EDUC 6713 Reflection

The blog series for this course had students creating, reflecting, and sharing posts based on a GAME plan created based on the NETS-S standards. I found this series of blog beneficial. Firstly, I was not aware of the standards to a large degree. Having a consistent set of guidelines in preparing a class for using technology in the classroom is a good reminder for teachers. This set of standards is also helpful as a benchmark for teachers in many areas of the world. With these standards, students around the world will receive like standards, which is advantageous as we continue preparing learners in the 21st century. Preparing a GAME plan was a good exercise in using new methods and information on a topic area. This was a hands-on activity that gave me the experience my students would have if they would use the GAME plan in their school work.


Creating a GAME plan was another reminder that as teachers, we need to be reflective practitioners. The GAME plan is a systematic way of going through a thought process of a teaching or learning goal you have set. The monitoring and evaluating were the most helpful in the process. While you monitor and evaluate it forces you to think and reflect on what has happened. It forces you to consider changes, take a different approach, or redefine what you need to know. I can see myself using the GAME plan with my students. The entire process would be part of a self-assessment for any assignment. By going through a GAME plan I would be able to see the depth of the learning that has happened during the course of an assignment. This can also lead to a more authentic learning by students as they monitor and evaluate what they have done.

I am not sure if there are any immediate plans or changes that I will make in my teaching practice regarding the integration of technology. However, this course has reminded me of a few things I must do as a teacher. Firstly, it is imperative to always be reflecting and thinking about learning. Thinking about this is not enough; you must also be prepared to take action and make necessary changes based on monitoring and evaluations you have made about your goals. Secondly, I have realized that I have many good lessons and units that can be altered so that technology can be infused into the learning. To go along with the idea of changing lessons and units rather than starting from scratch, I have learned that you must choose where technology properly fits into a lesson. Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) wisely state that technology must be used for a purpose, not just for the sake of using technology. If what I do in the classroom does not advance the learning and understanding of my students, I have not done my job.

Technology offers abundant opportunities for students to show their learning. Technology helps students become better 21st century learners. By incorporating technology into my lessons, and having a GAME plan in doing so, offer my students a better chance at success in their learning (and in my teaching).

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.

GAME Plan with Students

The NETS standards for students are a good compliment to the teachers’ standards. In fact, most of the standards are isomers of each other. For example, teachers are to demonstrate good ethical use of technology. Students are to demonstrate that they use technology in an appropriate way. Upon closer inspection, most of the standards work in this way. Based on some of the work done in the Walden courses, I could see myself doing a similar style of assignment with my students. I would introduce my students to all of the standards and discuss each one with them. As they year progressed, I would ask them to use a GAME plan in implementing the standards as they went through different technology assignments during the school year. These GAME plans could be uploaded into their ePearl portfolios to show that they have been thinking about and using the NETS standards in their work.


As I look at the standards, these are the many of the things I ask my students to do on a regular basis. These standards are very closely related to my provincial technology curriculum (http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/lict/show_me/continuum.html). One of the toughest areas for my students in using technology is the aspect of safe, legal, and responsible use of technology. Sometimes my students forget that most of the technology they use at school is not their own. In some cases, students tend to use copyright material without permission. Other times students purposefully try to access inappropriate web sites by getting around divisional blocks. Although these incidents are low, they do happen. Here is where my teaching and examples of proper use of technology can be a guide for my students. However, if students are more aware of standards they are to work toward, this can serve as incentive for achievement. I teach middle years, and at this age, students love contests with structure. If they are to begin setting goals, taking action, monitoring, and evaluating their work towards their goal, they can start telling you and showing you that they have used technology in a proper and ethical way. It is the "look what I did" mentality.

GAME plans can be multifaceted and have uses in many applications in our everyday lives and in our professions. The NETS-T and NETS-S are only two examples where GAME plans can be implemented. Teachers are told to be reflective practitioners. When teachers use GAME plans it becomes a systematic way to be reflective. There is a focus and purpose. If students have a purpose and focus for their assignments, learning and projects become more meaningful.

References:

Literacy with ICTAcross the Curriculum; A Developmental Continuum located at http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/lict/show_me/continuum.html

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) located at http://www.blogger.com/goog_1849475459
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf

National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) located at http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Student_2007_EN.sflb.ashx

Revising the GAME Plan

I have a reoccurring theme in my blog posts; be patient. A question I have is can you reach a goal? Is there room for complacency in teaching? Should I have my lesson and unit plans laminated? My answer is no to all. I believe I can be happy with my progress in my GAME plan. I can be happy and proud of the strides I am beginning to make, but I am not convinced that you can “make it” in teaching. I believe you can always improve. With this in mind, I suppose my GAME plan will always be evolving and changing. I am the type of person who will always seek professional development opportunities. I just received an email about a course on Kudo animation. However, I will not be attending the in-service. Does this mean I need to revise my GAME plan because I was not allowed to attend? Again, the answer is no. A colleague of mine who is finishing this program in December will work with me and we will investigate this tool together. I believe working within the context you have is a key to succeeding in any GAME plan. I will continue to lobby for programs and technology tool I believe will benefit the students at my school. Although not necessarily technology based, I have been recently appointed to a behaviour committee at my school. I am growing into a stronger leadership role in my school.


Unwittingly I have been trying to inspire student learning and creativity by the use of technology in the classroom. Without investigating the NETS-T standards, I did not know I was working on this goal. My experience is that students want to use technology in their learning. They use technology as an everyday part of their lives. Why should school be such a drastic change for them? I have two adapted students who have done research on an endangered species. They have incorporated their research into a script and will make a video for their presentation. Without my encouragement, I do not know if they would have been this excited about this project.

I look at the NETS –T and see they are separated into five distinct goals. I am not sure if you can achieve them one by one. Although I see value in a GAME plan and they are important, these standards weave themselves into each other to make a whole. You can hardly work on one of these standards without touching on the other four.

References:

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) located at http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf