Reflecting on EDUC 6715

Reflection Paper

            The key word to this course has been the agents of change (Lemke & Coughlin, 2009).  As educators in the 21^st Century, we must be willing to change.  We must be willing to change what we do in the classroom, and we must realize who we are teaching in the classroom.  Our students are digital natives and because of that, our methods must change.  Gaming and virtual worlds in the classroom are a few of these agents of change.  We must also be proactive and find ways to fund these concepts and bring them to fruition. 

            James Paul Gee gives us learning principles that can help us justify gaming in the classroom.  Gaming in the classroom provides the 21^st Century student with ways to create an identity (learn a new domain), interact, produce, take risks, customize (change game to fit their style), create agency, challenge and consolidate, become pleasantly frustrated and explore, think laterally and distribute knowledge (Gee, 2005).

            Karen Billings helps us realize that we have to have a plan when we try to sell the idea of gaming in the classroom.  Preparing and getting the right teachers on board will help with the implementation of gaming in our schools (Billings, 2009).  We also need to realize that wishing for change won’t make it happen.  Planning, creating a team, finding resources for grants, and learning from others who have paved the way are ideas we need to follow (Gerding & Mackellar, 2006). 

            Teaching in the classroom use to be an art.  Today it is a science.  Changing the way we think and how we teach will change our classrooms.  We must be willing to go to whatever lengths to meet the needs of all our students and use all the technology and funds available to us to make us agents of change and make others wanting to follow us.

References:

Billings, K. (2009). Lessons from the trenches. School Library Journal, 55(10), 26–27. Retrieved from the Education Research Complete database.

Gee, J. P. (2005). Good video games and good learning. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 85(2), 33–37.      Retrieved from the Academic Search Premier database.

Gerding, S., & Mackellar, P. (2006). Wishing won’t work: 10 things you need to know and do     when applying for technology grants. Computers in Libraries, 26(7), 6–15. Retrieved  from the Education Research Complete database.

Lemke, C., & Coughlin, E. (2009). The change agents. Educational Leadership, 67(1), 54–59.       Reproduced with permission of Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development        in the format electronic usage via Copyright Clearance Center.

Spotlight on Emerging Technology: Online Learning in K-12 Schools

Here is my Prezi to help encourage my colleague to try an online learning situation.

Prezi Link

SCASL website for Professional Learning Network

Learning Centers
http://davidvl.org/Home.html

Cyber Safety
http://www.netsmartz.org/Parents
http://cybersmart.org/
http://ikeepsafe.org/

Technology Assessment
http://www.trails-9.org/

NETS Standards
http://www.iste.org/standards.aspx

The Big Think
http://sites.google.com/site/scaslthebigthink/

Knowledge Building Centers
http://sites.google.com/site/scaslknowledgebuildingcenters/

Library Info
http://www.jacketflap.com/

Create a Book
http://www.tikatok.com/

Create Comics
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/
http://blabberize.com/

Create a Presentation
http://prezi.com/

Online Binders
http://livebinders.com/

Week 8 - Final Blog Post

     Learning how to use a GAME plan in this Walden course, has been so very beneficial.  I've been reminded again about the importance of setting goals and creating an action plan for myself and my students and then monitoring it and evaluating it.  I've also have learned about the NETS for teachers and students as well.  These 2 pieces of information have given me the ability to create not only lessons that integrate technology into the curriculum, it has given me the ability to create units of study as well.
     To start with, I set up goals to engage in professional growth and leadership and to promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.  I researched new and previous blogs and discovered about 8 blogs that interested me.  This in turn lead me to evaluate how I've organized sites I've found in the past.  I revisited my delicious account and have been saving new sites and have tagged them for future use.  I will continue to keep an eye on the ACSI website to find out when the deadline is to sign up to be a presenter for a 2012 conference.  I also know in about March, the Upstate Technology Conference team will be asking for presenters for the June conference, and I want to make sure to sign up for that as well.
     Another one of my initial goals was to look into the e-pals program.  I am still planning on looking into this during our Christmas break this week.  I've also added, along the way, a goal to create a scope and sequence for digital citizenship for our lower school students.  I really want to focus on this for the next semester.
     I think of all the things I've learned in this course, the ISTE-NETS for teachers and students have been the most valuable.  I have been searching for something like this, to be a guide to help our school create an integrated technology plan.  I'm hoping as I gain my masters degree, my school will create a position to help me, help others integrate and use technology to its fullest in our school.

