My GAME Plan

My Studies at Walden University have lead me to evaluate my comfort levels for confidence of integrating technology into my instruction. While I have gained immensely from the courses at Walden in theory, I have much to learn in the practice and applications of these many strategies. What makes this posting most timely is my district has been awarded a grant to infuse technology into the Social Studies department as a model for the district. The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers signals five performance standards and subsequent indicators (ISTE , 2010). Having reflected on the standards, I have established a GAME plan for self directed learning in two aspects of the NETS•T that I need to strengthen. the GAME plan refers to four step Process; Set Goals, take Action, Monitor progress and Evaluate goals and Extend learning (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).

I have the opportunity to have a mounted smartboard, access to clickers response system, a wireless net-books and a moodle account to integrate into social studies learning environment,

The first indicator is from Standard 2a. “design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity”

G - My goal is to use the Smartboard technology to integrate technology everyday for my students. I especially want to integrate a daily “do now activity” focusing using the Smartboard much like the teacher that does a lot of start up activities from the K-5 teacher on this weeks video (Laureate Inc. , 2009).

A - I have no experience using the smartboard, therefor, I have already gone to a workshop (in which I never touched one!) and plan to go to my classroom as soon as it is installed to go through all the tools it has. I will also do personal research on the internet to find creative and engaging lessons. Please feel free to send me any Smartboard technology information that could be useful. I will read it! I will need to work at home and transfer it to my computer at work.

M- I have until August 24th to launch the Smartboard in font of my students. I will continue to accumulate strategies for using the Smartboard but would like to have the month of September's and October's “Do Now” ready to implement.

E- To determine if I am successful will be evaluated when I observe the reactions of my students and their engagement to the lessons I launch using the smartboard. I will extend the lesson since I will have the Smartboard for two years.

The second indicator is from Standard # 3 Model Digital-Age Work and Learning- Indicator A a. “collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation”

G- My goal is to increase student, peer, parent and community members by creating and maintaing a moodle account for all of my classes

A- Moodle is another tool that I have encountered in theory but not in practice. I am awaiting my account to be set up by my district. I plan to use the tutorials from the account, as tutorials provide new information and provide the practice that I need to apply the software system (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). If any reader of this blog have any experience with moodle please contact me with any experiences.

M- I will monitor this throughout the year. This will be a challenge for me as I expect it to take more time to set up an maintain the moodle account.

E- I will evaluate the implementation of the moodle account in weekly curriculum time with my Social Studies department. This time has been given to collaborate about the new experiences from implementing the technology systems of the grant.

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.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009A). Enriching content area learning experiences with technology, part 1. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Author

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) located at

http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.