Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

In Week 7, we are to consider how we can use the GAME plan process with our students to help them develop proficiency in the NETS-S technology standards and indicators for students. The standards for teachers and students are very similar. Many of the actions that I have taken to make progress towards my goals are ones that my students can take to become more proficient. The GAME plan process provides an excellent road map for the path to proficiency.

Having worked on my GAME plan for several weeks now, I have learned to review and revise the plan as needed. The knowledge I have gained through these experiences is something I can share with my students as they work on their own GAME plans. The process of setting goals, determining actions to take, monitoring progress, and evaluating and extending the learning gives the students a simple, but thorough, method to achieve any goal.

My first step would be to review the NETS standards for students and choose two basic indicators that all of my students need to address. Since I teach middle school students, the first indicator they should focus on is Digital Citizenship (5.a) which states that students should use information and technology in a safe, legal, ethical, and responsible manner. Since they spend so much time on social networking sites and using online communication tools, this is a critical indicator for them. They must understand the rules for using and posting information on the Internet prior to developing their technology skills.

Our secondary focus would then be on the standard of Communication and Collaboration. Once they have learned the importance of digital citizenship, they are ready to increase their exposure to online communication and collaboration as a learning process, rather than just a social interaction.

As with any new method or idea we implement in the classroom, it is important that we are comfortable with the process before we introduce it to our students. This course has provided us with a GAME plan for continuing to improve our own and our students' proficiency in the technology standards.

Revising the GAME Plan

Week 6 brings us further along in the implementation of our GAME plans. This week, the questions to consider are:

· What have I learned so far that I can apply in my instructional practice?
· What goals am I still working toward?
· Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will I set for myself?
· If I am not ready to set new learning goals, how will I extend what I have learned so far?
· What learning approaches will I try next time to improve my learning?

I believe that I am doing a much better job of using technology to engage students in solving real-life problems. Just by working on our wiki lesson plan assignments, I am giving more thought to how I can use the technology in my classroom to make Math more real to my students. While this is not a new goal for me, the requirements for this course have certainly helped me focus on better ways to do this. Of course, achieving my goals will be an ongoing process.

Since I am making progress, I have decided to set two more goals for myself. By using my own experiences as an example, I want to model collaborative learning by engaging my students in virtual environments such as the one we have at Walden. This is another part of the NETS•T first standard for teachers. To be successful at that, I must also teach my students to be responsible digital citizens (NETS•T 4th standard).

To improve my learning, I will spend more time becoming familiar with the potential legal and ethical issues and challenges with using these technological tools. There is probably a great deal that may seem like "common sense" to me, but would never occur to my students. To get the best educational experience possible out of any technology, I must prepare for every situation. I can take nothing for granted. By being more aware of what my students may encounter, I can provide a much more rewarding experience for all of those involved.

Evaluating My Game Plan Progress

This week we are to reflect on our progress and evaluate how well we are meeting our goals. To do this, we are to consider the following questions:

· How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?
· What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
· What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?
· How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?

I wish my GAME plan was progressing as quickly as this course! The weeks seem to be flying by...as does the school year...but I am making slow progress on implementing my GAME plan. Changing the length of the projects is definitely helping me meet my goals. My Algebra class will begin working on improving the wiki that was started by last year's students. It was a project we began late in the year, just as we were preparing for the End of Course exam. This year, I am starting sooner, but not as soon as I had hoped.

It seems that we are constantly testing our students. With the administration of up to six standardized tests each school year, our computer lab is constantly reserved for testing. To remedy that, our middle school got a new laptop cart this year. However, we also added daily keyboarding classes. So when the lab is being used for testing (up to 3 weeks at a time), the laptop cart is reserved for the keyboarding classes. The result is that we still have virtually no computer access for at least 10 of the 36 weeks of school. The rest of the time must be divided among all of the teachers and classes who need access to technology.

We do as much as possible in the classroom using the Promethean board. I apply as many of the ideas that I have found to date in my instruction using this and other classroom technology. The students love using it, but it is hard to keep everyone engaged when only one person can use the board at a time. Once they've had their "turn", they tend to tune out while others are using it. The classroom response clickers are great for involving everyone, but you can't do everything on a clicker!

