Check out this short Prezi presentation about using online learning opportunities in a K-12 classroom.
http://prezi.com/1aygdlwxhnu9/spotlight-on-emerging-technology-online-learning-in-k-12-schools/
Friday, November 26, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Week 8 Reflection - GAME plan wrap-up
As yet another class comes to a close, and I’m one semester away from finally completing the Integrating Technology into the Classroom Master’s degree program, it’s time to reflect upon the experiences of this class. The class, Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas, delved deeper into this degree program’s focus and enabled me to consider practical technology applications to my daily instruction.
These past few weeks, I have concentrated on two goals for improving my technology integration competence and strategies. Each of these goals were part of a GAME plan, wherein after I set my goals, I considered the actions I would need to take in order to successfully meet these goals. Throughout the next several weeks, I monitored my progress, taking into consideration the fact that the goals would not be able to be completed since I am not currently in school due to summer break. The GAME plan kept my actions focused and with constant monitoring for what more can be done on a week to week basis. The final piece of the GAME plan is the evaluation, and while I cannot evaluate the completion of my goals yet, I can reflect upon the actions taken to this point and how they will impact not only the steps I take later, but my immediate instructional practices as well.
My first goal focused on my desire to engage in professional growth and leadership. By joining the school and district technology committees, my voice in the development of technology integration techniques will be more prominent than years prior where I stood back and waited for technology to come to me. Along the way I learned many of my school’s apprehensions about certain learning resources and have begun, with classmate help, to form an argument that might persuade the district to reconsider its stance with certain tools. To truly persuade, however, I will have to show how these tools would benefit the students, meaning that my current instructional practices may have to involve examples where certain resources would improve student retention of skills. This will be an ongoing process throughout the school year, and will probably hit many obstacles that I will have to decide if they are worth working around. I need to keep in mind that change doesn’t come quickly and without a sometimes significant degree of resistance.
My second goal focused on designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments for my students. I decided to center my attention on developing my application of the Promethean Board into my daily instructional practices. Throughout this GAME plan process, I took time to learn many more strategies, resources, and functions available to use with the board, and as a result, my teaching methods will be immediately impacted. I know there is much more I can learn in using the Promethean Board but will have to wait until the school year starts to receive one-on-one training and assistance from someone who knows more than I do. This class, both in text resources and classmate input, has given me many resources to use with the Promethean Board, especially opportunities for students to use the board for a variety of learning experiences. Again the GAME plan kept my actions focused and continued to raise questions about what more can be done until the school year begins. This GAME plan will continue to guide me toward an understanding of more resources and applications of the Promethean Board, thus enabling me to design and develop the learning experiences my students would benefit from most.
The practical application of the GAME plan to my instructional practices was most evident with the unit plan we developed. It has stretched my means of technology use from a local level to a global level, showing many communication and collaboration tools that I can use with already conceived units. Unfortunately, I know this format will not be accepted by my district for lesson plans, but students will be able to use this from quarter to quarter, or really whenever the mood strikes us that goal setting and organized follow-through should take place. I look forward to seeing the benefits of this acronym-based process with my students this coming school year, since students in elementary school seem to more pleasantly retain and apply processes that involve acronyms, such as Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. In any case, the goals I have set and the actions I have taken and will continue to take will be monitored until I feel my GAME plan has been successfully completed, at which time new GAME plans will allow me for more professional and personal growth in my career.
These past few weeks, I have concentrated on two goals for improving my technology integration competence and strategies. Each of these goals were part of a GAME plan, wherein after I set my goals, I considered the actions I would need to take in order to successfully meet these goals. Throughout the next several weeks, I monitored my progress, taking into consideration the fact that the goals would not be able to be completed since I am not currently in school due to summer break. The GAME plan kept my actions focused and with constant monitoring for what more can be done on a week to week basis. The final piece of the GAME plan is the evaluation, and while I cannot evaluate the completion of my goals yet, I can reflect upon the actions taken to this point and how they will impact not only the steps I take later, but my immediate instructional practices as well.
