Final Blog Post

Creating a GAME Plan forced me to focus on the NETS, standards for technology education. I have learned the importance of responsibility in the use of information and technology. This will have an immediate impact on my teaching practices. I will model proper resource references in my lessons. Another immediate change I am making as a result of my GAME Plan is a Google site to be used as a means of communicating information to students and parents. This will enable students and parents to see what the class is doing, what absent students have missed, where sources for extra help can be centrally located and where students and parents can contact me.

As a result of learning ways to integrate technology in the content area, I would like to have my students use problem-based learning such as the matrix webquest. I would like to see my students use blogs as a way to reflect on their learning and as a way to use collaboration between classes. Using technology for some units may increase learning and retention. I know that this process will take time as I explore how and when technology should be integrated in the mathematics curriculum. Setting goals, assessing, monitoring and evaluating them will help me with this process.

Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

The NETS-S "helps students prepare to work, live, and contribute to the social and civic fabric of their communities" (ISTE, 2007). The students standards align with the NETS-T. When looking directly at my GAME plan:

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, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources

with the comparable student standards

2b communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats, and
5a advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology

It is my responsibility to model the practice and provide the opportunity through creative lessons. Creating a GAME plan can provide the direction.

After giving my students an overview of their class and the tools that I would like to implement, I would like my students to create a GAME plan for what the expect in their class. I expect my students to set a goal for the class (maybe each marking period), what actions they will take to complete their goals, how they will monitor their own progress, and evaluate and extend. I want my students to go beyond just getting a grade, but to reflect on their practices. The GAME plan could be used for individual projects.




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

National Education Standards for students (NETS-S) located at http://iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm

Revising Your GAME Plan

Creating NETS-T goals has focused my attention on technology and its integration into the educational environment. I have learned about the importance of digital citizenship. Not only do I need to teach the process, but model the behavior. I have not taken the time to modify my "notes", but I am being very conscientious about referencing current work. As far as teaching the process, I have sample lessons from Reading the Web. I also like the idea of showing students what the consequences are of copyright infringement.

Feedback from my classmates has introduced me to new technologies such as wix and Ning. I have been re-acquainted with Google and its many uses such as Sites and Docs. I am still in the process of creating a website from Google and wix for communication purposes to my students and parents. Technology is an on-going learning endeavor. It is impossible for me to learn every technology, or even know of every technology available.

While the two goals I have (Model Digital-Age Work and Learning and Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility) will be time consuming, I would like to also include facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity. Once the integration of the website is implemented I feel that including online collaboration will be the next step.


Reference:
ISTE NETS for Teachers 2008. (2008). Retrieved 4 August 2010, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2008.htm