Reflecting on GAME Plan week 8

This course has been a truly rewarding experience for me. I not only learned about a variety of wonderful technologies through weekly blogging with my fellow Walden classmates, but I also learned how to promote self-directed learning by creating my own GAME Plan (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). My unique GAME Plan quickly became my most valuable asset during this course because it forced me to set goals, take action for these goals, monitor my actions, and then evaluate what I had accomplished (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). As an educator, my major concern is that my students are learning the content, and this course has shown me how technology can be utilized effectively to help my students learn the content in new, fresh and exciting ways. There are four variables that educators should use to integrate technology into their content area: they should be somewhat technology-savvy, they must possess confidence, they must engage in solid beliefs about teaching and learning, and they must have a supportive culture -fellow colleagues who are supportive and will also take risks (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).


The GAME Plan that I developed was to “Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences” and to “Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility (International Society for Technology in Education, 2011). I did not accomplish all that I set out to, but I did learn a fair amount about digital storytelling through brainstorming with a fellow colleague about ways in which to utilize digital storytelling with my students, and by experimenting on my own with this great digital tool. I definitely have a long way to go before I feel completely comfortable with digital storytelling, but through this course I have also discovered that it is acceptable to experiment along with your students. During these past weeks I have come to the realization that “Language arts classrooms can be technology-rich environments if you help students understand that technology is an integral part of the classroom curriculum” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).

One adjustment I have made in order to accomplish turning my classroom into a technology-rich environment was to offer my students my gmail account and have them email their homework to me. This may not sound like much, but I think by offering my students somewhere to “send” their homework rather than having to “bring” it in will help to alleviate problems such as students showing up with no homework in hand. Also, if they are out sick, they can still email their assignments to me. Another plus would be the fact that the homework would be readable, since much of the homework comes in hand-written and illegible. This small feat affords me the luxury of moving closer to a paperless classroom which is another goal I have intended for myself as an educator. Since the first part of my GAME Plan is to design and develop digital age learning experiences for my students, I have decided to utilize digital storytelling in the beginning of the year and have my students create a story about themselves and use this as an ice-breaker activity so they can introduce themselves to their fellow peers. I will make a point of experimenting with digital storytelling over the summer, and I will create my own introductory story to show my new students in September.

In regard to the second goal in my GAME Plan, promoting and modeling digital citizenship and responsibility, I have made a point of working diligently with my librarian to uncover various videos about Internet safety and have viewed them to ensure they are age-appropriate. I have also received websites from a fellow classmate here at Walden, and this information came in extremely handy as well. I have already viewed one such website called Netsmartz, and it is a terrific website for students to view on Internet safety. My school librarian has also worked with my students by showing them how to log onto Noodletools and how to use this web tool so they can correctly cite sources and properly give credit where credit is due.

This course has helped me to think much deeper about different types of technologies and how these technologies can assist me in teaching my students the content in my English classroom. By taking baby steps, experimenting with specific technologies and brainstorming with colleagues, I have become more confident in implementing these technologies with my students. With the development of my own GAME Plan, I have learned to set specific goals, act on these goals, monitor and evaluate them so as to ascertain how to effectively reach all of the students in my diverse classroom.

References:

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2011). NETS for teachers 2008. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Enriching content area learning experiences with technology part one [Webcast]. Integrating technology across content area. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Promoting self-directed learning with technology. [DVD]. Integrating technology across the content area. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Using the GAME Plan with Students

Since my GAME plan has helped me to keep in alignment with the NETS-T standards, I feel confident that my students could follow suit by incorporating their own GAME plan utilizing the NETS-S standards.  One of the goals of my GAME plan was to promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.  This particular goal is extremely important to me as an educator because of the potential dangers involved with Internet use by teens.  Technology can be a remarkable tool for learning when used correctly and carefully, but in the wrong hands, technology can become a weapon of destruction.  Unfortunately, many teens utilize the Internet to bully other teens.  It has gotten so popular that Internet bullying has been coined cyber bullying and it is running rampant among the teenage population.  Cyber bullying has taken on a life of its own, and does not seem to be getting better any time soon.  As an educator and as a mother, I want to do whatever I can to stop cyber bullying.  I want to instill in my students an ethical understanding so they too will make a concerted effort to put a stop to any unsafe practices. 