My first goal focused on my desire to engage in professional growth and leadership. By joining the school and district technology committees, my voice in the development of technology integration techniques will be more prominent than years prior where I stood back and waited for technology to come to me. Along the way I learned many of my school’s apprehensions about certain learning resources and have begun, with classmate help, to form an argument that might persuade the district to reconsider its stance with certain tools. To truly persuade, however, I will have to show how these tools would benefit the students, meaning that my current instructional practices may have to involve examples where certain resources would improve student retention of skills. This will be an ongoing process throughout the school year, and will probably hit many obstacles that I will have to decide if they are worth working around. I need to keep in mind that change doesn’t come quickly and without a sometimes significant degree of resistance.
My second goal focused on designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments for my students. I decided to center my attention on developing my application of the Promethean Board into my daily instructional practices. Throughout this GAME plan process, I took time to learn many more strategies, resources, and functions available to use with the board, and as a result, my teaching methods will be immediately impacted. I know there is much more I can learn in using the Promethean Board but will have to wait until the school year starts to receive one-on-one training and assistance from someone who knows more than I do. This class, both in text resources and classmate input, has given me many resources to use with the Promethean Board, especially opportunities for students to use the board for a variety of learning experiences. Again the GAME plan kept my actions focused and continued to raise questions about what more can be done until the school year begins. This GAME plan will continue to guide me toward an understanding of more resources and applications of the Promethean Board, thus enabling me to design and develop the learning experiences my students would benefit from most.
The practical application of the GAME plan to my instructional practices was most evident with the unit plan we developed. It has stretched my means of technology use from a local level to a global level, showing many communication and collaboration tools that I can use with already conceived units. Unfortunately, I know this format will not be accepted by my district for lesson plans, but students will be able to use this from quarter to quarter, or really whenever the mood strikes us that goal setting and organized follow-through should take place. I look forward to seeing the benefits of this acronym-based process with my students this coming school year, since students in elementary school seem to more pleasantly retain and apply processes that involve acronyms, such as Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. In any case, the goals I have set and the actions I have taken and will continue to take will be monitored until I feel my GAME plan has been successfully completed, at which time new GAME plans will allow me for more professional and personal growth in my career.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
NETS-S, NETS-T, and Using the GAME plan process wtih students
In this digital age, student proficiency in the NETS-S indicators is vital to keep up with the demands of modern society. They also have a proven effect on student retention of learned concepts. In order to prepare our students to meet these standards of expectation, teachers are given the NETS-T. The two are so closely related that if a teacher strives to find success in each of the five strands of NETS-T, the student benefits with exposure and experience to technology resources across the curriculum.
For example, students are meant to gain proficiency in using technology communication tools to collaborate and interact with peers and professionals using a variety of media formats. The first three indicators of the NETS-T encourage the teacher to create experiences for students to meet this goal. The first NETS-T indicator – Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity – promotes learning experiences that explore real world issues and authentic problem solving through reflection and collaboration. The third indicator – Model Digital Age Work and Learning – promotes fluency in collaboration and communication as well.
As another example of this close relationship, the third nets-s indicator requires a student to develop proficiency when using technology productivity tools. This is to be done to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. While the first NETS-T indicator obviously ties to this, it can also be met by designing and developing digital age learning experiences and assessments for student experience, the second NETS-T indicator.
I have only one thought of caution as they relate to these student and teacher NETS. Based on research I did for another class, student achievement on the state standardized tests is sometimes impacted negatively in technology-saturated classrooms. A teacher hates thinking about these tests and wants to consider what’s better for the student in the long run; however, this information cannot be dismissed because these tests impact the school’s functional competencies. With that said, I believe students can retain more of the information from class using technology, but this method of teaching must be supplemented or coupled with traditional paper-and-pencil instruction to accommodate how the tests are actually taken.
