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