Game Plan
This is the forth week of my Game plan and I am monitoring and evaluating how to integrate new technology into my teaching.
Goal #1 is from Standard 2a. “design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity” (ISTE , 2010).
I have had professional development on the whiteboard and explored the software that the program has supplied. In reflection of “in action”, I learned many aspects of the software but was only able to actually manipulate the interactive unit for about 10 minutes with a colleague (Cemmano, Ross & Ertmer, 2009). In reflecting “on action”, my action plan should be modified to set aside time to physically use the interactive whiteboard that will be installed in my classroom. I have bookmarked many websites with teacher examples using smartboard technologies, but have not had time to examine them. I will need to schedule time for this. I am also starting a new assignment on Problem Based Learning (PBL) in my EDUC 6713 corse. This will also give me another designed activity to foster learning and creativity.
Goal #2 is from Standard # 3 Model Digital-Age Work and Learning- Indicator A . “collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation” (ISTE , 2010).
The action plan was to use a district supplied moodle account to create an online platform for my students. I also went through training on Moodle last week and have iputed some lessons. Upon reflecting about the “on action” I need to integrate the program slower than I had originally envisioned it. I will use to to launch projects but the nature of moodle will not allow for comfortable parent and community access. I had originally percieved a web page access for parents and the school community. Upon evaluating the capablilities of the moodle account, I have decided that I need to redesign a part of the action plan to incorporate a web page. One of the factors is my team of teachers at school want to post assignments on one location for easy parent access. I don’t want to manage two locations of information but allowing parents open access to the Moodle account won’t be available. A Wiki to develop the above mentioned PBL assignment will give me great experience in carrying out
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.
National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) located at
http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/ NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteJust a thought for your web page. Does your school use an online gradebook program like Skyward? My school uses Skyward and parents can access it for their child's grades, but teachers also have the capability to input assignments as well. Assignments are posted in the teacher's page as well as on a calendar for individual students. All the teacher has to do is input the assignments in one area.
I think a wiki may be your best bet if you don't have this capability because then teachers could collaborate on an assignments page. All the assignments would be in one place instead of multiple pages.
From experience, just keep working with the smartboard. The only way to learn more about it is to play with it yourself! Good luck!
Tonia
Here's something I just found that may work for your web page issue:
ReplyDeletehttp://thehurt.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/twitter-in-the-classroom/
Tonia,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. I have already bookmarked it. We do have a grading system called Power school but it does not allow for posting assignments. It is after the grade the the parents find out the student did not do the assignment. My team was looking for a pro-active way of letting parents know. We already had a dozen or more students that we had to email the assignments everyday. We figured to make it easier for parent viewing. I must admit I don't tweet but it is a great idea the website mentioned.
Jim
Jim,
ReplyDeleteI think you will find that the Smart technology equipment is very basic and intuitive to use. It is great fun to explore new features. I got a Smart Board halfway through the year a few years ago and learned on the fly. I cannot remember the last time I taught I a lesson without it! You will really enjoy it. I am making a classroom page on wikispaces and found that it isn't bad, I am glad we get the same experience in our learning communities.
Paul