I would also model for my students how to cite correctly when utilizing information from various sources.  The librarian has already put together a PowerPoint presentation on how to do this, but I need to keep modeling for them.  I have actually brought in my own papers to show them how I have given credit where credit is due. 

With this in mind, I would like to implement #5: Digital Citizenship (International Society for Technology in Education, 2011) because if my students cannot display digital citizenship, then they do not need to be on the Internet.  I would not want to have my students partake in any online activities if they could not be responsible teens and use the Internet wisely.  I would like to show my students videos related to cyber safety and then have them create a digital story on cyber safety.  In their story they would need to explain why it is important to practice Internet safety. 

References:

International Society for Technology in Education. (2011). NETS for students 2007. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-students

Revising Your GAME Plan

Goal #1: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments-More specifically-design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

1. What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice? What goals are you still working toward? I have learned some interesting things about digital storytelling, but not enough to feel comfortable about implementing it in my classroom. I still feel that I need to experiment with this digital tool over the summer when I have more time. This school year has been quite hectic, and I don’t want to rush things. I have spoken to my students about it, and I would like to have them write an “alternate” ending to the novel we are reading using digital storytelling because this digital tool truly lends itself perfectly for this assignment. I am still working towards gaining a better handle on how to manipulate the various tasks that need to be accomplished in order to create a digital story. I could practice with my classes because practice makes perfect, but I don’t know if I will attempt it this school year. Once I have succeeded in mastering how to use digital storytelling, I will utilize this tool to create other assignments. I have two other ideas in mind, and I feel confident that other ideas will come to me as I continue to experiment and become more familiar with it.

2. Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself? I would like to Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity-More specifically-engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. Now that I have created an authentic lesson about homelessness, centering on the novella my students are reading, Of Mice and Men, about homelessness, it has sparked a flame in me to truly bring this project to fruition. I would like my students to be able to talk with students from around the world about the issue of homelessness so they can discover, for themselves, how this problem is world-wide, and not just here in the states. I would like them to step their class project up a notch, and brainstorm ways to end homelessness in other parts of the world. What an accomplishment this would be-just the challenge alone would be so fruitful and worthwhile for students. It would lift their self-esteem, knowing they were making the effort to help eliminate homelessness. They can Skype with students or use Ning, a social networking website to communicate worldwide to discuss homelessness with their peers.

3. What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning? I think that next time I would plan ahead better to ensure that my goals were met. Most facets of technology are new to me, and I think that I did not allow enough quality time to be put aside to really learn digital storytelling like I would have liked. Also, I did not take into consideration that my fellow colleagues may not have the time to “show me the ropes” so to speak. Everyone’s time is precious, and I should have realized that teaching someone how to effectively implement a digital tool is probably not an easy task. This in turn has brought me to the realization that I must experiment more on my own, and that is what I plan to do.

Goal #2: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility-More specifically-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.

1. What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
I have learned that Internet safety is first and foremost a priority if you want your students to conduct any kind of communicating online. I also learned how commonplace cyber bullying truly is. I of course knew all about cyber bullying before setting this particular goal, but after viewing various videos about it, I realized just how prevalent it is. The fact that there are commercials broadcasted daily about it, articles in the newspaper about it, and actual incidents in my very own high school relating to it, make this issue that much more authentic. As far as making sure to ascertain that my students understand the importance of “giving credit where credit is due” is very important to me as a teacher.

What goals are you still working toward? I will continue to work with the librarian on this because she is the person to seek out regarding specific changes for MLA formatting. She takes care of setting up the accounts that our school subscribes to, so I will make sure to keep in close contact with her.

