, as I want to make sure I have all of the main components in place before I do so. I am working with a colleague who currently has a blog, to get ideas and assistance. My blog is designed to be an additional form of communication with parents and students, and I am working to make sure my format and content is sustainable; I want to make sure I keep my blog up-to-date and relevant. Since I have not fully planned the beginning quarter’s curriculum, I need to wait until I have a more concrete plan in place to start posting the calendar, assignments, etc. I have created my initial “welcome” post which highlights the purpose for the blog, as well as how to access the various features the blog will contain.
In addition to being a resource for parents, I want this blog to act as another tool for students. Ross (Laureate, 2011) stated that students must all have access to the curriculum, and by creating a blog, I am giving students another opportunity to have that access to the needed materials and resources, outside of the classroom. It is another way to give students autonomy and responsibility as self-directed learners.
I am hopeful that both of these goals will be met and even exceeded. I want to be a teacher who embraces a multitude of technologies to enhance my students’ learning, and I want to utilize technology to reach out to my students’ families and communicate with my 21st century learners.
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.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Meeting students needs with technology, part 1 DVD]. In Meeting students needs with technology, part 1. Baltimore, MD: Author.
In order to accomplish this goal, I am going to have to be diligent in seeking out opportunities to be trained on the new technologies, while also being a self-directed learner, teaching myself how to use the new technologies (Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer, 2009). I have signed up for two technology training sessions through my district, and I have contacted my building IT specialist, requesting some assistance during the beginning of the year teacher work days. Both of these steps will help me reach my goal of successfully implementing new technologies into my classroom.
My second goal of creating a classroom blog is proving to be a fun challenge. I have yet to actually publish my blog, as I want to make sure I have all of the main components in place before I do so. I am working with a colleague who currently has a blog, to get ideas and assistance. My blog is designed to be an additional form of communication with parents and students, and I am working to make sure my format and content is sustainable; I want to make sure I keep my blog up-to-date and relevant. Since I have not fully planned the beginning quarter’s curriculum, I need to wait until I have a more concrete plan in place to start posting the calendar, assignments, etc. I have created my initial “welcome” post which highlights the purpose for the blog, as well as how to access the various features the blog will contain.
In addition to being a resource for parents, I want this blog to act as another tool for students. Ross (Laureate, 2011) stated that students must all have access to the curriculum, and by creating a blog, I am giving students another opportunity to have that access to the needed materials and resources, outside of the classroom. It is another way to give students autonomy and responsibility as self-directed learners.
I am hopeful that both of these goals will be met and even exceeded. I want to be a teacher who embraces a multitude of technologies to enhance my students’ learning, and I want to utilize technology to reach out to my students’ families and communicate with my 21st century learners.
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.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Meeting students needs with technology, part 1 DVD]. In Meeting students needs with technology, part 1. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
ITST 'GAME' plan
Today’s students are surrounded by technology all day, every day. They have been navigating the technological world from a very young age, and they are, without question, more proficient using technology than me, their teacher. This fact, coupled with Prensky’s (2008) sentiments that students are begin better-prepared for 21st century living outside of school, utilizing the real-time technology available to them, than inside of the classroom, force me to want to enhance my teaching by better utilizing the various forms of technology available.
The International Society for Technology in Education (2008) has established technology standards that effective teachers must model and apply. Of the five standards, my weakest area, as a teacher, is standard # 3, “Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.” Within that standard, the two indicators that I feel I least confident carrying out are indicators a: “teachers demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations” and c: “teachers communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media formats.” If I honestly assess my teaching, I feel fluent using a select-few forms of technology, but rarely, if ever, do I transfer my knowledge to new technologies to utilize in the classroom. Additionally, I communicate with parents using the basic mediums of phone and e-mail. I do not take advantage of the various technological communications available to me.
In order to address and strengthen my confidence and ability to effectively meet these indicators, I am going to follow the “GAME” format, as described by Dr. Cennamo (Laureate, 2011). This format is simply a scaffold to help facilitate self-directed learning, which simply stated, is learning independently. I will follow the four steps of the format including, goals, actions, monitoring, and evaluation. Each of the following steps will be outlined below.
G – Goals
Ultimately, my overall goal for both indicators is to be able to fluently and proficiently complete both objectives stated by the indicators. More specifically, my goals for indicator a (teachers demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations) is to learn how to incorporate new technologies, provided by my district, into my classroom, including the use of new SmartBoard technologies, Quizdom technologies, Dotnetnuke webpages, as well as Skype and ePals technologies to collaborate with a classroom in Germany.
My specific goal for indicator c (teachers communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media formats) is to create a classroom blog that I can utilize to communicate with both students and parents.
A-Actions
In order to meet my goals for indicator a, I am going first participate in a district technology training session held at the beginning of the year. I need to be introduced to some and review other technologies provided by my district. After attending the training sessions, I will intentionally add these technology components to my lesson plans. To start, I will create detailed lesson plans, containing one of the above-mentioned technologies, to ensure I utilize the technology effectively with my students.
