Checking In!

Course: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas

Instructor: Virgil Kirk

• Are you finding the information and resources you need?

Right now I’m still in the gathering stage of my GAME plan. I conducted a survey with my staff. I have only received seven surveys back. I think the Turkey Holiday is occupying my colleagues and they may have been a little busy to fill out the form. I will nudge them a little bit in the coming weeks. I’m going to meet with my building tech guru next week to go over the types of resources I will need for my workshops.

Because of the short school week I wasn’t able to have my students take the learning style inventory test. I plan on having them fill it out next week.

• Do you need to modify your action plan?

I think my action plan is well written and I don’t feel I need to modify it.

• What have you learned so far?

This process is very slow. Having a GAME plan to keep me on track keeps me organized. My staff seems very excited about learning different ways to integrate technology into their classrooms. I used Google Docs to create my survey and I learned that I need to include a place for names because it doesn’t identify who did the survey. Now I will have to send an email out asking my staff to identify who is interested in the “Tech Café”. If you haven’t used Google Docs before they are very easy. One cool feature I found is that the program will create a spreadsheet compiling the data.
One of the most frustrating things for me is that when I’m trying to create a project for my students I seem to go overboard. I have learned that more is not always better. Every project does not have to include technology.

• What new questions have arisen?

Some of the questions I’m asking myself include: Do I have time to create projects that include technology? Will the projects give me a clearer picture of my student’s abilities?

Carrying out my GAME Plan

Course: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas

Instructor: Virgil Kirk

What resources will I need to carry out my GAME plan (video, reading, experts, or colleagues, etc)?

First goal: I will need to contact my Edtech expert and discuss different technology concepts/software I can teach to my staff. During our discussion we will also compile a survey that I will give my staff to determine what their interests are.

Second goal: I will need to determine which forms of technology my students are already proficient in. I will do this be giving them a survey. The survey will cover a variety of technology concepts so I have a clear picture of my student’s skills.

What additional information do I need?

First Goal: After my teachers have finished the survey I will tabulate the information and develop a schedule with the topics for each meeting. I have decided that the “Tech Café” will be open once a month and the topics of discussion will be posted so the teachers can decided which ones would best suit their needs. My plan is to have the meetings in the morning for about 30 minutes. I will take about 10 minutes to introduce the topic and then the teachers can have 20 minutes to explore.

Second Goal: After my students complete the survey I will review their answers to decide what technology they know and what I need to teach or review.

What steps have I been able to take so far?

First Goal: I have proposed my idea to my principal and he felt it was an excellent use of my technology expertise. In addition to the “Tech Café” I’m going to communicate to my colleagues via a digital newsletter. I’m in the process of developing the format. I have also talked to the Sunshine committee at my school and they will provide juice and doughnuts for the “Tech Café” to entice teachers to attend.

Second Goal: I’m reviewing different lessons that I teach and deciding which lesson would fit this goal. I want to give my students the opportunity to “think outside of the box” when they are creating their final project. Here are a few of my lesson ideas:

• Math – My students are learning about arrays – have them create a project that would visually assist a student that is learning how to solve multiplication problems using arrays.

• Science – pick an ordinary household item then redesign the object and what it is used for.

• Writing – Learning to use the 6-trait Voice - Create a story using voice and image.

I would love some feed back on my lesson plan ideas.

Dawn Bell

My GAME Plan

Course: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas

Instructor: Virgil Kirk

Advocating effective use of technology at my school has been a personal goal of mine for the past five years. It is also the reason I’m in this Masters Program. After reviewing the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-T) for teachers I realized that I already promoted some of the standards within my classroom and school. There are two standards that I would like to focus on for my GAME plan.

I agree with Peggy Ertmer that a supportive team is needed in order to integrate technology effectively (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). There are still members of my staff that believe technology should not be a part of the school day. A teacher made a comment that if she cuts anything out of her day it is her computer lab time. This type of mindset only fuels my passion to continue modeling the benefits of technology in the classroom.

My first standard is:

5b exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skill of others.

Goal: I want my colleagues to learn a variety of ways they can incorporate technology into their lessons. I also want them to understand the impact technology will have on their students’ learning environment. Along with this I would like to have a committee would help map out the technology direction for our school.

Action: Provide a bimonthly “Tech Café” infusion gathering. During this time different software, lessons or projects will be demonstrated. A guest, a colleague or myself would do the demonstrations. I also envision this as a time to share ideas about the direction our school should take with technology.

Monitor: At each “Tech Café” gathering we will have a sharing time to reflect on technology that was integrated.

Evaluate: At the end of two months I will take a survey of the staff to see if the “Tech Café” was useful or if we need to include different types of technology.

As teachers become more confident in their technology skills I believe they will begin to include it more in their lessons.

My second standard is:

2c: customize and personalize learning activates to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resource.

Goal: My students will identify their learning style and will use a digital tool that will creatively complete a learning activity.

Action: Have my students take a test that will identify their learning style. Brainstorm and identify different digital tools that will address each of the learning styles. Provide a learning opportunity that allows my students to determine which digital tool they will use for their final project.

Monitor: Provide the students with a rubric to monitor their progress. During the process review my students’ progress and redirect it if needed. At the end of the project have the students reflect on their experience.

Evaluate: I will evaluate the final project and my rubric will include my learning objectives. If the students were able to grasp the objectives then my goal would have been met. I would reevaluate the process and expand on my expectations if they did not.

I look forward to your comments and any suggestions you may have regarding my GAME plan.

Dawn Bell

References

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program three. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas (Motion picture) Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences with Technology Baltimore: Author.

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved November 5, 2009 from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.

Search by Creative Commons. Retrieved on November 10, 2009 from http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashafatcat/ / CC BY 2.0