2. If you are not ready to set new learning goals, how will you extend what you have learned so far? I am not quite ready to set new learning goals, but I would most definitely like to extend what I have learned so far by continuing to model and monitor Internet safety among my students. I will monitor blogs and Nings, and whatever other digital tools I implement with my students. I will also continue to teach and guide my students in the right direction where appropriate documentation of sources are concerned. I will make sure to remain informed of any changes made to MLA formatting so as to teach my students correctly.

3. What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning? In order to improve my learning, I will need to keep myself informed of updates on Internet safety and cyber bullying. I will make sure to keep abreast of MLA formatting information, and I will keep myself well aware of workshops and literature pertaining to same. I will make a point of conferencing with my colleagues, and I will take advantage of RSS feeds (which I am doing currently) so as to obtain information quickly and efficiently.

Evaluating Your GAME Plan Progress

Goal #1: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments- More specifically: design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity


How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?

My actions were effective to a degree in helping me to meet my goals. I definitely became more knowledgeable with the different aspects of digital storytelling by experimenting by myself, and by collaborating with one colleague in my building who walked me through the steps of digital storytelling. I still need to meet with one or two other English teachers who are also well versed in this digital tool who can add to what I have learned thus far. I of course do not feel competent enough in all the aspects of digital storytelling to model it for my students, but I feel much more comfortable today than I did last week. I still have not located any workshops on digital storytelling, but I will continue to search weekly.

What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

The colleague that I worked with walked me through the steps of digital storytelling via Digitalstoryteller.org. He showed me how to create a script and how to use narration which was similar to a PowerPoint demonstration. He also showed me how to search for pictures and then add them to my story. I also discovered that I can search for pictures through Flicker which is connected with Yahoo, so since I have a Yahoo account, I will be able to utilize this feature. I have to make sure to have a microphone available so I can record voices and add music. I learned that I can transfer what I created to other places such as my iphone or an mp3 player, etc. Since I plan on learning all there is to know about digital storytelling so I can teach it to my students confidently, I began brainstorming lesson ideas with my fellow colleague, and we came up with three ideas on how I can apply digital storytelling into my instructional practice, and I am very excited about these ideas. One is to change the ending of a book-students would have to rewrite the ending and insert pictures to help tell their new ending. Since I am starting Of Mice and Men tomorrow, I may try it here. Also, students could write a creation story for themselves-I started out as… or even create a pitch for a television show. I am just brainstorming at this point, but it is a start, and I feel good about what I have accomplished so far.

What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?

There is still much to learn; I feel as though I have just scratched the surface so to speak, so I will keep experimenting and working with colleagues to keep my game plan in full swing. I have only dabbled with this digital tool; I need to keep practicing so as to feel more confident about implementing it in my classroom.

How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?

I will adjust my plan accordingly. I will make it a point to experiment with this technology whenever I have free time because practice makes perfect, but I am not against practicing with my students because the best way to learn is by trial and error. I would not be upset if I made mistakes and I worked through them with my students. I would make sure that I knew as much as I could about it so I would not look too incompetent of course.

Goal #2: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility- More specifically: 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.

How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?

I feel pretty confident about the effectiveness of my actions because with the help of our librarian, I found some videos through Discoveryeducation.com. Our school has an account with this website, and I can access it at school or from home. I still need to collaborate with my fellow English teachers to make sure we are on the same page as far as our ethical practices are concerned, but I will be seeing to this early next week.

What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

I plan on showing one video from Discoveryeducation which comes with a quiz at the end that students can take to test their knowledge on Internet safety. There is also a video on cyber bullying that I plan on showing them. I worked with the librarian and set up a day next week when I will bring my students to the library and show them the videos on the big screen. The videos are fairly short, so while we are in the library, the librarian is going to go through the process of documenting sources. Our school has an account with Noodletools, so we will show how to use this digital tool for citing.

What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?

I think I am sufficiently aware of what I need to know about Internet safety and properly citing sources, but I am sure I do not know all there is to know about both, so I will make sure to stay abreast of any new information that comes out by checking online, collaborating with the librarian and fellow colleagues on these topics.

How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?