As for the GAME plan specifically, it is perfect for students to develop proficiency in the technology standards and really in all parts of their education. It all starts with goals. Students need a purpose for learning so setting goals should always be part of the learning process. But it’s not enough to just set goals. A student must sit and plan the actions that will be necessary to reach success and achievement of the goals. For growth and development of skills throughout the entire process, students need to be taught how to monitor their progress and make necessary adjustments to their action plan. Finally, once a goal is seen as completed, it is important for students to evaluate their participation in the process and decide what the next steps should be toward possibly a new goal. The GAME plan is already something most teachers do naturally; however, I find students find more success with tasks associated with acronyms. I feel like this GAME plan can be used at the start of units of study or the beginning of each quarter to provide the student with direction. So this method of student engagement promotes self-direction, academic growth, and personal responsibility. Each of these components also allow for students to interact with technology with more creativity and curiosity as they learn content standards across the curriculum.
For example, students are meant to gain proficiency in using technology communication tools to collaborate and interact with peers and professionals using a variety of media formats. The first three indicators of the NETS-T encourage the teacher to create experiences for students to meet this goal. The first NETS-T indicator – Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity – promotes learning experiences that explore real world issues and authentic problem solving through reflection and collaboration. The third indicator – Model Digital Age Work and Learning – promotes fluency in collaboration and communication as well.
As another example of this close relationship, the third nets-s indicator requires a student to develop proficiency when using technology productivity tools. This is to be done to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. While the first NETS-T indicator obviously ties to this, it can also be met by designing and developing digital age learning experiences and assessments for student experience, the second NETS-T indicator.
I have only one thought of caution as they relate to these student and teacher NETS. Based on research I did for another class, student achievement on the state standardized tests is sometimes impacted negatively in technology-saturated classrooms. A teacher hates thinking about these tests and wants to consider what’s better for the student in the long run; however, this information cannot be dismissed because these tests impact the school’s functional competencies. With that said, I believe students can retain more of the information from class using technology, but this method of teaching must be supplemented or coupled with traditional paper-and-pencil instruction to accommodate how the tests are actually taken.
As for the GAME plan specifically, it is perfect for students to develop proficiency in the technology standards and really in all parts of their education. It all starts with goals. Students need a purpose for learning so setting goals should always be part of the learning process. But it’s not enough to just set goals. A student must sit and plan the actions that will be necessary to reach success and achievement of the goals. For growth and development of skills throughout the entire process, students need to be taught how to monitor their progress and make necessary adjustments to their action plan. Finally, once a goal is seen as completed, it is important for students to evaluate their participation in the process and decide what the next steps should be toward possibly a new goal. The GAME plan is already something most teachers do naturally; however, I find students find more success with tasks associated with acronyms. I feel like this GAME plan can be used at the start of units of study or the beginning of each quarter to provide the student with direction. So this method of student engagement promotes self-direction, academic growth, and personal responsibility. Each of these components also allow for students to interact with technology with more creativity and curiosity as they learn content standards across the curriculum.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Revising My GAME Plan - Week 6
As the class is coming to a close in a few weeks, I recognize there is still much more to evaluate and accomplish before my goals have been successfully met. Here are a few more questions:
**What have I learned so far that I can apply in my instructional practice? What goals am I still working toward?
I have not done anything in the past week in terms of Promethean Board training and technology committee participation, but this week’s resources basically fit perfectly with my goal of convincing the school district to allow social networking and online collaboration tools in the elementary classroom. With all the ideas and evidence afforded this week, I feel like I can begin to formalize an argument in favor of these resources.
**Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals have I set for myself or how will I extend what I have learned so far?
