GAME Plan Reflection

Creating a GAME Plan was an important step in extending my understanding of new technology which can be used in my classroom. Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) explain how “to set goals for your own professional growth, take action, then monitor and evaluate your progress toward obtaining your goals” (p. 11). I chose to better understand how cell phones can be used as an educational tool, rather than just a nuisance in the classroom! It was difficult to find information, but because the GAME Plan requires you to change your plan as needed, I was able to persevere and find what I needed to be successful.

Before beginning the GAME Plan, I only knew a few ways students could use their cell phones in school, mostly for organizational purposes. I’ve had students take pictures of notes and put assignments into their calendars, but when I saw a teacher’s use of student cell phones to blog and submit podcasts for an assignment (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009), I was really inspired. I’ve discovered many new ways for students to show their learning using their cell phones, including many software programs which help students connect with each other in safe ways. What I’ve learned will allow my students to use a tool that they already have and talk about their learning in new ways.

When school begins, I will be teaching my students to use their cell phone responsibly in school but also how it can be a used to complete assignments and projects. I have already spoken with my administration about the benefits of using this technology and the ways I will incorporate it into my classroom. My students will not be familiar with using their cell phones in this manner, but with scaffolding, they will become more comfortable. Students will be blogging, posting to wikis and other social networking sites, video conferencing, taking video and pictures which can be used in presentations and digital stories. It is amazing how many endless possibilities there are, considering the students can access these easily with technology they already have access to. Also, after going through this process of using this tool in a new way, they will learn new ways to manipulate information using different types of technology, which is something they’ll have to do in the future in college or at a job.

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.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences with Technology, Part One. Baltimore: Author.

GAME Plan for Students

Using a GAME Plan has helped keep me focused over the summer months when it’s easy to put aside professional development and self-improvement! Because monitoring is a built-in part of the plan, it forced me to continue learning and seeking new information. When I came to some road blocks, particularly in the area of collaboration with colleagues, the plan also helped me find new ways to obtain information. As Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) explain, developing GAME Plans is a step towards continued lifelong learning.

I often teach a learning strategies course where goal setting is a topic. Students will be able to use the GAME Plan to identify types of technology they would like to learn and how they plan to master it. They can determine the types of assignments which would lend themselves to different types of media. After they master different technologies, they can focus on their creative use and collaboration using technology. Especially in the upper grades, students need to research and focus on content areas. By having GAME Plans, students will improve their abilities to find information that is relevant to their needs. Students will be able to meet all of the standards set forth in the NETS-S (ISTE, 2007). The most important, I feel, is that students become digital citizens, which will set them up for successful futures using technology.

By teaching students to use this plan, they will become self-sufficient and motivated to learn independently now and in the future. That is an important skill to have, especially because technology is changing and evolving so rapidly. Once one type of technology is learned, another becomes available that has different benefits. The GAME Plan will help students remain of their own learning and always monitoring their own learning in order to go forward. I’d love to teach students to use the GAME Plan method in all areas, not just technology!

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.

National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S) located at http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm

GAME Plan Update #4 Already?

Over the past several weeks, I have learned a great deal of skills I will need to implement my technology in my lesson plans. I have good plans for meeting the goals I set for myself regarding the NETS-T standards. The use of cell phone technology will allow me to engage them in real-world problems by allowing them to actually take their technology into the community and then communicate with the world. They will be able to collaborate and share their ideas and their learning with others. By planning these lessons and engaging the students in this type of learning, I will be meeting the second standard, which is to design and develop learning experiences using technology. I have learned several different ways to use cell phones to support learning, and will incorporate those in my lessons when appropriate.

I would like to extend my learning by engaging in professional development activities. I would love to continue to learn more about this topic and how other teachers have used it successfully in their classrooms. I would also like to share what I have learned with my colleagues. By opening up a dialogue and collaborating about our experiences, we will all become more effective teachers.

As I’ve been saying all along, I feel that it will be very important to speak with my colleagues at school because they know the students and the district policies. They will be a good resource to bounce ideas off of and tell me when I’m getting out of hand with my ideas. Sometimes I want to include too much, but need to reign it in when there are better ways to convey information or assess student learning.

Sarah

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) located at http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.