Basically, I will make a point of checking with my students to make sure they understand the do’s and don’ts of Internet safety, and I will ascertain that my students fully comprehend how to cite within their papers as well as how to create a works cited page. I will keep up on any new information, and make sure to share what I discover with my students. For example, if changes are made to the MLA format, I will keep my students updated, and I will make a point of modeling all that I learn on both Internet safety and documenting sources.

Monitoring My Game Plan

Well, in the past week I did not accomplish what I had planned regarding my first goal: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments, more specifically- design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity. I have become somewhat knowledgeable with some of the aspects of digital storytelling by conversing with one colleague in my building who is extremely tech-savvy. We have not been able to get together so he can actually show me how it works, and the fact that he just found out last week that he is being let go due to cutbacks makes it harder for me to ask him for assistance with this software. I still have to find the time to get together with two colleagues in the main building who also have experience with this software. One set back I had was that one of the administrators in my building asked me to administer pre-HSPA makeup’s for three days last week. I tried to get out of it because I am behind with my own students due to all the prepping that took place for this state testing. I was so happy when the original testing was completed, and then I had to be out of my room for an additional three days to administer the make ups. Then to top it all off, my cell phone was stolen and I had to report it to administration and then fill out a police report with one of our police officers, so it has been a bit hectic since last week. I did look for workshops with the help of one of my fellow English teachers, but there were none in the way of digital storytelling, but I will continue to check on workshops, and I will also be on the lookout for workshops that are offered through our school technology department. Something is wrong with the computer in my classroom, so I filled out a technology work order to have it looked at, and when the technician comes to fix it, I am going to talk to ask him if he knows about any upcoming workshops on digital storytelling. Next week I really need to get up to the main building and talk with my upper level English teacher cohorts! Even though I know they would all be more than willing to accommodate me, I know everyone is extremely busy, and I am terrible about asking for help. I do not think I need to modify my plan; I just need to set time aside to learn about the software.

My second goal: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility, and more specifically-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 has also taken a back seat due to all the craziness. I have spoken to the school librarian and she is willing to help me with a presentation I would like to give my students. She is well informed about teaching internet safety, and she has the best sites for teaching students how to cite properly and giving credit where credit is due. She informed me that we subscribe to specific websites such as Noodletools, and she will be more than willing to give a presentation to all of my classes. I also received an abundance of information regarding specific websites to investigate from fellow Walden student, HanNa Chung. She informed me about a website by the name of Netsmartz. She gave me a website that tells about real life stories regarding Internet Safety, and also an Internet Safety Video that can be shown to students, so I am planning on bringing my students to the library to view these videos and listen to what the librarian has to say about internet safety as well. If time allows, the librarian and I will then show my students how to work Noodletools, so they will learn how to cite properly. I am very excited about implementing some new technology tools into my classroom, but I need to plan my time better so I can accomplish my goals. Here is to a less hectic week ahead!

Reference:

International Society for Technology in Education. (2011). NETS for teachers 2008. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/net-for-teachers-2008.aspx

Carrying Out My Game Plan by Roxanne Dobbins

As mentioned in my game plan, my first goal was to: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Since I decided to focus on designing and adapting relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity, I will need to choose a specific digital tool and learn all aspects of it. One way I can do this is to collaborate with fellow colleagues who are well versed in technology. I want to learn all the ins and outs of digital storytelling so I can teach it to my ninth grade students. Next, I would seek out various workshops to listen to experts in the field of technology. I actually just started working on this aspect of this first goal; I was just approved to be able to attend a workshop on differentiated instruction with technology, so slowly but surely, I am working on this first goal. I will also read up on digital storytelling and view any online videos offered in order to carry out my plan. I will subscribe to feeds such as ZDNET, a veteran in publishing technology reviews and information. I will take advantage of chatboards at websites such as teachersnet and blogs such as Ed Tech to help me become more tech. savvy. So far I have subscribed to Free Technology for Teachers and Northern Lights to help me with obtaining a constant flow of information that can save me time.