I have no new learning goals because I do not feel confident that I have come close to completing my original goals due to summer vacation. However, as I said before, this week’s resources have substantially developed my argument as to the benefits of social networking and online collaboration resources in the classroom. In using these tools, students experience greater diversity than most communities currently present. My community is made up primarily of low-income, Christian white families. Many of the children who come from these families are exposed to racial and religious biases that could be overcome by these tools. From personal experience, my students held many beliefs about Jewish people until they met me and discovered that I was nothing like their parents had said. The video discussed a similar situation about Muslim individuals. This experience exposes them to different cultures and languages in a virtual world where the student is the both the teacher and student. Since time differences are generally an issue if the classroom is hoping for direct interaction, these tools allow for asynchronous teamwork, where students can leave thoughts or work for others who may view it at a different time. I am already looking forward to collaborating with an ex-colleague of mine that moved to Beijing, China. The collaboration is still able to exist even if the parties involved are unable to speak directly to each other. I love how these resources give the opportunity to practice writing skills and higher order thinking skills, sometimes due to the need to perform at a higher level. The smartest of the smart in my school may still not be as gifted as some other students who they would “meet” in a virtual classroom environment. I also appreciate that these tools allow those shy students who do not like to talk to others in class to think about what they want to “say” and share it in audio or text form on the computer. The computer is a motivational tool for students of every age because they are able to associate it with their daily personal lives. It isn’t always seen as school work. A good argument I heard in the videos this week cut right to the core of the district’s worry about student misuse of these tools. It is definitely worth noting that any technology can be used for good or for bad, so it is in the child’s best interest to be taught the correct etiquette before they make up their own rules.
**What learning approaches will I try next time to improve my learning?
Next time, I would seek out more direct help from colleagues. Due to summer vacation, much of what I’ve been doing to meet my goals has been independent. Some of the professionals that could really assist me in what I’m trying to accomplish do not have email, do not check school email, or don’t think about school matters during the summer months.
**What have I learned so far that I can apply in my instructional practice? What goals am I still working toward?
I have not done anything in the past week in terms of Promethean Board training and technology committee participation, but this week’s resources basically fit perfectly with my goal of convincing the school district to allow social networking and online collaboration tools in the elementary classroom. With all the ideas and evidence afforded this week, I feel like I can begin to formalize an argument in favor of these resources.
**Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals have I set for myself or how will I extend what I have learned so far?
I have no new learning goals because I do not feel confident that I have come close to completing my original goals due to summer vacation. However, as I said before, this week’s resources have substantially developed my argument as to the benefits of social networking and online collaboration resources in the classroom. In using these tools, students experience greater diversity than most communities currently present. My community is made up primarily of low-income, Christian white families. Many of the children who come from these families are exposed to racial and religious biases that could be overcome by these tools. From personal experience, my students held many beliefs about Jewish people until they met me and discovered that I was nothing like their parents had said. The video discussed a similar situation about Muslim individuals. This experience exposes them to different cultures and languages in a virtual world where the student is the both the teacher and student. Since time differences are generally an issue if the classroom is hoping for direct interaction, these tools allow for asynchronous teamwork, where students can leave thoughts or work for others who may view it at a different time. I am already looking forward to collaborating with an ex-colleague of mine that moved to Beijing, China. The collaboration is still able to exist even if the parties involved are unable to speak directly to each other. I love how these resources give the opportunity to practice writing skills and higher order thinking skills, sometimes due to the need to perform at a higher level. The smartest of the smart in my school may still not be as gifted as some other students who they would “meet” in a virtual classroom environment. I also appreciate that these tools allow those shy students who do not like to talk to others in class to think about what they want to “say” and share it in audio or text form on the computer. The computer is a motivational tool for students of every age because they are able to associate it with their daily personal lives. It isn’t always seen as school work. A good argument I heard in the videos this week cut right to the core of the district’s worry about student misuse of these tools. It is definitely worth noting that any technology can be used for good or for bad, so it is in the child’s best interest to be taught the correct etiquette before they make up their own rules.
**What learning approaches will I try next time to improve my learning?
Next time, I would seek out more direct help from colleagues. Due to summer vacation, much of what I’ve been doing to meet my goals has been independent. Some of the professionals that could really assist me in what I’m trying to accomplish do not have email, do not check school email, or don’t think about school matters during the summer months.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Another week... More monitoring!
**How effective were my actions in helping meet my goals:
Unfortunately, due to school being on summer break, there have not been many actions that I’ve been able to take. Those actions that I spoke of previously have gotten my foot in the door to school and district technology committees, as well as increased my range of skills in using the Promethean Board. One school technology committee member did tell me that the school district’s primary concern when using certain types of technology is accountability. They are worried that once students are given the skills to create something on the internet, some students will abuse this knowledge create inappropriate or hurtful projects for public view. I also learned more about those teachers who have decided in the past to challenge the views of our school district, and I must say, I am not encouraged to carry out my action plan. More research on my part will need to be done, not just about the benefits of certain resources, but also as to the overall mentality of district administration.
**What have I learned so far that can be applied to instructional practice?
Basically at this point, I’ve only learned a few more tools offered by the Promethean Board. There are many assessment and interactive presentation tools that can incorporated throughout my daily lessons. These tools accommodate the diverse student population in my classroom. Some interactive flipcharts are best suited for small group participation while others can be used as a full class lesson.
**What do I still have to learn? What are my new questions?
I know I still have much to learn about the Promethean Board so that I can use it to its potential in my classroom. I don’t think I’ll ever learn everything there is to know as the technology available is always developing. My questions about the Promethean Board now center on what district individuals or workshops are available to more directly learn other tools.
As far as the being involved in technology committees in order to bring change, I still need to learn about current projects, proposals, and issues being addressed. The only new question I have is simple: Is it worth it to challenge the deep-rooted views about technology held my district? Some teachers in the past have been targeted because they (amicably) disagreed. I would also like to know if they are more worried about inappropriate use at the elementary level or if this ban of certain resources stretches even into the secondary levels.
**How will I adjust my plan to fit my current needs?
I’ll only speak to the Promethean Board development. Once I learn the needs of my new class, I will be able to structure lessons with those tools that seem to be most appropriate. This will be contingent upon student interests, learning styles, and overall abilities in each curriculum area. As learned in this week’s resources, problem-based learning is an essential format in any classroom. It increases the students’ abilities to become self-directed learners and collaborate while applying their understanding to various situations, particularly within content standards. The Promethean Board is a great tool to use within the classroom because it engages students and motivates them to participate in different ways.
Unfortunately, due to school being on summer break, there have not been many actions that I’ve been able to take. Those actions that I spoke of previously have gotten my foot in the door to school and district technology committees, as well as increased my range of skills in using the Promethean Board. One school technology committee member did tell me that the school district’s primary concern when using certain types of technology is accountability. They are worried that once students are given the skills to create something on the internet, some students will abuse this knowledge create inappropriate or hurtful projects for public view. I also learned more about those teachers who have decided in the past to challenge the views of our school district, and I must say, I am not encouraged to carry out my action plan. More research on my part will need to be done, not just about the benefits of certain resources, but also as to the overall mentality of district administration.
**What have I learned so far that can be applied to instructional practice?
Basically at this point, I’ve only learned a few more tools offered by the Promethean Board. There are many assessment and interactive presentation tools that can incorporated throughout my daily lessons. These tools accommodate the diverse student population in my classroom. Some interactive flipcharts are best suited for small group participation while others can be used as a full class lesson.
**What do I still have to learn? What are my new questions?
I know I still have much to learn about the Promethean Board so that I can use it to its potential in my classroom. I don’t think I’ll ever learn everything there is to know as the technology available is always developing. My questions about the Promethean Board now center on what district individuals or workshops are available to more directly learn other tools.
As far as the being involved in technology committees in order to bring change, I still need to learn about current projects, proposals, and issues being addressed. The only new question I have is simple: Is it worth it to challenge the deep-rooted views about technology held my district? Some teachers in the past have been targeted because they (amicably) disagreed. I would also like to know if they are more worried about inappropriate use at the elementary level or if this ban of certain resources stretches even into the secondary levels.
**How will I adjust my plan to fit my current needs?
I’ll only speak to the Promethean Board development. Once I learn the needs of my new class, I will be able to structure lessons with those tools that seem to be most appropriate. This will be contingent upon student interests, learning styles, and overall abilities in each curriculum area. As learned in this week’s resources, problem-based learning is an essential format in any classroom. It increases the students’ abilities to become self-directed learners and collaborate while applying their understanding to various situations, particularly within content standards. The Promethean Board is a great tool to use within the classroom because it engages students and motivates them to participate in different ways.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Still monitoring... Four Questions...
**Am I finding the information and resources needed?
The first goal: I have contacted certain individuals within the district concerning my involvement in the school and district technology committees. Although I have not heard back from anyone, I am confident that at the beginning of the school year, I can attain more information. At this moment, I have not been able to determine what the specific arguments the district maintains against the use of certain types of technology. I understand they are against students publishing work onto the Internet; however, it is unclear as to why the students could not be allowed to use a more private medium while on the computers. Many classmates have offered several suggestions as to software packages that would accommodate the students’ approved usage of these tools. I have even contacted some of the companies and school districts that use these software packages about their benefits to create a rational argument to which my district may listen.
The second goal: To become more knowledgeable about the applications of the Promethean Board within daily instruction, I have begun to watch tutorials on Promethean Planet. Unfortunately, I am not finding many new ideas from these tutorials and will have to wait until I am back in my classroom, surrounded by colleague support, to fully broaden my skills. In the meantime, I’m downloading a lot of flipcharts to modify for my own personal use.
**Do I need to modify my action plan?
It is still too soon to tell with either plan because I’m at home and not at school for summer break. I feel as if these action plans have the potential to allow me to become more of a leader within the technology-community of my district. The steps outlined should enhance my teaching strategies to accommodate all types of learners.
**What have I learned so far?
First, I learned that it will be easy for me take part in the school and district technology committees because generally there is ample demand for involvement but little attention given by teachers. I have also learned a bit more of my district’s technology policies. This will lead to the next section, however, concerning questions that have arisen.
In terms of the Promethean Board, I have learned many ways to change the appearance of the flipcharts and link movies, animation, and applications to each presentation. I have also found many ways to use the Promethean Board as an assessment tool. To correspond with our readings this week by Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer, the assessment tools available with the Promethean Board involve sharing learning goals with students, align with state standards, involve reflection and self-assessment based on data, provide instant feedback, and allow for class discussions that enable students to improve. The assessments can take many forms, allowing me to reach students of varying learning strategies. The board, based on my research, develops project-based, forced-choice, open-ended, and performance-based assessments depending on the nature of the lesson and involvement of the students.
**What new questions do I have?
I would first like to know if the ActivInspire program that correlates with the Promethean Board is available on all student laptops or just teacher laptops. Next, I’d like to know if grant money from the district foundation can be used toward purchasing software that has been suggested to me. And finally the most prominent question that can only be answered by the district is in regards to the published and circulated technology policy seen by students, parents, and district employees. Why is it suggested within our literature distributed to the community that use and participation of blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc. is strongly encouraged and highly advantageous for our students and yet, in practice, we are prohibited from using many of these tools in the classroom? Other teachers in the district have told me to approach this issue with a significant degree of caution. The district does not seem very open to conversation about this matter, which makes me question if or how I should approach it.
The first goal: I have contacted certain individuals within the district concerning my involvement in the school and district technology committees. Although I have not heard back from anyone, I am confident that at the beginning of the school year, I can attain more information. At this moment, I have not been able to determine what the specific arguments the district maintains against the use of certain types of technology. I understand they are against students publishing work onto the Internet; however, it is unclear as to why the students could not be allowed to use a more private medium while on the computers. Many classmates have offered several suggestions as to software packages that would accommodate the students’ approved usage of these tools. I have even contacted some of the companies and school districts that use these software packages about their benefits to create a rational argument to which my district may listen.
The second goal: To become more knowledgeable about the applications of the Promethean Board within daily instruction, I have begun to watch tutorials on Promethean Planet. Unfortunately, I am not finding many new ideas from these tutorials and will have to wait until I am back in my classroom, surrounded by colleague support, to fully broaden my skills. In the meantime, I’m downloading a lot of flipcharts to modify for my own personal use.
**Do I need to modify my action plan?
It is still too soon to tell with either plan because I’m at home and not at school for summer break. I feel as if these action plans have the potential to allow me to become more of a leader within the technology-community of my district. The steps outlined should enhance my teaching strategies to accommodate all types of learners.
**What have I learned so far?
First, I learned that it will be easy for me take part in the school and district technology committees because generally there is ample demand for involvement but little attention given by teachers. I have also learned a bit more of my district’s technology policies. This will lead to the next section, however, concerning questions that have arisen.
