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!

Monitoring My Game Plan Progress

I realized after I posted last week, that I had 2 goals in the area of professional growth and leadership.

The first point in this goal was to research and find 2-3 blogs to follow.  I spent some time on Monday and Tuesday of this week looking back over my old blogs and some links that I had been following in the past. It was a little overwhelming taking in all that information and remembering how to use the Google reader and RSS feeds.  I found www.ncs-tech.org, www.hloy.edublogs.org, and www.thethinkingstick.com  to be informative.  I'm going to keep on looking.

The second point to this goal was to do some research on the ACSI conventions and how to become a presenter.  I went to the ACSI website and the deadline for the January convention have already passed.  I will keep a check on the website to find out when the deadline is for the 2012 convention either in Raleigh or Birmingham.  The Upstate Technology Conference is held in June and I know they don't start asking for presenter until the spring.

My second goal goal was to check on the epals program.  I was able to go the website on Monday, but I need to continue to research and create a plan to present to my principal.  I've received a lot of encouragement from my fellow classmates on the use of this program.  One question I need to check on, and if anyone knows the answer, I will appreciate the insight, is if all the projects are free to participate in?

Carrying Out My GAME Plan

Last week I established a personal GAME plan for myself as a teacher.  This week, I need to focus on how I will carry out this GAME plan through resources that are available to me, what additional information do I need and what steps have I taken so far.

Goal #1 - Research to find 2-3 blogs that have value to me as a professional.  One of the first places I need to go back and look at is my different blogs that I have created for my other classes in this program at Walden.  Some of the other members in my classes, used blogs that were already active and they had links to blogs they were already following.  I also need to make sure my RSS feeder is set for my work email and not my personal email.  This way I will get updates while at work and not at home.  Unfortunately, this week has been super busy and I haven't felt well, which really aren't good excuses.  But I will definitely start before the end of this week by looking at my previous blogs and weeding through so of the blog links.

Goal #2 - Learn more about the epals program.  This summer, I had subscribed to epals to get their newsletters via email.  I actually got one this week and was able to scan through a few of their projects.  I had mentioned this program to my principal during the summer and she wasn't too sure about it because she didn't have enough information.  Monday and Tuesday next week, my schedule will be light because I do not have my science labs.  I will take time to research the the program, some of the projects and write up a short proposal for my principal.

Developing My Personal GAME Plan

     According to Cennamo, Ross and Ertmer in Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, using the GAME plan method for self directed learning will help students think about and take steps to direct their learning process.  Using the ISTE NETS for teachers, I have created a GAME plan for my integration of technology in my role as an educator.  As a reminder, here are the steps of the GAME plan:
     1.  Set Goals.
     2.  Take Action to meet those goals.
     3.  Monitor progress toward achieving goals and
     4.  Evaluate whether the goals were achieved and Extend your learning to new situations.


ISTE NETS-T
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:

a.	participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.

G - (1)Research and discover 2-3 blogs that are associated with educational technology and participate in weekly discussions.
(2)Participate in conferences by presenting information to other teachers as a speaker. A - (1)Blogs - set aside 30 minutes a day for the next 2-3 weeks to find and research appropriate blogs.
(2)Conference - Research when the deadline is for participating as a presenter for the Upstate Technology Conference and the ACSI Conference in Alabama. M - (1)Blogs - Set up the Blogs in an RSS feeder, set a reminder in my outlook calender to remind me to participate each week.
(2)Conference - Contact the appropriate people and register at the appropriate time.  If there is a long time until registration is possible, set up a reminder in my outlook calendar. E - (1)Blogs - at the end of the first month, monitor the amounts of times I contributed to each blog, re-evaluate if the blog is worthwhile, share with fellow teachers what I have learned.
(2)Conference - Did I participate and how was I rated by other participants.  Evaluate to see if I should participate again.

ISTE NETS-T

4.  Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in the professional practices.  Teachers:

d.  develop and model cultural understanding an dglobal awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.

G - Learn more about the e-pals program and investigate what it takes to join and if it would be possible for our students in our lower school to participate in this program.

A - Go to the website, contact the appropriate people, talk with my principal before the end of the semester.

M - If approved by the principal, get an e-pal program set up with at least one grade level during the 2nd semester.

E - Have the students assess at the end of the project - Was it worthwhile?  What information did you gain from this project?  What was your favorite/least favorite part of the project?


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.

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

EDUC-6713

Hello everyone!  Sorry I was late in getting my blog address posted!  But, here I am!  I'm looking forward to writing on a blog again for our assignments.