My G.A.M.E. Plan

When looking at the NETS-T indicators I find myself wanting to get better at most of them. I feel that currently I am only skimming the surface on these skills. We can all better perform if we set goals for ourselves. The two indicators I choose to focus on are number 1- “Facilitate and Inspire Student Leaning and Creativity” (ISTE, 2008) and number 4- “Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility” (ISTE, 2008). There are many thoughts behind me wanting to focus on these two indicators.

Focusing on the GAME plan that Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer discussed in the book “Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use” (2009) I needed to set goals for myself. A commonly asked question at this stage is “What do I want to know or be able to do” (Cennamo, et al., 2009, p. 4). When it comes to indicator one I want to find more meaningful digital tools that I can incorporate into the lessons that I teach. My goal for this is to use at least one new tool every two weeks. This will allow me time to learn about the tool before incorporating it. I do not want to make this goal to hard to reach so setting it at two weeks allows me some time and if I can incorporate other digital tools I can excel past my goal. For indicator four my goal is to have my students utilize their school email accounts at least once a week to communicate with a fellow classmate, teacher, or administrator. This would allow me to better “promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information” (NETS-T). Giving each student a set time on the computer could allow me to accomplish this goal.

The A of the GAME plan is to take action. The first thing I will need to do is fins a digital tool that I can use with my students. Once I locate the first tool I can spend some time evaluating it and preparing to use it with my students. Then I can sign out the computer lab or prepare my classroom computers for use of the tool. To make sure I am taking action with my goal in mind I will keep an excel sheet that I can make notes on and update on my use of new tools. For indicator four I will create a schedule for each student to have computer time. I will inform the students of their times and make sure the computers are accessible to them at those times. I will also create a sheet where the students can sign in that the used their computer time. This will allow me to keep track of my student’s use.

This of course ties in with the M, monitor. The big question in monitoring becomes “Are my students understanding the content and mastering the skills they need?” (Cennamo, et al., 2009, p. 31) For indicator one this will be monitored though the use of informal assessments, discussions, and observations. Each tool will have its own case depending on the students understand and use of the tool. If any tool is observed to not be effective or the students seem to not be using it properly modifications will need to be made. Being reflective will be very important at this stage with the different tools I decide to use. For indicator four monitoring will be slightly different. I may need to require my students to check in with me via email once a week. I can also ask other teachers if students have contacted them and talked about things that are relevant and thought out. The use of email should not just be for chatting but for communicating effectively. Monitoring this is not easy but can be done with an open relationship with the students.

Finally, the E which stands for evaluate and extend. This step will be the most important part of the process. It brings it all together. I will evaluate myself on the ability to meet my goals. Am I effectively using technology at the level that I intended to? Am I encouraging students to communicate with each other through technology resources? What should I change? What can I do differently next time? All of these questions will be asked during this stage of the GAME. My intention for this stage is to be reflective, adding thoughts into my journal or even my blog discussing my strengths and weaknesses of a lesson or use of student’s email accounts. I may even extend m knowledge by increasing my goals or adding new features to my goals to extend my knowledge of the NETS-T indicators.

References:

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Chapter One. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
ISTE | NETS for Teachers. (2008). International Society for Technology in Education | Home. Retrieved May 10, 2011, from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx