Moodle

For this week's assignment, we researched the benefits of using a web-based Course Management System in our classrooms. Here a podcast explaining its' benefits and how it supports authentic student learning: http://podcastmachine.com/podcasts/8989

Reflection

As this course comes to an end, I want to take the information I have learned and apply this new knowledge to my classroom. As Dr. Tomlinson (2009) addresses, students vary in their levels of readiness, interest, and learning profile. Using technology can help me address these variances with my students.

I want to continue to use technology to reach students by creating lessons that engage the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learner. Using the online surveys that we have found for a previous assignment in this course will help me narrow down my students’ learning styles and their areas of interest. Making sure that my students have exposure to content in their learning preference will be beneficial to them. Using my smart board and interactive learning websites will increase student participation. I also want to be more deliberate about reserving our team’s laptop cart so that my students can complete more multimedia type projects to demonstrate the content they have learned.

Incorporating assignments that enable my students to investigate areas that are of interest to them is one of my immediate goals. I have not focused on student interest as much in the past and would like to do so by creating assignments that allow students to take more ownership of their work. Giving students options is an important key for engaging students and I can create options by assigning various assessments for the students to complete using technology, based on their interest. For example, visual learners would enjoy creating an online graphic organizer and auditory learners might enjoy creating a Voice Thread.

I also want to use technology to help with differentiated instruction in my classroom. Students are on different levels of readiness, so some students will need more support than others. Using technology will enable some students to receive more support, for example, online read-aloud textbooks and vocabulary practice. Other students can enrich their knowledge by completing more extensive, critical thinking projects that may require addition resources found on the web.

Overall, technology makes differentiated instruction and teaching to a diverse group of learners more practical and accessible for students and teachers. I hope to use technology in beneficial ways to create a more successful learning environment for my students.

Resource
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program five. Learner Differences [Motion Picture]. Reaching and Engaging all Learners through Technology. Baltimore: Author.

Reflective thoughts

It is important to set goals for our classrooms. For this course, I had to create a GAME plan to focus on two areas of integrating technology in the classroom. I set two goals: (1) to promote and model digital citizenship and (2) engage in professional growth and leadership. I learned that I have to make intentional efforts to model digital citizenship for my students. I focused on citing the sources I use in the classroom and I made sure my students cited their work when they researched information on the web. I also learned that engaging in professional growth is essential for me to stay current with new technologies. I have fun talking and discussing educational technology with other teachers and always walk away with new ideas to try.

I have already made some adjustments in my curriculum. Before break, my students engaged in a research project for science where they used the computers for research. We discussed digital citizenship and then talked about ways that they could use technology to present their information. I spend a significant amount of time discussing the citation of their sources. This next semester, I want to talk with other teachers in my content area and create activities where students are creatively using technology, but also learning the standards simultaneously.

Students enjoy using technology and I am always so surprised by their creativity. I have learned that high standards still need to be set, even if the students are using the computers as a learning tool. Creating rubrics is a great way for students to know the expectations. I have really enjoyed this course and have learned a great deal in regards to using creative project-based learning, collaborative activities, and digital storytelling to help my students understand the content.

Using the Game Plan Process with Students

The two goals for my game place are to model digital citizenship and engage in professional growth pertaining to technology. Both of these goals will help me encourage students to meet their NETS-S standards as far as technology is concerned. One of the NETS-S standards for students is to engage in digital citizenship. If I model good digital citizenship for my students, they, too, will learn to cite their sources and use the Internet responsibly. I want students to realize they can use technology for educational purposes and not just for socializing and for entertainment.

Another NETS-S standard for students is to be able to successfully use technology, to "be able to demonstrate sound understanding of technology concepts" (http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx). One of my goals is to continue to meet and discuss with other teachers ways we can successfully implement and integrate technology into our content area. The more I know about technology, the more I can share with my students. When students have the opportunity to use technology for educational purposes, they are developing a good understanding as to how technology can help them learn and grow as a student.

Revising My Game Plan

I have learned a lot as a result of my GAME plan. I enjoy engaging in professional growth and leadership. Making a point to talk with other teachers in regards to technology integration in the classroom has been beneficial. I have integrated technology into my content area on a more regular basis and my students seem to benefit from it. I still want to pursue this goal and continue to learn about ways students can benefit from technology.

My second goal was to promote and model digital citizenship. This is an ongoing process as I am continuing to encourage students to cite their sources as I model that in my classroom.

I would like to set a new goal that goes somewhat with my previous two goals. I want to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity. I can do this by providing ways for my students to use technology to further their understanding of the content. If I stay up to date on creative ways to integrate technology in the classroom, then my students can benefit by using this technology to express their creativity.

A learning approach I can take to see this goal happen is to make sure I assign a classroom project that involves technology that will allow my students to show their understanding of the content in a creative way.

Evaluating my GAME Plan Progress

My GAME plan is going well. I am still trying to model proper citizenship in regards to computer use for my students and I am still seeking out suggestions from other teachers in regards to integrating technology into my classroom.

So far I have learned that it takes a great deal of work to make sure everything is cited. Just yesterday, I pulled an image of a periodic table off the Internet to put into a Smart Board presentation at the last minute, and realized I needed to cite that image. I am still figuring out how to manage my time well to make sure the technologies I am integrating into the classroom are ones that are benefiting the students. I have not assigned my students a wiki or blog yet this year, and would like to do that.

I often use the excuse that we do not have time because of our standards, but I would like to create a classroom blog like many of my coworkers have done in social studies. I think that certain students really benefit from it and I could use it as a way of enrichment and reinforcement.

Monitoring My Game Plan Progress

So far my GAME plan is coming along well. My two goals are to (1) promote and model digital citizenship and (2) engage in professional growth and leadership. As far as the digital citizenship is concerned, a colleague gave me an excellent website (http://www.isafe.org/) that has lesson plans to help teachers inform their students about using the Internet in a safe and ethical way. I want to check into this website more and use their resources. I am still tying to model good digital citizenship in my classroom. It really takes a conscious effort to cite all the materials that I use in my classroom. I want to continue to model good use of the Internet.

As far as engaging in professional growth and leadership, I love discussing with other teachers new ways to integrate technology into my lesson plans. I have been attending our monthly technology meetings where a couple teachers in our school highlight various types of technology that can be integrated into the classroom. These meetings have been very informative and have given me lots of ideas to use in my classroom. I would like to eventually contribute to these meetings and that is a new goal I have for my GAME plan.