Game Plan Progress

The steps I have already taken toward meeting the goals established for learning about technology and technology resources.

1. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.
i. Finding the information and resources I need?
I have already started incorporating the digital tools where they have helped my students develop skills they did not have. They have started using tools such as webspirations for concept mapping, survey monkey for surveys and polls, they have already started using and preparing prezis, voicethreads, glogs, moviemaker, powerpoint and blogs.
I have still to learn more about the creation and how to implement the use of Digital Portals. I have been reading about them and how to create them but have not yet got down to producing one. If anybody can give me some support I would appreciate it.

ii. Do I need to modify my action plan?
I think that the students are enjoying their work, so I think this is the way to go, and continue without stopping.

iii. What have I learned so far?
I have learned that students, even adult students, try to do the same as other students when they like the product that the other students have produced. As I am working with adult students, and they have had a days’ work when they arrive at my lessons, some of them do not want to learn new ways to do things because it takes longer, but when they start seeing the results of the work done by other colleagues they want to try out the tools themselves and are able to do better research because they are so much more motivated.


2. Engaging in Professional Growth and Leadership
i. Finding the information and resources I need?
I am searching for the information I need, some information I have already managed to get other information has been much more difficult to access.
I have also been trying to keep myself informed about what is new in other educational blogs and it is quite challenging yet interesting getting new ideas, because it is so important for us to exchange our thoughts and ideas. We get so much richer in capacity to innovate and prepare different learning opportunities for my students.

ii. Do I need to modify my action plan?
I do not think that I should modify my action plan, I must organize myself in a better way to be able to apply it properly.

iii. What have I learned so far?
I have learned that if I monitor the blogs on a daily basis I am able to keep myself informed about what is being posted by other teachers and this is important as we all have drawbacks and we are able to learn with one another and learn from all those that know much more than we do in certain areas. I myself have learned so many interesting things about education of younger students, the challenges and the compensations.

iv. What new questions have arisen?
I have come to realize how much I have been missing out on. I thought I knew so much about technology and meanwhile I have come to see that I have just come out of the Stone Age.

Maria

Reviewing GAME Plan

1. Design and develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments:

Resources:

· Computers with internet access;

· Survey monkey, webspiration, audacity, webquests.

· Voice Threads, PowerPoint’s, Movie Maker, Glogsters, Prezi’s, blogs and sites used to share final products that students will present and finally become artifacts in their personal portfolios.

Information...

• on how to use the internet and evaluate the search engines;
• on how to validate the information on the web;
• on how to research for information on the web;
• on how to use digital tools they will need.

Learning strategy:

• I will ask the students to start off by analyzing a webpage.
• I Supply worksheets and podcasts explaining the steps they should follow to do their research.
• They would then search for the information they need, evaluating them, synthesizing and then transforming this information into a product that is theirs.
• They will perform their surveys using the online surveys,
• They will organize their concepts using concept mapping tools.
• As their program does not contemplate laboratory experimentation (adult students) they may use simulations when they need to understand some concepts better.
• As these students are not all doing the same work at the same time, my contribution is individual to each one of them.

2. Engaging in Professional Growth and Leadership:

Resources:

· Computers with internet access;

· Blog; RSS feed; portfolio

Learning strategy:

I need to view and answer the blog postings on a more regular basis. I have being viewing the posts although not as often as I should, but have failed to interact with my colleagues on a more regular basis on their blogs. I am able to view the blog posts each time I use my search engine because the blogs I have iGoogle as me homepage (as the page opens I see who has posted on their blogs). When searching the web and I am able to view the posts quickly before proceeding with my work, if I have a minute.

Maria

GAME Plan

My GAME plan for two indicators in the NETS-T.

1. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and assessments.

Goal: I intend to incorporate digital tools and resources to maximize content learning and develop knowledge skills and self development attitudes in my students. With my adult students I realized that they need to research certain themes and present their conclusions, using word documents. My goal has been to firstly help them do effective research on the data validity using the proper processes and tools to do so, then prepare a presentation form other than word document making their learning experience richer and more diversified.

Action: They will analyze the validity of websites as they do their research on the various topics. They will then prepare the presentation of their work using different technologies to do so.

Monitor: I will monitor the work they do, how they analyze the sites, which tools they use and then also monitor the diversity of tools they decide to use, and also monitor the tools the tools they appreciate most, using them in other subjects with other teachers after having learned how to use them in my classroom.

Evaluate and extend learning: We are able to evaluate the adult motivation through, attendance, enthusiasm as they come to the lessons eager to work and learn more about the topic they are studying and the method they will use to present their work.

2. Engaging in Professional Growth and Leadership.

Goal: I intend to keep myself informed as to current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of students learning.

Action: I would start in this course using the RSS reader in order to be able to visit each of my group members’ blogs, review their GAME plans and see if I may be of assistance and gladly accept the assistance of my fellow colleagues.

Monitor: I will try to view the blogs on a daily basis and monitor the updates to the blogs and view how many blogs entries I have made.

Evaluate and extend learning: View my blog participation throughout this course and reflect on my learning experience in order to be able to enhance my students and fellow colleagues at schools’ learning experience with this tool.

International Society for Technology in Education Home. (n.d.). International Society for Technology in Education Home. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from http://www.iste.org