GAME plan set up

As everyone who enjoys the cinema knows, you cannot have action without first cueing the lights and camera. Likewise, one cannot attempt an educational action plan without determining the necessary components of such plan. This week’s assignment essentially asks what I need to accomplish my GAME plan (tech resources, collaboration, and specific actions). As my game plan focuses on developing assessments and leadership skills, my greatest need will be for research. This will involve both paper and online searches of current educational journals for the varying standards used in assessments in the state. Collaboration with grade and content level colleagues would provide the most useful information, but other teachers within my district are also a valuable resource in discussing the success and failure of different forms of evaluation. In terms of leadership, I believe the greatest resource would be my department head as he could help in identifying core curriculum that could be addressed through technology. Furthermore, he has the experience of creating professional development workshops and collaboratives for the past few years.

One specific piece of additional information I need is how computerized testing is actually implemented. My school was able to get a computer program set up this year, but it was only for the multiple choice math assessment. I wouldn’t feel comfortable designing a test that involves technology that I have never used before. Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer (2009) note the increased reliance upon data to develop and modify instruction. Lessons are supposed to be altered to raise scores. However, if the test and/or answer sheet is created incorrectly, the data becomes skewed and instruction suffers as a result.

I would also need to learn the process that one has to undertake in order to create a workshop program. Creating an informative and worthwhile presentation would be rather futile if I was unable to gain permission through the proper channels to run the program.

Currently, I am part of the planning commission to review the common assessments used by our district. Since they were only implemented within the past two years, I am on the same level of understanding as the other teachers within the group. This has helped my confidence in suggesting changes and discussing complaints from myself and other teachers who give the tests within my building. While I see success with these first steps, I know my leadership goal will be harder to attain as our professional development program is being completely revamped by our administration for the upcoming year.

My learning strategy will be based upon opportunity. Not only will I become involved in collaborative groups that I have avoided in my first years of teaching, I will also seek out opportunities to broaden my technology information base. This will help me develop the skills to think in new terms and practice flexibility in my professional life. Having a set time to research and contemplate novel ideas is not necessarily the best or only method.

Reference:
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.

GAME plan

Once again, I am enrolled in a graduate course that utilizes blogs as a means of communication and sharing between classmates. For this particular assignment, the students have been asked to develop ways to become more efficient in meeting national education technology standards and performance indicators for teachers (NETS-T). The idea is you use the “NETS” to catch yourself from inappropriately or inadequately using technology. Well, truthfully, that may not have been the actual goal of the acronym, but it definitely makes sense.

I was required to identify two standards I feel weak and/or less confident in. After review the five major objectives, I would say that I could use improvement with:
1) Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
2) Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

I have underlined the areas of those standards where I need improvement. I’ll admit that I never feel completely confident in my ability to master technology, but I never worry that I won’t be able to figure it out. Since I am still new to teaching, I generally find myself behind the curve in many teaching situations. However, unlike some other new teachers, I am more than willing to ask for help. The natural result is that I rarely take a leadership position. Furthermore, my weakest area of instruction has been designing assessments. I teach four classes of heterogeneously grouped students. Therefore, I am often making assessments for students who can barely read along with assessments for students who test into elite private high schools such as Choate (where the Kennedys, Trumps, and various others have attended).

My action plan has already been put into place. Our district has recently increased professional development days. The teachers were polled to find interest in certain topics. I have already signed up for assessments and technology. In addition, I plan to work with the library media specialist along with the computer resource person in my building to utilize the new Smartboard technology we have gotten to develop more technology interactive lessons. Students could be tested for both content and technology skills within the same lesson. As for leadership, I still do not feel comfortable taking the lead. However, I would not mind developing a collaborative for one of the professional development days. I would be responsible for creating the goals and objectives for the programs as well as explaining the desired outcome.

The best way to monitor my progress would be through two major numbers: the class average and my blood pressure. As my assessments become more varied and efficient, students should have more opportunities to exceed. As I learn to take on leadership roles, I would hope that my confidence would rise to a degree where I am not always worried that I’ll teach the wrong way. I definitely could use less stress and more success.

Evaluation would involve determining if my efforts had produced the desired progress. If not, I would need to rethink my action plans for development. If I am successful, I would hope to extend my learning through discussion with colleagues as well as available technology classes. With an ever-changing area, there is always room to improve.

Reflection

As I come to the end of a course on Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom, the time for reflection is once again at hand. While I was asked to discuss a major revelation I had in this course, I cannot honestly say that what was introduced was completely new. Some of the technology was introduced, but there were no real novel ideas. Of course this may be due to the fact that this is my sixth course on educational technology and the guiding factors. However, that does not mean that all was for naught. Rather than a revelation, I found confirmation that had not been attained in any other course. The concept of teaching literacy skills from the very basics was finally addressed in this course. While many assume that students know how to effectively use technology because they have been surrounded by it their whole lives, the truth is quite the opposite. Students need to be taught how to search safely and effectively before more complicated tasks can be accomplished.

This class will influence the way in which I approach technology from now on. A major theory that I have gained is the effectiveness of technology depends upon the teaching of literacy skills rather than the single goal of technology introduction. If students do not know how to effectively use the material, having them complete searches, wikis, blogs, PowerPoints, etc. will instructionally be misguided. Showing students how to do something cool is not preparing them for the world based on this new form of literacy. Teaching them the foundations to these programs will ensure that they can complete future projects using their new and cool skills.

One goal I now have is based upon the closing concept of Dr. Warlick (Laureate, 2009). He states that technology is only as good as the connections made through it. Learning should be a community activity. So many people use technology to shut themselves off from the real world that many do not realize the educational connections that can be made. Making a random friend on Facebook, who you may never see in real life, is a little different than two classrooms working together to complete a science experiment. I would really like to teach my students how to make these global connections. Of course, this would involve my own study into the available technology before introducing my students. My number one concern is the safety of the students. I would also really like it if the project actually worked out. This would require research into the types of communication programs that are available, willing school classrooms to participate, and the successfulness of the program. I certainly would not want to start a project only to find that websites and/or computers were unattainable due to timing or budgets as is often the case these days.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Laureate). (2009). Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom. It’s Not About the Technology. Baltimore: Dr. Warlick.

Application 4: Think Aloud Evaluation

This is my first video that includes my evaluation of the website.


This is my second video that includes my reflection on the evaluation.

Please note that I did make a project that combined these two movies into one. I had to post it to teachertube or youtube for the application process. Unfortunately, teachertube moderates the videos automatically and mine is still on the waiting list as of right now. Youtube is naturally undergoing maintenance at this time so I can't post there. Thus I'm left with my blog that did not recognize the mp4 format of the completed video so I'm posting both clips in the hopes that this will be acceptable.

Reflection

As the year comes to a close, so does my graduate course on learning theories and technology. I leave with a similar perception of learning as when I entered. Students learn at different rates and in different ways. The key to reaching the majority of children in a classroom is presenting the same material in various fashions. Listening to a speech, seeing a PowerPoint, and creating a website on the same topic can tap into the learning styles of many while reinforcing the information each time. The course worked to deepen my understanding of why using multiple methods is beneficial. While I still believe in multiple intelligences, I now appreciate the underlying influence of brain activity and memory formation. Wolfe (2008) detailed the interaction between synapse connections and memory retention. Neurologically speaking, students who create more pathways in their brains to information will have an easier time of accessing the data at a later date.

As most students are being raised in more technology accessible households, their learning is structured around this mode of information presentation. One wonders if all their other learning outside of school is technology centered, then can the absence of this method be detrimental within the classroom. With this thought in mind, I will strive to include more technology-driven and student-centered lessons. This will involve more work on my part for scheduling computer labs, altering lesson plans, and keeping up-to-date with the newest advancements made available to my school. I would like to create projects that include the use of VoiceThreads as well as concept maps. Each of these programs requires students to plan out their method of answering questions. Rather than jumping into the problem, they have to categorize what they already know and what they are looking for. This helps students develop the much needed skill of looking at the entire picture before passing a judgment.

As far as long term goal changes, I think it is too early to tell in my case. I am just starting to edge out of the first year survival mode. If I were to pick two long term goals for technology, I would choose student-centered projects and interactive classrooms. Both of these require more research and practice into the available programs. Unfortunately, I believe that each case will involve trial and error periods. The only strategy for success, or rather encouragement, would be to try the activities with one class before spreading to all of my classes. Repeating the same problems four times a day without a chance to fix the situation can be disheartening. In either case, students creating a technological project or working with another class across the nation would definitely be something to explore in the future for the benefit of all.

Voice Thread

Once again my graduate class has introduced me to some new and amazing technology. This week involved creating Voice Threads which allow anyone to create a quick picture demonstration with the addition of recorded messages. The steps were extremely simple and the possibilities for classroom use are quite obvious.

I created a Voice Thread focusing on an issue I have in my classroom, namely, student organization. Please feel free to see how my students prepare themselves to learn by visiting the thread at http://voicethread.com/share/786199/

Social Learning

Pitler et al. (2007) describe cooperative learning as a method of students helping each other learn. This can take place by completing a project together, discussing a problem solving plan, or something simple like associating as a group for checking homework. The main focus of the chapter was the possible interactions that can occur due to technological advancements. Students are now able to join the global classroom. Experts, teachers, and fellow students are available all over the world for discussion. Webquests, wikis, blogs, and numerous other applications are the mechanisms of the social learning theories. If students are able to learn through interpretation of social and environmental aspects of their day, the use of technology provides a much wider information pool to draw from.

Cooperative learning, as in all social learning theories, relies heavily upon pre-planning for success. The intricacies of group dynamics are a topic that teachers must be skilled in before expecting the best outcome of this type of instruction. Just as Pitler et al. (2007) notes that groups need to be heterogeneous whenever possible, the use of technology helps provide the variation needed for positive and balanced contributions. The classroom environment becomes a station for interaction and exploration on multiple levels. Most importantly, the social learning theories are no longer contained in a small setting.