As I strengthen my confidence and proficiency in integrating technology into my classroom environment, I will need to constantly review my GAME plan and reflect on the areas I need to devote more time and attention. This week, I will be focusing on the resources I will need to carry out my GAME plan, the additional information I will need as I build my proficiency with integrating technology, and reflecting on the steps I have taken so far.
In order to carry out my GAME plan, there are a variety of resources I will need. First, I will need to review technological tools that can be implemented into my classroom environment in order to promote authentic learning activities, as well as meet the needs of my diverse learners. I will also need to review these resources on the computers within my classroom in order to make sure they are able to be accessed correctly for student use. Headphones will be needed for software or tools that require sound, so I will need to ensure that all my hardware works, and acquire new hardware if it does not. I will also need to develop a list of websites that students can access in order to support their learning for a variety of projects and assignments. I will save these links on my classroom blog, as well as on student computers within my classroom. These resources will also be saved in my professional development portfolio so that I can access, and reflect, on my experiences throughout my educational career.
Part of my GAME plan is to create a professional development portfolio. I will need an educational wiki that I can use for my professional development portfolio, as well as a wiki that can be used by my grade level in order to share resources and experiences in the classroom environment using a variety of technological tools. In order to determine the design of my professional development portfolio, I will research other educational portfolios and use these as a resource to influence the design of my own. During this process, it will also be important for me to reflect on the following questions presented by Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009):
- What do you want to include? Why do you want to include it?
- Do you want to include video clips from your classroom and/or teaching?
- Do you want to include interviews from students, student work, lesson plans?
Beyond the design of my portfolio, I will also need to think about what I want to include and what the purpose of my portfolio will be. Finally, I will show my portfolio to my colleagues in order to get their input and suggestions in order to make my portfolio as effective as possible.
Additional information I will need to support my GAME plan are educational research articles in order to find technology that can support my students’ diverse learning needs. I will review articles I have already collected through my Masters’ program at Walden, as well as research additional articles using Walden library databases. I also need information from my grade level team in order to collaborate on how we can best meet the needs of our students using a variety of technological tools. My team may be able to offer suggestions and resources that they have used which may be new to me. Finding resources to support students’ understanding of various concepts and to support their diverse needs will always be information I will need to gather.
Steps that I have been able to take so far are researching wikis that lend themselves to a professional development portfolio. Wikispaces is the site I am most in favor of currently because it allows you to format your wiki to your desire. It is also one that I have used in a previous Masters class so I am more comfortable with the layout. If anyone has any other suggestions for wikis, or additional software that is preferred for a professional development portfolio please let me know. I have also started to research a variety of technological resources that can be used to support my students’ diverse learning needs. Some of my favorites so far are:
- spiderscibe.net (concept-mapping software)
- animoto.com (create videos using pictures)
- brainnook.com (practice)
- pixton.com (online comic creator)
- goanimate.com & xtranormal.com (animations – some cost money)
As I implement these resources into my classroom with students, it will be important for me to reflect on their effectiveness and also ask my students for their views on using each technological tool.
In order to carry out my action plan, I will continue to research and collaborate with colleagues both online and at my school site in order to develop my professional development portfolio and expand my proficiency with using technological tools to meet students’ diverse learning needs.
I would also love any other resources from you that you have used in the classroom or ones you have researched in order to help develop my list of technological tools to use with students.
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.
Heather,
ReplyDeleteOne of the best strategies I have utilized throughout the past twelve years to gain more knowledge is to collaborate with my colleagues. Every semester I have common prep periods with at least two other Language Arts teachers. We frequently share and discuss our approaches to different assignments and units. I think teachers in most districts do not collaborate enough in this way. What do you think? When was the last time another teacher asked you how to capitalize “on the unique cultural attributes of students, including their experiences, as resources for promoting student achievement (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 166)? This conversation probably never took place a decade ago, but it is definitely viable in today’s world of public education. Plus, with e-mail, blogs, facebook, wikis, and other technologies, teachers do not necessarily need common prep periods in order to communicate and collaborate.
There are so many tools available to teachers today and it appears that you will be taking advantage of quite a few of them while you develop your GAME plan. Good luck!
At our school we work on MacBooks. So, some of the programs our students are familiar with are: Keynote, Prezi, and Pages. If you get a chance, check them out. They are easy to use and very adaptable.
Trev
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.
Maggie to Heather
ReplyDeleteI borrowed your idea to create a professional development portfolio per the direction of our text (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I have thought a great deal about what to include, and I like the idea of including videos and interviews (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I would be interested to know how you design and develop yours; perhaps we could share ideas. As far as purpose and direction, I would like to keep track of my professional development to ensure that I keep a broad perspective and try new ideas that would empower my students. Further, I would like to document the results of those new ideas in order to evaluate them. As you mention, I would like to share with my team as well. I would like to ensure that my team is maintaining their passion for teaching and using data and research to back up what we are actually doing in class. I agree with you that collaboration is important as we all strive to improve our methods and explore new initiatives.
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.
Hi Trev,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that some of the best information and resources available are those from colleagues. This year I am at a new school and new grade level and have expanded my knowledge greatly this year because of working with new colleagues. I love the team I had and gained a lot, but everyone has different experiences and I've learned a lot from new collaborations this year. Thank you for the suggestions of the programs you use at your school. I will have to check those out.
Hi Maggie,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you brought up looking at data from the integration of new technological tools and assessments. I had not thought of putting this information into my professional development portfolio, but think that it would be incredibly valuable to include it. While students change every year, it would still be effective to see if scores are similar year to year, as well as take a look at the areas I can continue to improve in. I would also be interested to take a look at your professional development portfolio. When I get mine put together and formatted a little more I would be happy to share it.