I still have to learn how to make the most of the technology I have access to on a daily basis. I know that I can be using it much more efficiently and effectively. That is definitely a work in progress that will take some time. One week later, I do not have any new questions, since I am still trying to answer the existing ones!

With each step taken towards my goals, I will continue to 'monitor and adjust' as necessary. It's hard to use that phrase without laughing since we hear it so often, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. Every thing we do in life requires constant modification, since every situation is different from the last. I take comfort in the fact that each of these class blogs, discussions, and assignments continue to provide much needed help along the way!

Monitoring My GAME Plan Progress

The following questions help me monitor my GAME plan progress:

• Am I finding the information and resources I need?
• Do I need to modify my action plan?
• What have I learned so far?
• What new questions have arisen?

It seems that I am always finding new information and resources to help reach my goals. Some of the resources I mentioned earlier have produced a lot of material I can use in my Math lessons. In addition, as I talk about this plan with my fellow teachers, they have provided some great feedback and additional ideas. We often discuss how difficult it is to keep a class of middle school students interested and engaged for 90 minutes each day. Making the lessons more relevant by providing more real-life applications is crucial to student motivation, but it is hard work! While some applications seem so obvious to me, my students do not share the same set of background knowledge that I have, so it is not obvious to them. Although I was once a teenager...and I raised two of them...it is not always easy to understand what is important to them. That's why I am asking them for much more feedback now. Their ideas and thoughts are definitely one of my best resources. I just wish I had tapped into that much sooner. As I mentioned in a previous post, when you first ask them for their opinions, they will give all kinds of off-the-wall answers. However, once they see that you are not only listening to, but actually implementing some of their ideas, they take it more seriously.

While my goals remain the same, I have made an important modification. To begin with, the projects will be of shorter duration. I believe nine weeks is the maximum amount of time to cover, rather than a semester. In the early stages, I am starting with Chapter projects. As I develop the units and learn from the experiences, I hope to eventually link several Chapters together into a single project.

To date, I have learned that implementing my goals will take much more time and preparation than if I just continue to do things the same way. I expected that, but I might have underestimated just a little! However, I remain focused on the idea that once the outside 'prep' work is done, the students will actually be doing more work in the classroom than I will.

Progress is usually accompanied by more questions. Some are not unexpected:

• Will I be able to access the technology I need each time a new unit or project is started?
• Will I be able to make adequate progress on these goals and still meet content requirements in the same time frame?

More difficult ones to answer are:

• Will these changes produce measurable results?
• Is the additional preparation time worth the potential benefit?

As I continue to work on these goals, I am sure that more surprises await me!

Reviewing the GAME Plan

In reviewing my GAME plan, I considered the following questions:

· What resources do I need to carry out my plan?
· What additional information do I need?
· What steps have I been able to take so far?

To carry out my plan, I need an abundance of resources. I will search the Internet, consult my fellow teachers and Walden colleagues, take full advantage of my professional memberships, and use my personal contacts outside of the education field.

From these resources, I need information on real-world applications, tested unit or project plans, pitfalls to avoid and, particularly, more efficient methods of searching. There is so much information available that I simply do not have time to sort through all of it. By talking to educators who have successfully implemented the same or similar goals, I hope to be able to find what I need more quickly than if I tried to do it on my own.

To date, I have already received new resources from our media specialist. Since she has already tested these technology options, she can tell me what to do, as well as what to NOT do. I have also learned about some outstanding resources through Week 2's discussion. I am constantly searching the Internet and various media sources for current and relevant applications for my content standards. In addition, I am asking my students more about what their ideas are for making the lessons more engaging and more relevant to their lives. Initially, they gave expected answers such as "let us listen to our Ipods during tests" or "less homework". The first request is out of my hands and the second is negotiable, depending on how much effort they put into their class work. However, as they have started to understand that I seriously need their input, they are taking more time to consider how to improve our class without making the entire period "free time".

Hopefully, with the help of all of these resources, I will begin to see some measurable progress towards achieving my goals.

My Technology GAME Plan

Walden EDUC6713 Integrating Technology Across the Content Area (Week 2 Application)

As I reviewed the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers, I could see where I need improvement in every indicator. For this GAME plan (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009), I chose the following standards and indicators:

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:

b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:

b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.

