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.