To complete indicator c, I will begin by outlining what I want to communicate with parents and students on my blog. I will set up the blog and add all of the various components I want to make available to parents and students.
M-Monitor
In order to monitor my progress for indicator a, I will keep a log of how often I utilize a technological component in my lessons. In addition, I will take notes on how effective each lesson was, and what I can do to improve my use of that technology the next time I use it. I will also note students’ reactions and responses to the new technology.
I will monitor indicator c by continually checking on the blog, tracking how often I update pertinent information, and observing how often parents are utilizing the blog. I will determine this by reading comments, and making a comparison of how often I am communicating with parents using the old mediums I used to rely on.
E- Evaluation
Both of these indicators will be evaluated using reflection. I will reflect back on how often I utilized new technology, using my log as an indicator and resource, and I will determine how to better incorporate the new technologies as I move forward. In addition, I will determine my need for additional training. In addition, I will evaluate how effective I was at keeping my blog up to date, providing parents with effective communication regarding my class and their students’ progress.
Overall, I am confident that as I move through the steps of the GAME format, I will be able to provide my students with learning experiences that engage them and force them to think creatively and critically, utilizing the technology that makes them 21st century learners.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful
classroom use: Astandards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom
ed.).Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education
standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from
http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Promoting self-directed learning with
technology [DVD]. In Promoting self-directed learning with technology.
Baltimore,MD: Author.
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.Retrieved from the Academic Search Complete database.
The International Society for Technology in Education (2008) has established technology standards that effective teachers must model and apply. Of the five standards, my weakest area, as a teacher, is standard # 3, “Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.” Within that standard, the two indicators that I feel I least confident carrying out are indicators a: “teachers demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations” and c: “teachers communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media formats.” If I honestly assess my teaching, I feel fluent using a select-few forms of technology, but rarely, if ever, do I transfer my knowledge to new technologies to utilize in the classroom. Additionally, I communicate with parents using the basic mediums of phone and e-mail. I do not take advantage of the various technological communications available to me.
In order to address and strengthen my confidence and ability to effectively meet these indicators, I am going to follow the “GAME” format, as described by Dr. Cennamo (Laureate, 2011). This format is simply a scaffold to help facilitate self-directed learning, which simply stated, is learning independently. I will follow the four steps of the format including, goals, actions, monitoring, and evaluation. Each of the following steps will be outlined below.
G – Goals
Ultimately, my overall goal for both indicators is to be able to fluently and proficiently complete both objectives stated by the indicators. More specifically, my goals for indicator a (teachers demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations) is to learn how to incorporate new technologies, provided by my district, into my classroom, including the use of new SmartBoard technologies, Quizdom technologies, Dotnetnuke webpages, as well as Skype and ePals technologies to collaborate with a classroom in Germany.
My specific goal for indicator c (teachers communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media formats) is to create a classroom blog that I can utilize to communicate with both students and parents.
A-Actions
In order to meet my goals for indicator a, I am going first participate in a district technology training session held at the beginning of the year. I need to be introduced to some and review other technologies provided by my district. After attending the training sessions, I will intentionally add these technology components to my lesson plans. To start, I will create detailed lesson plans, containing one of the above-mentioned technologies, to ensure I utilize the technology effectively with my students.
To complete indicator c, I will begin by outlining what I want to communicate with parents and students on my blog. I will set up the blog and add all of the various components I want to make available to parents and students.
M-Monitor
In order to monitor my progress for indicator a, I will keep a log of how often I utilize a technological component in my lessons. In addition, I will take notes on how effective each lesson was, and what I can do to improve my use of that technology the next time I use it. I will also note students’ reactions and responses to the new technology.
I will monitor indicator c by continually checking on the blog, tracking how often I update pertinent information, and observing how often parents are utilizing the blog. I will determine this by reading comments, and making a comparison of how often I am communicating with parents using the old mediums I used to rely on.
E- Evaluation
Both of these indicators will be evaluated using reflection. I will reflect back on how often I utilized new technology, using my log as an indicator and resource, and I will determine how to better incorporate the new technologies as I move forward. In addition, I will determine my need for additional training. In addition, I will evaluate how effective I was at keeping my blog up to date, providing parents with effective communication regarding my class and their students’ progress.
Overall, I am confident that as I move through the steps of the GAME format, I will be able to provide my students with learning experiences that engage them and force them to think creatively and critically, utilizing the technology that makes them 21st century learners.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful
classroom use: Astandards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom
ed.).Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education
standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from
http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Promoting self-directed learning with
technology [DVD]. In Promoting self-directed learning with technology.
Baltimore,MD: Author.
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.Retrieved from the Academic Search Complete database.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Initial venture
This is my first, real venture into the world of blogging, and I am a little apprehensive. I am eager to work and learn with my classmates as we strive to better incorporate technology into our classrooms day in and day out!
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