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.
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