In terms of the Promethean Board, I have learned many ways to change the appearance of the flipcharts and link movies, animation, and applications to each presentation. I have also found many ways to use the Promethean Board as an assessment tool. To correspond with our readings this week by Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer, the assessment tools available with the Promethean Board involve sharing learning goals with students, align with state standards, involve reflection and self-assessment based on data, provide instant feedback, and allow for class discussions that enable students to improve. The assessments can take many forms, allowing me to reach students of varying learning strategies. The board, based on my research, develops project-based, forced-choice, open-ended, and performance-based assessments depending on the nature of the lesson and involvement of the students.
**What new questions do I have?
I would first like to know if the ActivInspire program that correlates with the Promethean Board is available on all student laptops or just teacher laptops. Next, I’d like to know if grant money from the district foundation can be used toward purchasing software that has been suggested to me. And finally the most prominent question that can only be answered by the district is in regards to the published and circulated technology policy seen by students, parents, and district employees. Why is it suggested within our literature distributed to the community that use and participation of blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc. is strongly encouraged and highly advantageous for our students and yet, in practice, we are prohibited from using many of these tools in the classroom? Other teachers in the district have told me to approach this issue with a significant degree of caution. The district does not seem very open to conversation about this matter, which makes me question if or how I should approach it.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Carrying out the GAME plan...
This all feels like a KWHL! First we set our goals (K) and diagramed our GAME plan with the basics of what it entails. We showed what we know (W) of our current practices, including our proficiency in certain areas dealing with technology. Now we are looking forward in the process (H), focusing on the resources and additional information that will be necessary to accomplish our goals. Both of my initial goals will involve reaching out to other professionals for guidance and instruction.
In terms of the first goal, I will ask other teachers already on the school and district technology committee about how to become involved. I will ask about current projects, proposals, and issues being addressed and align them with any goals I may have after this masters program. I know that I will definitely need to be prepared to talk to the district’s mandates prohibiting certain online resources, such as student-created and updated blogs and wikis. Before doing so, I will need to reach out to professionals outside the district for not just arguments, but safe avenues for student use. I’ll also need to follow up on suggestions with my own research to see what would fit our district. This blog constitutes my only step so far in accomplishing this, and some people have contacted me with software programs and web resources that the district may find appropriate. I’m always open to more!
As for my second goal, this one illustrating my desire become more effective with the Promethean board, I will need to watch tutorial videos that come with the product and seek more one-on-one assistance from other professionals that have found numerous ways to use it in the classroom. Other than the Promethean, the main ingredient in accomplishing this goal is the elusive concept known as “time.” I have already talked to a coworker who has volunteered to share some tips and strategies as well as show me some tools I did not know existed. I hope this will turn into a collaborative approach while creating classroom instructional tools. It just seems like the board is capable of engaging all learners at the same time, accommodating to multiple abilities, interests, and levels of participation.
In terms of the first goal, I will ask other teachers already on the school and district technology committee about how to become involved. I will ask about current projects, proposals, and issues being addressed and align them with any goals I may have after this masters program. I know that I will definitely need to be prepared to talk to the district’s mandates prohibiting certain online resources, such as student-created and updated blogs and wikis. Before doing so, I will need to reach out to professionals outside the district for not just arguments, but safe avenues for student use. I’ll also need to follow up on suggestions with my own research to see what would fit our district. This blog constitutes my only step so far in accomplishing this, and some people have contacted me with software programs and web resources that the district may find appropriate. I’m always open to more!
As for my second goal, this one illustrating my desire become more effective with the Promethean board, I will need to watch tutorial videos that come with the product and seek more one-on-one assistance from other professionals that have found numerous ways to use it in the classroom. Other than the Promethean, the main ingredient in accomplishing this goal is the elusive concept known as “time.” I have already talked to a coworker who has volunteered to share some tips and strategies as well as show me some tools I did not know existed. I hope this will turn into a collaborative approach while creating classroom instructional tools. It just seems like the board is capable of engaging all learners at the same time, accommodating to multiple abilities, interests, and levels of participation.
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