With
technology integration in mind, I have created a GAME plan inspired by two of
the NETS-T. As previously stated, incorporated
in my game plan are two goals, which include the integration of various digital
tools as project options as well as the creation of a class blog. With goals established, I then began to take
action and seek out resources as well as support from my colleagues and
administrators. By doing so, I was able
to attain a variety of resources and ideas, which have enabled me to push forward
with my GAME plan.
In addition to creating goals and taking action, it is
also imperative that I monitor and adjust my GAME plan when necessary. As stated in the course text Technology Integration for Meaningful
Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach, “Both self-monitoring and
self-evaluation are considered essential components of self-directed learning”
(Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 11).
To aide in the process of monitoring my GAME plan, I have set aside time
each day to reflect on my progress. Each
day I jot down thoughts, notes, and ideas in a journal as to what happened as
well as why it may have happened. The
“key to effective reflection is the ability to go beyond a simple description
of what happened [and] to consider why it happened” (Cennamo, Ross &
Ertmer, 2009, p. 11).
After
much reflection, I have come to realize that my original GAME plan goals may
have been too ambitious. Thus, I have
decided to focus on one of my GAME plan goals and save the other for a
different, separate GAME plan. I have
edited my goals and am now focusing on the inclusion and integration of digital
tools as project options. Now, I feel
that I am better able to focus on this goal and attend to the tasks at
hand. I have continued to research and
explore a variety of digital tools that can serve as project options for my
fourth grade students. Ultimately, I
have decided to first introduce them to three digital tools, which I will
provide as options for a culminating Social Studies project. The three digital tools I have chosen to
focus on are VoiceThread, digital concept mapping tools, and iMovie.
Moving
forward with my GAME plan, I have begun to create and generate examples using
each of the three digital tools. I feel
that creating my own examples, will not only give students a preview of the
final product, but also motivate and engage them. I am truly excited as I continue with my GAME
plan!
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. &
Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration
for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach.Belmont,CA:Wadsworth,
Cengage Learning.
International Society for
Technology in Education. (2008). National
education technology standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers
Hi Amy,
ReplyDeleteI think you made good modifications to your GAME plan. Sometimes I do the same thing where I make goals that are too much and then I get frustrated when I cannot achieve them. Your change is a good change and I think with all of your self-reflecting, you will have great results! Concept mapping is such a great option. Have you checked out SpiderScibe? It is a website that I learned about in a previous course through Walden that allows students to make concept maps very easily. I have one account and the students create a concept map and save it under their name. Good luck with your plan!
Jana
Hi Amy,
ReplyDeleteReflection is key to truly being able to make adjustments. I love that you were able to realize that you needed to focus on only one goals at a time. Allowing your students the options to incorporate the digital tools in the Social Studies project is a great idea. Students enjoy having the opportunity to make choices. The three digital tools that you selected have distinct options that make them unique but they are all easy to use. Voicethread is a favorite of mine!
Antonnikka
http://integratetechn.blogspot.com