Evaluating Your GAME Plan Progress

I am finding it difficult to focus my attention on my GAME plan during the summer months. I have created an unpublished wix.com site that originally wanted to use as a class site. I liked the comment page from the templates that would enable parents to contact me relatively easily. I have read Diane Young's Blog Week Four Game Plan Update and she mentioned Google sites. I completely forgot about this option. I have even used it to create a site for SPHS Class of 2010 to try help the seniors keep up-to-date about important information and events. I decided to create a Google site also. I am not sure which option I will implement between the wikispace, wix, and Google sites. When I review my plan, a goal of mine is to communicate with parents. I have to evaluate each of these to decide which will be the best method for communicating with parents...and the easiest.

Once we have access to our laptop carts, I can include the lessons about validating websites, search engines and citing sources. I can use a wiki, wix, or Google site for informing students and parents about our class. BUT...A question that has arisen now is how will I include these lessons while still covering content so I do not get behind in the curriculum before I even get started?

I am not going to adjust my plan...just need to figure out when and where to implement it?

Monitoring Your GAME Plan

Stage 3 of the Plan: MONITOR

One of my goals was to communicate with my students and parents by creating a website or re-creating my wikispace. I have looked at wix.com as suggested by Lyndsay Paisley. I just started to create a website that will enable my students to look for important class information. I would like to link the wikispace if possible so that students will have the resources for self-directed learning or assistance. The wix also enables a contact page where parents could send me a message. Again I am in the inital phase of creating this website and plan to reference Lyndsay's website for ideas and use the wix tutorials. I will also look at my wikispace and change a few things. I would like my students to be able to find altenate assignments when they miss class and access their grades.

The other goal I had set for myself was to model and teach ethical use of resources. I have several flipcharts that I utilized Discovery Education videos. I still have to cite the resources on my "pages". Also, I would like to use the lessons for the QUEST Model of inquiry referenced in "Reading the Web". These lessons would involve analyzing URLs, evaluating websites, and citing resources.

I have learned that I need to have a plan.....what do I want my students to learn and what will be the best way to get there. The latter thought...is there technology to support me to help my students get there in another way.

The question is always there....how do we find the time to get everything done? It almost seems overwhelming to think of all my prior "notes" that I need to go through to make sure references are cited...but can be done as I am ready to re-use this flipcharts.
The wix website is going to take time to create since I do not know much about wix. So, I question if I will be able to create the website I have pictured in my mind?

Carrying Out Your GAME Plan

As I stated in my previous blog, the two NETS criteria I based my GAME plan on were:

3c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats, and

4a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology of sources including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation.

To carry out my GAME plan for the first criteria, I will need to modify or re-create my wikispace. It was also suggested from a classmate (Lyndsay Paisley) to use wix.com to create a website. After investigating Lyndsay's website, I can see the usefulness that the website would have to achieve the goal of parents communicating with me. There is a comment box that is sent to my email. I will also need to take the time necessary to keep the wiki or website up-to-date so that the students may use it as a resource to find missing assignmnets or notes from class. If I want the students to be able to help maintain "their" class wiki, I will need to have the proper permissions for the students to submit work online. I have not started working on this since we are on summer break.

The second criteria will force me to look at all of my "notes" for my lessons. I use flipcharts for my chapters which involve downloaded videos from Discovery Education and worksheets. I will have to try to re-locate these sources to cite them properly. I have to advocate and model the proper use of resources. When I teach citing sources properly, I plan to use activities from one of my Walden courses (text material). The activities will involve the students validating websites and properly citing sources. The only information I need is the sources of my videos and worksheets already embedded in my flipcharts....and TIME. Once again I have not started any of this since I am enjoying a much needed summer break.

Reference:
Wood, T. (2010, July 8). Becoming Tech Savvy. Mesage posted to Developing Your GAME Plan archived at http://tiwood12.blospot.com

Developing Your Personal GAME Plan

The NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) define the "concepts, skills, and attitudes for applying technology in educational settings" (ISTE, 2010). The NETS-T sets the framework for teachers to use as they "design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning" (ISTE, 2008). The five standards include 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, 2. Design and develop Digital-Age Learning experiences and Assessments, 3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and responsibility, and 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.

I do not have confidence that I follow any of the standards as I am still learning technology myself. I am slowly adding inquiry-based learning. Of all of the standards the two I feel the least confident or proficient is Model Digital-Age Work and Learning and Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility.

The GAME Plan is an approach to self-directed learning. there are four steps: set Goals, take Action to meet those goals, Monitor the progress, and Evaluate whether the goals were achieved and Extend the learning to new situations (Cennamo, 2009). My GAME Plan follows:

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
GOAL:
I would like to model digital-age work and learning by being more pro-active in utilizing a wiki to communicate information to my students and parents. I have a teacher wiki space with areas for both Algebra II and Statistics, but used it to post resources for content.
ACTION:
I want to take the time to use the wiki as a way for students to find out what they have missed in class or for parents to see what is happening in class. I need to post files for make-up work or alternative assignments. I can also use the wiki to have students and parents access their grades using a password.
MONITOR:
I will know that I am making progress by keeping the wiki up to date. I can also obtain feedback from parents and students.
EVALUATE or EXTEND:
I can extend this by utilizing the wiki to post student work or having the students join the wiki. The students could help keep the wiki up to date by posting their class notes.

4. Promote and Model Citizenship and Responsibility
a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
GOAL:
I would like to advocate the proper use of information by respecting copyrights and document all resources.
ACTION:
I use a lot of videos, pictures, and worksheets downloaded from the internet without citing the sources. I have to model the proper behavior by referencing my sources. I can include activities about using resources and how to reference them.
MONITOR:
I can monitor the progress by reviewing the work I present to make sure the sources are referenced. I can include proper referencing as part of an assignment's rubric.
EVALUATE:
I can evaluate that the goal has been met by assessing student work. If my students are referencing sources then I have accomplished my goal.

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., and Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standrds-Based Approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

National Education Standards for teachers (NETS-T) located at http://www.its.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.

The International Society for technology in education (ISTE) located at http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/Nets_for_Teachers.htm