Reflection:
After going through each part of the GAME plan process, I have had a lot of successes with my students in regards to technology integration. We have slowly started to change the way we do our daily journal writing. Three days a week, students respond to a journal prompt via their personal blogs. The other two days students continue the traditional journal entries with a hand-written response. The students were very eager to take part in this and were excited to express themselves by making their blog page their own. It has been difficult as each of the students is on a different page with previous exposure to computers and the Internet. With the help of my high school aides, I have been able to pair students who needed more help with a high school helper to help navigate or post to a prompt. I have found that this change doesn’t just happen overnight. We started off slow with this integration where students were able to navigate the site as a whole group and explored different options.
Impact on Instructional Practice:
One of the biggest things that I learned is that it’s okay to depend on your students for help. I have to say that they catch on and might know more of the ins and outs than I do, even at a young age. My students have been so cooperative with each other in this process and their excitement for learning has really been prevalent. I have also learned that integrating technology is crucial in order for students to start preparing for their futures. Even a little integration will help prepare them for what’s out there.
Adjustments:
As a result of my learning from this course, I plan on integrating technology daily into my lessons. I would like to integrate a new program or technology each month to my students. This sounds like a big task to complete, especially with 2nd graders, but it is my hope that I can do what is needed in order to expose them to experiences they might not get elsewhere. I will also give my students the reins and have them research a program that we will use. This will allow them to take hold of their learning and become experts on the technologies that we will utilize.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Using the GAME Plan Process with Students: Week 7
As part of my original GAME plan, I chose the following NETS-T indicators to focus on:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.
All of the NETS-T standards and indicators lend themselves to an easy adaptation into the elementary classroom. With the integration of nearly any technological device, students can accomplish the indicators desired. I found it easy to integrate the above indicators into my blog project. Students were able to express their creativity through designing and making their blog posts their own. The 3rd standard I have listed probably takes the most effort to achieve.
In order for teachers to model digital-age work and learning, we have to be up-to-date with the latest technology developments as well as how to use them in the classroom. It can be frustrating at times to try to accomplish this. However, I have found that leaning on your students for help and understanding isn’t all that bad. Why not make it a learning experience for both sides? In my experience, students are more engaged and interested if the teacher is also engaged and interested. This can be done by allowing students to explain how a technology works or the ins and outs of different programs.
The NETS-T standards and indicators should be part of our required curriculum in order to achieve the ultimate goal: Involve students with the latest technologies to assure successful futures.
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.
All of the NETS-T standards and indicators lend themselves to an easy adaptation into the elementary classroom. With the integration of nearly any technological device, students can accomplish the indicators desired. I found it easy to integrate the above indicators into my blog project. Students were able to express their creativity through designing and making their blog posts their own. The 3rd standard I have listed probably takes the most effort to achieve.
In order for teachers to model digital-age work and learning, we have to be up-to-date with the latest technology developments as well as how to use them in the classroom. It can be frustrating at times to try to accomplish this. However, I have found that leaning on your students for help and understanding isn’t all that bad. Why not make it a learning experience for both sides? In my experience, students are more engaged and interested if the teacher is also engaged and interested. This can be done by allowing students to explain how a technology works or the ins and outs of different programs.
The NETS-T standards and indicators should be part of our required curriculum in order to achieve the ultimate goal: Involve students with the latest technologies to assure successful futures.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Revising the GAME Plan: Week 6
What I have learned….
So far, I have learned that in order to integrate technology effectively you have to be patient. This quality is true to every teacher. I don’t believe you can teach if you do not have a great deal of patience. I have found that having students complete blog entries requires a little deeper level of patience than I have yet to experience. There are constant questions and confusion when trying to do online journaling. However, I do have to thank some of my more experienced students in taking time to help those who are struggling. When beginning this blogging experience, I started with the basics. I did a class demonstration of a blog I had created and went over all of the aspects it offered. Students had a chance to interact with this program via a Smartboard and went over the navigating tips for those who lacked the knowledge needed.
Goals….
As far as my goals are concerned, I am still working for a successful week in student blogging. I would like for students to be able to navigate and successfully respond to the journal prompts throughout the week. I would also like students to begin to respond to their classmate’s postings. However, I feel that this step should wait until students are more comfortable with this type of communication.
I would still like to set the goal of more parent communication through the blogging experience. I would like to get letters sent home that states what the students have been doing regarding their blogs and how the parents can interact with this experience. I would like parents to have the opportunity to respond to their child’s blog by being able to post comments at home. Students could then respond to their parents comments throughout the week. This would allow for a nice school-home connection.
Learning Approaches….
Next time I integrate a new form of technology, I would like to take more time learning about what the technology is. For example if I was introducing blogging again, I would like to show more examples of different types of blogs completed by students of the age of the class so that they have a better idea of what is expected. I would also like to take more time to show what all blogs offer – in regards to uploading images, videos, etc. As of now, students have a very vague concept of the blogging experience and I would like to expand that to show them what else it offers.
So far, I have learned that in order to integrate technology effectively you have to be patient. This quality is true to every teacher. I don’t believe you can teach if you do not have a great deal of patience. I have found that having students complete blog entries requires a little deeper level of patience than I have yet to experience. There are constant questions and confusion when trying to do online journaling. However, I do have to thank some of my more experienced students in taking time to help those who are struggling. When beginning this blogging experience, I started with the basics. I did a class demonstration of a blog I had created and went over all of the aspects it offered. Students had a chance to interact with this program via a Smartboard and went over the navigating tips for those who lacked the knowledge needed.
Goals….
As far as my goals are concerned, I am still working for a successful week in student blogging. I would like for students to be able to navigate and successfully respond to the journal prompts throughout the week. I would also like students to begin to respond to their classmate’s postings. However, I feel that this step should wait until students are more comfortable with this type of communication.
I would still like to set the goal of more parent communication through the blogging experience. I would like to get letters sent home that states what the students have been doing regarding their blogs and how the parents can interact with this experience. I would like parents to have the opportunity to respond to their child’s blog by being able to post comments at home. Students could then respond to their parents comments throughout the week. This would allow for a nice school-home connection.
Learning Approaches….
Next time I integrate a new form of technology, I would like to take more time learning about what the technology is. For example if I was introducing blogging again, I would like to show more examples of different types of blogs completed by students of the age of the class so that they have a better idea of what is expected. I would also like to take more time to show what all blogs offer – in regards to uploading images, videos, etc. As of now, students have a very vague concept of the blogging experience and I would like to expand that to show them what else it offers.
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