Week 7 - Using the GAME Plan Process with My Students

     I have really enjoyed learning about the GAME Plan and the ISTE-NETS for teachers and students.  This was something completely new to me.  I've been wanting something to base my computer lab activities on, and this is what I've been looking for.  The standards for the teachers and the students are intertwined.  By setting goals for yourself as a teacher, you are helping the students reach their goals and vice versa.


NETS - S                                                                 
1.  Creativity & Innovation                                
2.  Communication & Collaboration                  
3.  Research & Information Fluency                  
4.  Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making
5.  Digital Citizenship                                        

NETS - T
1.  Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
2.  Design & Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
3.  Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
4.  Promote & Model Digital Citizenship & Responsibility
5.  Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership


     Fortunately, the GAME Plan goes hand in hand with the ISTE Standards.  One of the components of the GAME Plan is the ISTE NETS-S section.  Using the GAME Plan lesson plan, makes it so easy to incorporate the technology standards.

ISTE NETS-S o Creativity and innovation o Communication and collaboration o Research and information fluency

o Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making o Digital citizenship o Technology operations and concepts

     I used to teach a study skills course for the 6th grade.  One of the areas we talked about was setting goals - how to set goal and how to achieve them.  We talked about just like an archer has to have something to aim for, students need something to aim for while they are learning.  Sharing the GAME Plan with our students will help them to see it's important to have a goal, have a plan, monitor how its going and evaluate how you did.  This will not only help them be better students, it will help them become productive citizens in their families, communities, and the world!

Week 6 - Revising My GAME Plan

     On to week 6 and review of how I've done so far with my game plan.
     First, I feel really good about the progress I made with my blogs to follow and organizing my favorites with a delicious account.  I also am looking forward to the spring when I can register to present on the technology conference and our association conference next year.
     As far as my goal of researching epals, I'm been frustrated that I haven't had the time.  But I think that it's worked out for the best.  After listening to Vicki Davis in our DVD this week, I realize there is so much more out there.  She has really motivated me.  I want to add Wiggio, Ning and eduwiki.us to the list of sites to check out and find out what kind of educational networking information I can find there.  I want to make sure I have researched collaborative online opportunities well, before I meet with my principal.
     Based on the NETS-T, I want to created a scope and sequence of digital citizenship lesson for our lower school students that I have in computer lab.  I've seen some great ideas from fellow classmate who have posted different sites, videos and lessons from which I can get ideas.  I also would like to help my fellow teachers out and expose them to some of the opportunities that are out there for them to use.
     This has been a great class.  I've learned so much and I look forward to setting more goals for myself and teaching others how to set goals for themselves as well.

Week 5 - Evaluating My GAME Plan Progress

I realized this week I needed to incorporate my already created delicious account.  As I was looking for blogs to keep up with, I also found some good websites.  I've learned, over the years, that I can't count on my favorites to be in "my favorite" tabs at school after summer break.  Also, I'm looking for information to keep up with while I am at school and at home and I needed one, central location to keep things organized.

This week at school has been CRAZY!!!  Two words will describe the situation - Christmas program!  We have been practicing, practicing, practicing and not too much free time.  But I did find the time to save the following blogs.  These are the one I will try to follow:

http://www.ncs-tech.org/?p=6133
http://www.crucialthought.com/
http://hloy.edublogs.org/
http://www.thethinkingstick.com/
http://www.entertheblog.com/
http://www.thenerdyteacher.com/
http://learninginhand.com/blog/
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

Websites: (thrown in just for extra)
http://www.lightningbug.com.au/Writing%20Centre/writing%20centre.htm

Since this week has been crazy, and really will continue to be, I will probably not get a chance to look into the epals program until the Christmas break, unless someone who has used it can give me some insight.

The conferences/conventions I want to attend and present at will not be accepting applications until this summer, so this goal will also have to wait until the summer to fill out any forms.

I feel really good about the blogs I am going to follow and I feel especially good about re-instituting my delicious account.  The next thing I actually need to do is clean out my RSS feeder!