My plan is as follows:

G – Set Goals

1. In almost every Math class, someone will ask “when will I ever need this again?” It is not always easy to come up with a concrete, real-world application for every skill or concept. My goal is to do a better job of seeking out these applications and creating authentic learning experiences using the available technology.

2. By integrating more digital tools and resources into my lessons, I hope to provide a learning environment in which each student can explore the concept through their various interests and choose to complete an assessment based on their preferred learning style.

A – Actions to Achieve These Goals

1. For each unit, I will review resources from various sources to find relevant real-world applications and authentic assessments. These resources include, but are not limited to, fellow teachers, curriculum materials, internet research, professional organizations such as NCTM and PBS, current events, and the students themselves.

2. I will begin to reconstruct unit plans to place more emphasis on student-centered learning. By shifting to activities that focus on exploration and discovery rather than instruction and practice, the students will be more responsible for their own learning. A concept that I have been toying with is the idea of a semester-long project. Rather than teaching each lesson from the textbook, I believe it is possible to cover every Math standard within a single project if it is planned well. Possible projects might be starting and developing a small business or simply earning, budgeting, saving, and investing money. If the students are engaged in the project, they will learn the content without getting bogged down in doing pages of practice problems every week. That may be a difficult goal to accomplish, but I definitely think it is worth spending more time to research.

M – Monitoring Progress

1. It will be fairly easy to monitor my progress in reaching the first goal. With middle school students, it doesn’t take very long to know if a real-life application is actually “real” to them. It is the same with creating authentic assessments. If a student feels like an assessment is a waste of their time, then it is not authentic to them. While monitoring will be fairly easy, achieving the goal will be more difficult.

2. While I believe I have done a fairly good job of integrating technology, we have not yet reached an environment in which all students can pursue their individual interests in each unit. To monitor my progress in having the students set their own educational goals and manage their own learning, I believe the best indicator will be workload. When the students are doing more work in the classroom than I am, there will be progress!

E – Evaluating and Extending My Learning

1. While I am engaging the students and creating authentic assessments, I must be sure that they are learning the content and standards that are required by the state. To do this, I will ask my co-teachers to review my lesson plans and observe when possible. It always helps to have the opinions of others when doing a thorough evaluation. Having a completely-engaged class is not enough if they are not acquiring the knowledge they need to be successful in the next grade and in life.

2. To evaluate whether I have created a learning environment in which all students can pursue their individual interests, I need feedback from the students. I will let them know that I am interested in their opinions and open to any questions or suggestions they may have. To be sure they are setting appropriate goals and managing their own learning, I will hold individual conferences with them to review and evaluate their own progress. At the beginning, these conferences will need to be frequent. As they adapt to this method of learning, conferences may be held less often, along with weekly reviews of their documented work.


I am looking forward to reading your comments and suggestions on my proposed GAME plan.

A Reflection on Information Literacy in the 21st Century

Probably the most striking revelation I had as a result of Walden's "Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom" (EDUC6712) is that what I thought I knew about my student's internet searching skills was outdated. As digital natives, my students have more experience "Googling" than many teachers do. However, experience doesn't always lead to efficient online research. After all, most students simply put a few key words into the search bar and then view only the first few hits in the results list. As anyone who has ever used a search engine knows, there is more to finding relevant information than entering one or two words. Even domain names, such as '.org' or '.edu', can provide many clues to the accuracy of the online information. With the tremendous expansion of the Internet and the open accessibility, our students are exposed to much more misinformation and personal opinion than to accurate and beneficial content.

Through this course, I have learned that my students need to be taught the QUEST process of questioning, understanding resources, evaluating, synthesizing, and transforming (Eagerton & Dobler, 2007). By practicing the skills required for each step of the QUEST process, my students will learn to conduct efficient searches, find accurate information on dependable sites, assess and integrate information from various sources, and present their findings in a clear and concise manner.

As a result, one of my professional development goals will be to study the QUEST process further. Eventually, I hope to fully integrate this process into all of our problem-solving activities in the classroom. My goal is to immerse my students in the processes of asking essential questions, finding reliable resources, evaluating and combining information from different sources, and transforming it into a clear and concise presentation. With these skills, they will be better prepared to be productive citizens of the 21st Century.



References

Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the web: Strategies for internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.