My second goal is to: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility. I chose to 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. I plan on modeling for my students, as much as possible, how to keep safe when using the internet. I can share stories with them about what happens when you display foolish behavior online. I will have them read online articles about teenagers who either bullied other students or falsified profiles about other students or friends, etc. I will create chat groups with my students where I make a point of checking in with them or monitoring their online activities as much as possible. I will offer open lines of communication so individual students will not feel threatened to discuss their experiences openly, privately, or anonymously. Next, I will model for my students how to perform parenthetical citation and how to create a works cited page. Today, I made arrangements to bring my students to the library so the librarian can show my students how to use Noodletools for their research papers. Actually, I just do “aspects of a research paper,” but our librarian does a PowerPoint and offers handouts on all that is needed for giving credit where credit is due, so I feel confident that my students will learn the correct way to cite and use appropriate documentation of sources.

Developing My Personal Game Plan

Developing My Personal Game Plan


After reading the National Education Technology Standards for Teachers, I knew immediately which indicators I was comfortable with and which I was not. As of about three years ago, I began feeling uncomfortable with my teaching strategies, and knew I needed to make some serious changes. As new teachers were being hired, they brought with them to the table much computer knowledge. Many of them knew how to use Smart Boards and other technological tools as well as being able to navigate the internet with ease. I knew I needed to hitch a ride on this bandwagon, and I vowed to learn all I could in the way of integrating technology into my classroom. The time had come for change and it was screaming to me loud and clear.

I finally made the plunge, and signed up for graduate school excited to learn how to teach my students new and innovative strategies for reading and writing, and to also tackle learning some valuable technology tools. Since the whole idea with learning anything new is to set up a GAME plan first by establishing goals (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 85) then that is what I need to do. One goal of mine is to learn how to utilize digital storytelling. This technological tool would prove extremely valuable to my students and me. “As with other mindtools, digital stories enable learners to reflect, represent, and communicate what they know” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 67). One aspect that attracts me about digital story telling is how they must have “themes to which viewers must relate” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 67) and how the writing genre is a personal narrative that has a hook to capture the viewer’s attention immediately. Students go through a series of steps to create their digital story, and this allows them to become self-directed learners.

One deterrent that keeps delaying me from pursuing learning more technology tools is the constant worry of students using the internet safely. I have mentioned this a few times before, and I will say it again, but I do worry about those few students who will do something unethical or illegal on the internet jeopardizing their safety as well as others’ safety. There were students in my school that cyber-bullied two female students of mine on Facebook. Many of my students do not yet comprehend how to properly cite other peoples’ work. I am actually teaching this currently, and we had a lesson on paraphrasing and summarizing two weeks ago, but I just glazed over the tip of the iceberg with them, so I am still apprehensive about what they might do when it came to citing and giving credit where credit is due.

The first goal I would like to work on would be:

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity

Goals: become more knowledgeable with all the aspects of digital storytelling, so I can teach the steps to my students with confidence.

Take Action: Collaborate with my fellow teachers who have used digital storytelling with their students and attend workshops when they are offered, and setting time aside to experiment with it myself.

Monitor: track my progress as to how long it takes me to grasp the concepts; set time aside to learn and teach myself and then abide by my timeframe.

Evaluate and Extend: I will reflect on my accomplishments and ask my colleagues for valuable feedback and I will ask them to offer suggestions where I am lacking.

4. Promote and Model Digital 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: Be able to model for my students the correct way to conduct themselves when they go online, and also model the appropriate way to cite other peoples’ work.

Take Action: Work with colleagues to ascertain that we are all on the same page as far as ethical practices go; consult head of technology to make sure I have all my I’s dotted and t’s crossed.

Monitor: Keep up-to-date on the legal aspect of what is and is not ethical; check in with my students whenever I can to make sure they are using the internet properly

Evaluate and Extend: If students are making progress and acting appropriately online and are citing correctly, I will move on to teaching a new tool. I will reach out to my colleagues and we will meet to discuss the advantages and the pitfalls and we will make adjustments for our department and even extend to other departments if need be.

References:

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2011). NETS for teachers 2008. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for -teachers-2008.aspx