Technology in the classroom provides students an authentic learning experience that increases both motivation and learning (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009). As a teacher in the 21st Century I can do things in my classroom that teachers fifteen years ago could not have even imagined. Today teachers can provide students with a more interactive classroom where students are working to become more tech literate all while meeting the standards teachers are required to teach and students are reqyuired to learn.While reading through the NETS-T standards I have decided to focus on two indicators: #3 Model Digital-Age Work and Learning and #5 Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.
#3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
As a teacher, striving to become more tech savvy, I need to consciously start looking for more innovative ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. While having students participate in these projects I want to communicate with parents, community members, administration and fellow staff members and share what my students are doing in the classroom.
My GAME plan:
Goal: Incorporate a new technology based assignment at least once into every unit and then share students' projects on my classroom website for the community to view.
Action: Research new ideas for students. Collaborate with peers and the Tech Team within the high school to identify the possibility and use of new websites for student use.Keep to date my classroom webpage. Advertise the webpage-send letters home to parents inviting them to check the website often.Update website at least once a week.
Monitor:Journal and keep information on new uses of technology. Identify pros and cons of technology and changes to be made for the next time. Consciously reflect on goal to determine whether or not I am working towards it.
Evaluate & Extend:I will solicit and evaluate comments from individuals that have visited our classroom website. I will share new information in my PLC regarding incorporating technology into the classroom.
#5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
I will make a commitment to demonstrating and promoting the use of digital tools within my learning community. I will lead by example and share ideas when it comes to incorporating technology into the classroom.
My GAME plan:
Goal: I will stay updated on new digital tools that will enhance instruction and student learning and share information.
Action:I will join online communities, read blogs, and subscribe to journals regarding the integration of technology into the classroom. I will post new information on my classroom website and share information with colleagues.
Monitor:I will keep a journal of new digital tools and reflect on their effectiveness.
Evaluate & Extend: I can evaluate the effectiveness of digital tools and whether they helped students meet their learning goals. I can generate handouts for interested teachers regarding my findings and ideas for integrating technology into the classroom.
I love the use of the football graphic...clever!
ReplyDeleteIn regard to ISTE #3, I know that it talks about how a teacher should model w,y, and z, but I am wondering if a part of modeling should include student involvement. Not only in doing the work and/or completing a project, but how about also in choosing which technologies to use in the classroom. When I was in business, we learned that it is often more productive, effective, and cost efficient to "go to where our customer is" rather than trying to drag them to where we wanted them to be. I kind of equate this to students.
I believe that we often make the mistake of thinking that students will readily accept and embrace the technology that we select for them simply because they are digital natives. They use Facebook because there is something in it for them (Prensky, 2008). Should we look to leverage that notion? Should we look to empower our students via choice?
In regard to ISTE #5, I agree that professional development is essential when dealing with technology. It simply changes way to rapidly to sit on the sidelines (King-Sears & Evmenova, 2007). I have found some PD sites that you might find useful.
http://www.atomiclearning.com/
http://teachertrainingvideos.com/general.html
http://www.classroom20.com/
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/p/google-tools-tutorials.html
What great goals, you have specific actions you can monitor and evaluate. As part of your action plan, you include researching new ideas for students. Have you considered having students help in that process? Then your evaluative process will include conversations with your students on the whats and whys of new technologies. It might prove insightful and would definitely model 21st century literacy skills to your students.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you mentioned your website. I had forgotten what types of tools can be accessible to students and teachers via our own websites. I will need to incorporate my website into my GAME plan as you have done. Thank you for your post and good luck as you start the GAME!
I love your football graphic! I enjoyed reading your GAME plan. You have set realistic goals to help yourself as well as your students in learning and implementing technology. I did not incorporate enough technology into my own curriculum until I began taking technology classes. I realized the importance of incorporating technology. While researching for myself, I found a website with several great ideas to incorporate technology into different assignments. The website offers links to different articles about incorporating technology, downloadable documents, and ideas to use in the classroom. The website is http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/tiparchive.phtml/3 Good luck with incorporating your goals into your curriculum!
ReplyDeleteRikki,
ReplyDeleteYour goals were well supported with an action plan specifying how you would achieve the goal. Your means of evaluating and monitoring your success were specific and appropriate for the goal. Reflection is an activity that I believe to helpful but do not always take time to do. When assigned this task in our classes, I find that I learn new things through my reflections. “As a reflective learner, you will think about what has been effective in the past, but also continually monitor and evaluate what is effective for you now” (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009. p. 11). I have not maintained a portfolio since going through my “Transition to Teaching” program. With the world of education rapidly changing and the documentation required to prove we are lifelong learners, a portfolio might be helpful. Although we have an electronic portfolio with Walden, it might be wise to maintain a professional development portfolio documenting training and efforts to learn and integrate new technology in the classroom.
I also liked your idea of sharing information about what kinds of technology you are introducing in the classroom to the community through your website. You mentioned sending a letter to parents asking them to view the website. In an effort to cut costs, you might consider having this information available at Parent Teacher Conferences. If you teach high school this would not be as effective since many parents quit attending at that point in the students’ lives.
I would like to share one final thought about parent involvement. Our textbook mentions soliciting parent volunteers when students are working on a computer assigned project (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009). This would be beneficial not only to the students but to you and the parents as well. It is helpful when parents can see what their children are doing in school and the amount of work it takes on the teacher’s part to develop and assess electronic projects. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
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.
Rikki,
ReplyDeleteI would like to piggy back on Bruce's comments in regards to modeling and including students in the technology selection process. I have to agree that students would be empowered by the ability to choose. This would also increase learner autonomy and the students level of engagement in using technology (Cennamo, Ross, Ertmer, 2009). I am considering doing this myself! Here are my initial thoughts on how this could be done: at the beginning of a unit I could provide students with a list of new technology tools we could learn to use and have the class vote on which they would like. Since we are both social studies teachers, this could also play into a mini lesson on democracy and citizenship. I am getting excited just thinking about the possibilities! You have set great goals, best of luck to you!
Emily
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.
Thank you all for the posts and great advice that was offered. I have taken a look at most of the websites that were offered and they are put in my 'Favorites' so I can access them easily.
ReplyDeleteAs for Bruce and Emily, I definitely think student choice is essential. We can't forget to include students in the decision making of the classroom and this definitely includes technology that will be used. Just because we have some sort of digital tool used within our lesson or students are using it does not mean that they will be motivated to learn. Technology is just a tool that can help with motivation within the classroom. I definitely agree that students use technology because they get something out of it (Prensky, 2008).
Kathy, I think it is crucial to have parents involved in the learning process. Technology can make the involvement much easier. If parents can access their students' grades online, why shouldn't they be able to access the blog post their students wrote, the wiki their student contributed to, or just the Word document that the student wrote. I think if this was possible we would close the communication gap between parents and teachers.
Thanks again for the comments.