My Reflection
Throughout
this course, Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas, I have focused on
two main goals while implementing my GAME Plan.
The first goal was to utilize technology as a way for students to
collaborate and reflect on newly learned content. The second goal was to model appropriate use
of citations and teach students how to cite media, text, graphics, and other
sources within their own work.
I
have made significant progress in carrying out each of these goals with
students. My students have joined my
Edmodo classroom and have played around with the interface in preparation for
our first blogging assignment. They will
complete their first blog post in the next week. I have located and shared the resources for
becoming a responsible digital citizen.
This is the first year my students are hearing this language and what it
truly means to give credit to the original source of information by citing
properly, paraphrasing content, and using appropriate and formal language
skills while working on-line (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009d). I have recognized the need for continued
modeling of these skills to ensure my students are diligent with these
requirements and so they understand the importance of this huge
responsibility.
By
using the GAME Plan process for accomplishing goals, I am held accountable for
their completion. I appreciate that the
GAME Plan allows for reflection and revision throughout. In almost every case, changes need to be made
for successful outcomes. I know my
students will benefit from using the GAME Plan process throughout the school year
as well. When we begin each unit of
study, I will have students set a goal, make an action plan, monitor their
progress, and then evaluate and extend as the unit is wrapping up (Cennamo,
Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). Using the
GAME Plan format will help students to build goals setting skills into their
repertoire of tools that can be used throughout life. I will have students blog about their
experience much like I have done for this class. I will be able to monitor their progress and
provide on-going feedback, which according to Davis is one of the many benefits
of educational collaboration (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009b).
In
order to be successful with my GAME Plan and to make long-term changes in my
building, I will have to spend more time with my colleagues discussing a plan
of attack for digital citizenship and developing a school-wide plan. It will be necessary to continue this work at
grade level meetings, staff meetings, and during on-going professional
development. I know that this work will
benefit all students and teachers if developed to include the responsibilities
of all grade level teachers and what it will look like for students in every
age group.
Due
to my newly gained knowledge and skill set gained from taking this course, I
will make some immediate changes to my teaching practice. I am working toward teaching all the lessons
in my unit plan after the New Year. This
unit plan includes a problem-based learning lesson, a collaborative lesson, and
a digital story telling lesson. I have learned
of the multitude of benefits of each of these technology-based activities such
as: their ability to transcend across all subject areas, teach students 21st
century skills, and help students to become self-directed learners who utilize
creativity and take risks to move forward in their educational endeavors
(Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I
have already started teaching the problem-based learning lesson I created. A good problem-based activity includes
collaboration with peers, and a problem that fits within the content area
(Laureate Education, Inc., 2009a). My
students have been genuinely engaged in the lesson and have commented that the
problem we are solving directly relates to what is happening in our
school. They feel as though their voices
are being heard and they can influence change in their school environment.
In
the past, I have been intimidated by using problem-based learning activities,
educational collaboration and digital storytelling with my students. My apprehension came from lack of knowledge
and skills with these technology tools.
These activities seemed like a gigantic undertaking that would take
extraordinary amounts of time, and require lots of preparation. What I know now is that this can be true, but
the rewards are infinitely great. I feel
comfortable starting small with these projects as Abrams suggested (Laureate
Education, Inc., 2009c). My hard work
and dedication to using these activities will pay off down the road. I am excited for the next steps of
implementation. My students are eager as
well. Through the use of digital tools
and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), I can scaffold lessons to meet the
diverse needs of my students and present content in new ways. I can also broaden the audience that my students
interact with and prepare them with 21st century skills (Laureate
Education, Inc., 2009e).
As
I continue my master’s program at Walden, I am acquiring new knowledge and
skills that are directly applicable to my teaching practice. I have developed lessons that incorporate
meaningful, authentic uses of technology and learned how to present content in
new ways. I have had the opportunity to
practice these skills through my collaborative work with colleagues. I will continue my professional growth using
the GAME Plan process.
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.
(Executive Producer). (2009a). Integrating technology across the content
areas: Spotlight on technology: Problem-based learning, part 1. Baltimore,
MD: Author.
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Integrating technology across
the content areas: Spotlight on technology: Social networking and online
collaboration, part 1. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009c). Integrating technology across
the content areas: Spotlight on technology: Digital storytelling, part 1. Baltimore,
MD: Author.
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010d). Supporting information
literacy and online inquiry in the classroom: Information literacy: Ethical
usage. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009e). Integrating technology across
the content areas: Meeting students' needs with technology, part 1.
Baltimore, MD: Author.
