Set the Goal. Being involved with a master’s program at Walden is a big jumping off point to increasing my professional growth and leadership. I believe that integrating more technology into the classroom will be nothing but beneficial to our students. I also will be looking to join committees on technology in my school division to promote and advocate for an increase in technology availability in the division. As for the second indicator, I plan to get better at using technology personally so I can integrate more choice into my lessons. Although the program at Walden is introducing me to many areas of technology, as a student, I get just a taste of what is available. I would like to more purposefully search out and master different web tools appropriate for my class.
Take Action. As mentioned, taking a master’s in integrating technology into the classroom is my first action towards the goal. Also, getting to know which committees are taking on members, subscribing to blogs about technology education, and blogging on the topic itself are other ways to take action. Investigating courses at local universities or PD sessions on web tools of interest will bring me closer to my goal. I am in negotiations with my school division to help create a web literacy program for teachers to implement in their classrooms. I have also been a peer coach in technology in the school where I teach. Lastly, I am working with my division to get an ePals membership. Networking with others around the world to strengthen our students’ 21st century skills is imperative. Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) indicate that webconferencing is another way to get involved professionally to make better use of technology in the classroom. Prensky (2008) asserts that classrooms should be places where collaboration happens around the world electronically. Therefore, teachers should also collaborate internationally to improve their teaching.
Monitor. Monitoring is like reflective thinking. As I endeavour to model digital learning and work and increase my professional development, I have to reflect if what I am doing is working for me. Are committees the right way to go at this time? Can I have a true impact on my students? Am I using technology for the sake of technology or is the technology actually strengthening learning? Are my contacts helping me help my students?
Evaluate. As with monitoring, I must ask myself if my goals are being met. Are teachers using my input and advice? Are my ideas being listened at the committee stage? King-Sears and Evmenova (2007) point out teachers need to practice and demonstrate technology with their students. This allows for evaluation of the use of that particular technology in the lesson. What could be changed for future lessons? These authors also indicate that teachers need to incorporate technology as an important way to deliver instruction in the classroom. Once again it allows students to see how technology can be used. Another point these authors make is that teachers need to examine the technology and use it before a lesson takes place. Again this allows the teacher to evaluate the usefulness of the tool for the original purpose.
I know my abilities in using technology. I will not fool anyone into thinking that I am some sort of techie. However, with using a proper GAME plan, I can be a better teacher preparing my students for the 21st century.
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.
King-Sears, M., & Evmenova, A. S. (2007, Sep/Oct). Premises, principles, and processes for integrating TECHnology into instruction. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(1), 6–14.
National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) located at http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Prensky, M. (2008, March). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40-45.
Posts
Mary to Russ
ReplyDeleteI think it is great idea to include other teachers in your technology plan, by forming a technology committee. I think we need to utilize all our resources and our fellow teachers hold plethora of information that we can use. I get some of my best ideas from classmates as well as from my peers. I also want to form a group at my school where my fellow teacher can share ideas about how to use technology in the classroom. I think the more we try new ideas in our classrooms and have success, the easier it will be to get others interested and excited.
It sounds like you are well on your way to being a 21ST century literate teacher. I think your GAME plan sounds very well thought out.
I think many of your fellow teachers will consider you a techie (not too confused with trekkie) and that is a complement.
Mary
Russ to Mary,
ReplyDeleteI did notice that we were both thinking of setiting up a committee for technology in our schools. I beleive that there needs to be an anchor where teachers can go if they experience difficulty in the area of technology. I think my area is unique in that many teachers are afraid of thechnology and would rather run away from it than use it. Having a place to go for ideas may allow for some of the apprehension to dissipate.
I would also like to see our school go forward with a technology teacher who could teach students many of the applications we are taking in this program. That way, a classroom teacher could assign a project using technology and the students could just do it. Students could then run their ideas and struggles past the technology teacher.
To Russ and Mary,
ReplyDeleteOff of your ideas for a technology group---I am going to put one together for our school after the holiday's. So thank you--also Russ your idea about a technology class is a great idea for my school, love the idea!!! Our high school has a technology class, but not in our middle school. This is a perfect idea, for schools to teach the technology in one class and then to be able to use it in all the other classes. I am going to ask my principal about the prospects for this next year. At the moment myself and a couple teachers are using as much technology as I am. So we have to teach it from the starting point!! Which is fine, my students are learning a lot, but sometimes I have to slow down.