My Personal GAME Plan for Enriching Learning Experiences with Technology

Upon reflection, I have set one goal in an effort to improve the my sixth graders' ability to think deeply and critically, and another to improve my own ability to stay abreast of evolving technology so that I can preserve meaningfulness and relevancy in my teaching. I have done so because creative, self-directed, analytical and reflective learning are both engaging and developmentally challenging for middle school children. In the same vein, keeping current in the teaching and technology fields is enriching for me, and will make me a better teacher. A brief outline of my GAME Plan's follow.

Goal #1:

1c Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity by promoting student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes (ISTE NETS-T, 2008).

Actions:

• Research blog hosts and locate one that will work within my school building.

o Visit professional websites for advice.
o Interview colleagues who have used student blogs as educational tools.
o Question our schools technology and TAG staff for input.

• Learn the features and benefits of the hosting site.
• Set up a class blog.
• Model and use the blog format to facilitate collaborative reflection class concepts and the comparison of ancient traditions and values to modern ones.

Monitor Progress:

• Survey students as to the blog’s usefulness as a means of making the key concepts more clear, and make adjustments to the assignments or format if necessary.
• Compare depth of reflection and comparison blog responses with those in traditional spiral journals.
• Conduct class discussions and determine the depth of response from various levels of students following a week’s blogging.
• Track the percentage of participation and the levels of quality of response according to a clear rubric, and rework collaborative groups or lab availability if necessary.

Evaluate & Extend Learning:

• Project and discuss outstanding insights from the blog in class.
• Explore blogs from other schools and classes to cultivate new application ideas.
• Encourage students to share ideas as to how to add “flair” to the blog, how to make it more meaningful to an audience in cyberspace, and how we might communicate with another class.

Goal #2:

5a Engage in professional growth and leadership by participating in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology and improve student learning (ISTE NETS-T, 2008).

Actions:

• Seek out local and global learning communities dedicated to improving student learning with technology application.

o Visit sites recommended in Walden course materials.
o Ask the advice of our media specialist.
o Ask the advice of our curriculum specialist.

Monitor Progress:

• Reflect on how my participation is affecting my teaching.
• Reflect on how my participation is enriching students.
• If progress in either area is lacking, alter my participation so that it facilitates a positive impact on teaching and learning commensurate with time and effort spent.

Evaluate & Extend Learning:

• Determine which communities were most beneficial and least.
• Analyze what qualities and features are optimal in a learning community.
• Consider new applications or types of communities that take teaching or learning to another level.

Resources
International Society for Technology in Education (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T. Retrieved on 02/08/10, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.

*Photo Credit: http://techknowtools.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/tech-savvy-students-mentor-teachers/