Reflection

As I reflect on the GAME plan I developed throughout my course at Walden University, I actually find that I am grateful that I was introduced to such a goal oriented strategy. I feel I am constantly trying to better myself as an educator. Creating goals for myself is never easy for me. I have no problem identifying what areas I may need improvement with, but when it comes to how I will develop a plan towards attaining my goals, I get a bit overwhelmed. I appreciate how the GAME plan organizes the process of learning into 4 main categories of setting goals, taking actions, monitoring, and evaluating/extending.

Effective teachers model and apply the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S) as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences (ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 2008). When I developed my two goals using the GAME plan, I made sure the goals I set integrated technology. To do this, I evaluated the NETS•S standards and identified standards that I felt were attainable and relevant to my career as a kindergarten teacher and the students I taught. Here are my two game plan goals I set…

THE GAME PLAN #1

3b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation (ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 2008).

Set Goals- Learn more about how other Kindergarten teachers and classroom are using weblogs or blogs to communicate with others.

Take Action- Analyze and explore various blogs to decide what format will work best and prove most beneficial for the students, parents, and community I teach in.

Monitor- Make a list of the characteristics that would help to make the blog beneficial. Critically analyze other teacher’s blogs by listing and identifying negative and positive details of select blogs. Review how other teachers are using the technology by attending conferences, reading journal and magazine articles, or searching the web (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).

Evaluate and Extend- Collaborate with cohorts and peers to decide which type of blog would be most useful. Identify what purposes it will serve. How will the blog be used in the classroom, community, and school, as well as, with students and parents?

THE GAME PLAN #2

5b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others (ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 2008).

Set Goals- Participate in and join committees that reinforce technology integration and 21st century learning while helping peers to integrate technology on a regular basis.

Take Action- Develop and share lesson plans that integrate technology through the use of specific software, internet, and devices that are most beneficial for students and teachers at the elementary level. Model and encourage technology infused lessons.

Monitor- List what software, internet sites, and devices are already available within the district and school. Identify how members of the committees I am on, my team, and teachers in my school are already integrating technology. Review and compile ways that technology is being used well and ways that it is not. List specific technologies that are not currently being used, but would probably serve as useful with enhancing learning.

Evaluate and Extend- Share lists with cohorts and peers of what technology is available to teachers and students and how often it is used. Collaborate to determine what lesson plans and policies should be put into place to encourage the development of leadership and technology skills.

The first goal I developed, GAME plan #1 became a difficult goal to meet. I was able to find plenty of blogs to serve as models for my own class blog but was told by technology leaders that I could not conduct a class blog. However, I decided that it would still be useful for to evaluate the blogs out there and find which type of blog would be best to create and use what I have learned regarding blogs in education as evidence to the “powers that be”. I decided from my research that the blog I created would be a combination of a personal journal of my teachings, as well as, a formal group discussion between parents, students, and myself regarding what we are learning. The blog would include photos, videos, and text that communicate and reinforce educational goals to parents and students. As indicated by colleagues, the blog would serve as a way for parents to feel more involved with their child’s school, classroom, teacher, and learning. It would make the parents feel as if they were physically there for some of the lessons. It would also lessen the gap of communication between myself as the teacher and the parents of the students I am teaching. In regards to GAME plan #1, I feel my evaluation of blogs and how a blog would be used by myself have been well established. I would like to alter my goal to include proving to technology leaders that this format of blogging would be beneficial in our schools and gain approval to use my own blog as such.

The second goal I developed using the GAME plan strategy involved participation with technology integration and 21st century learning committees that reinforce technology integration and technology use in education among peers. I have attained the goal of sharing what I already know about technology among peers by becoming part of the technology committees, as well as, sharing lesson ideas that integrate technology within my grade level team. I would like to make this more of a school-wide effort by extending my GAME plan to include encouraging the staff as a whole to share their lesson ideas that integrate technology. It would be beneficial to conduct sharing or study groups where teachers can meet and share knowledge and/or gain insight on the most innovative ways of integrating technology in the classroom. I would like to propose this idea to the committee I am currently serving on.

As a result of my learning from this course, I have gained even further proof as to why teachers must stay up to date and knowledgeable of the most innovative ways to teach. Educators must stay aware of the strategies that will be most applicable to properly preparing our students for future endeavors beyond the classroom. Over the last few decades, as technology has become more prevalent in our everyday lives, both educators and business and industry leaders have increasingly stressed the importance of developing students’ creative and critical thinking skills (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). Therefore, it is essential that teachers understand these concepts as it will properly prepare and benefit our students with their future endeavors. As teachers, we really must work hard to create lessons that are more interesting and engaging for students. Technology can be used to spark that initial interest of the students and assist them with becoming more connected with content, as well. I plan to adjust how I plan lessons by including National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S) within the standards I address in daily lesson plans, even though it isn’t required by the school district I teach in at this point. Stating the NETS•S that lessons address will serve as a reminder to myself as an educator of the importance and value technology has on student learning. It will remind me to enhance lesson to excite the students. In addition, I plan to utilize the GAME plan strategy in my life to establish more organized goals for myself as a teacher and grow as a professional. By doing so, I will, in turn, positively influence the students I teach and the fellow educators I interact with.

Works Cited:

Education, L. (Director). (2009). Enriching Content Area Learning Part One [Motion Picture].

ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). (2008). The ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from International Society for Technology in Education: http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf

Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

For my students to realize the relevance and importance of utilizing the GAME plan process and the NETS-S standards, I feel it would be beneficial for students to have the process explained to them continually. To do this, I will make sure that every lesson I utilize with the students involving technology integration will include specific components. I will offer a preview of the lesson we will learn by breaking it down into the Goals, Actions, Monitor, and Evaluation components. To explain the Goals portion of the plan I will explain the ISTE NETS-S standards and instructional objectives the lesson will address. Next, I will share what exactly we will be doing for the Action step of the plan. To address the Monitor portion of the plan I will explain how I will conduct ongoing assessments during the Action portion of the GAME plan. Finally, I will explain how we will conduct the Evaluation form of the lesson. As students are continually exposed to the GAME plan process before lessons, they will understand how the GAME plan process ties into learning and technology. If students experience this process enough it may become internalized to the point that they utilize this format of planning with learning independently. Utilizing the GAME plan will help students organize their thoughts when they are learning something new. It places importance on establishing goals and taking an active role in learning, especially when it involves technology.

My GAME Plan Update

I think my actions so far have helped me to move further towards completing my first goal of The GAME PLAN #1- 3b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation (ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 2008). However, I feel I am at a standstill due to district regulations. I am hoping I will get approval to run a class blog soon and am remaining optimistic. I have learned that before conducting specific lessons involving the internet, teachers should take care with making sure they are adhering to their school’s policies and rules. I still need to figure out how I can best present my intentions to the supervisor of technology. I would like to create an example, but am worried it would be too presumptuous of me.

My other portion of the plan The GAME Plan #2- 5b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others (ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 2008). By becoming a part of the technology committee, encouraging professional development for technology education, and sharing lessons that integrate technology with my peers, I feel I am well on my way to accomplishing this goal. So far, I have no plans of adjusting this goal until I feel it has been met, which I don’t think will ever happen. I believe this will be an ongoing goal for me as I am always evolving and learning when it comes to exhibiting leadership and demonstrating a vision of technology infusion.

On My Way...

THE GAME PLAN #1

3b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation(ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 2008).

Even though utilizing edline and beginning to create my own webpage on there does somewhat get me closer to meeting my first game plan goal of using technology to collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members, I feel that this method does not allow for creativity. The goal of our district adopting this method of online communication is for the factor of the pages appearing more uniform. I really feel this is not a good reason to buy a website building program. In addition, I believe that education does not consist of constant uniformity such as theses webpages. There should be more creativity involved with webpage development, especially since we are dealing with the business of education. It needs to be exciting and appealing or the students, parents, and community members won’t use it.

I researched the possibility of utilizing a blog in my district and found many roadblocks. First of all, the technology director of our county is pushing the edline website method within all the schools so hard that we must get permission if we want a blog. She wants what we do to be uniform where I want to add more creativity and interactivity with parents and students using a blog. In addition, the speed of our internet, she feels is not fast enough to support students accessing the blog. However, I want to purpose that we access it as a class until the faster lines are installed in few months. The next problem I faced involved finding a blog provider that allows no one outside your class can view or participate without your permission and that is free. I know the point of blogging is that we share with the world. Yet, I would like to begin the process on a smaller more secure level at first.

I have learned that classpress offers secure blogs at a price of 29.95 per year, which isn’t half bad when you see the blog’s relevance. However, my goal was to go with a blog that was free, but secure. This is really a trial run that I prefer not to pay for. I think that when you add the privacy factor of the blog to protect students, you are looking at the blogging service that is no longer free. I searched and searched for the possibility of a trial blog through this company but my search proved unsuccessful. Maybe Santa will give the gift of a free and secure site for me this holiday season. One can hope!
I have also looked through the current blog provider I am using and found that I can adjust some privacy settings. I will embed a video below this post that seemed to enlighten me on bloggers privacy settings. Yet, I am still unsure of exactly which setting adjustments I should make. Should I make parents authors by adding their email addresses or should I set it to where I must approve each person that views it? I want this blog to be resourceful and easily accessible for students and parents, yet still remain secure and safe for my students allowing only the people I permit to view the blog. I would appreciate possible suggestions that any of you may offer me with this.



THE GAME PLAN #2
5b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others (ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 2008).

We just met for our second technology committee leadership meeting this week. There are a great deal of Promethean Boards getting installed within our school which is very exciting. I suggested that we offer Promethean Board training sessions for teacher assistants based on the fact that both of my morning and afternoon assistant showed interest in learning more about using the Promethean Boards so they can be utilized during their times in the classroom.

My plans to encourage the rest of the team with conducting more weekly computer lab time that integrates reading by coordinating lessons with the lab assistant and continuing to add lessons to the student share drive so students may access the programs is coming along well. The lab assistant and I have already met and worked together with finding time slots in the lab for our 5 kindergarten classes. Turns out, after 1:30 almost every day is available, although this is not the reading time in our day, administration approves us taking this additional time to integrate technology into reading. We have been warned that if the teachers and students do not begin to utilize the lab we may lose it so I find it very necessary that we try to make a lab like Sarah Anderson’s school labs where it is difficult to use it because so many are utilizing the resource. We have already met and everyone is on board.