Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, December 24, 2010
Reflection on Reaching and Engaging all Learners through Technology
At the beginning of the next school year, I plan to administer the technology online survey that I created for Reaching and Engaging all Learners through Technology course to my elementary third through fifth grade students. This survey will provide me feedback on the skill level and capabilities of these elementary students so I can adjust my lesson plans as necessary. Additionally, throughout the school year, I plan to administer online assessments to check for student understanding on various software programs.
Another software application that I plan to implement into my computer classroom is voice threading. When students create a project that requires a presentation, they will be acquired to complete a written report and provide a recorded presentation for that written report. This method will support the visual and auditory learners because the project will be visible utilizing the computer classroom Smart Board and auditory with the voice thread. Additionally, many students will benefit from the voice threading to over come their public speaking fears when presenting their project in front of their peers.
The final technology that I plan to introduce to my computer students is animation which is obtained from an online animated website. Normally the computer students utilize Microsoft Power Point to create all their projects for presentation but after completion of this course material, I believe that the inclusion of animation into my computer classroom will instill a renewed learning interest and excitement in my students.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Reflection on Game Plan
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Using the GAME Plan Process with Students
When reviewing the NETS-S, I recognized that my computer students perform many of these standards almost on a daily basis but may not be proficient in accomplishing the standards. By implementing the GAME plan, I will be able to create lessons that provide the students the opportunity to obtain these skills. When the students are assigned a computer project, they can develop their own GAME plan to assist them in completing their computer assignment.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Revising the GAME Plan
The most useful goal that I set for myself is "developing technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and becoming active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress" (ISTE, 2008). This standards allows diverse students to become invovled in their own learning process.
I would like to set a new goal to "promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility" (ISTE, 2008). My students utilize the Internet frequently to search and locate information pertinent to their various project requirements. Citing sources is an essential part of their requirements and I consistently stress the importance of citing sources and avoiding plagiarism but I do not model digital responsibility. When I demonstrate a project example to the students, I fail to annotate my resources. I have been setting the wrong example to my students because the need to observe the proper method of citing resources applies to both student and teacher alike.
I would like to introduce the inquiry/discovery method into various computer projects that I currently utilize. The normal procedure in the classroom involves the students being provided a computer assignment along with the questions regarding the subject that they must discover. With the inquiry/discovery method, the students are provided the topic subject and they are responsible in developing their own questions, which promotes creativity development in the student.
ISTE (2008). The National Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers. www.iste.org
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Evaluating Your GAME Plan Progress
Another goal that I am attempting to accomplish is "model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning" (ISTE, 2008). The goal is to implement 21st century technologies into my computer classroom but first I must acquire a change in school policy to initiate this goal. I approached this goal by looking for activities for the students that incorporate 21st century skills to include into my proposal and statistics to reinforce the need for the school policy change. I have experienced difficulty locating statistical information to present to the administration that supports my goal. Upon acquisition of the needed statistical information, I must set up a meeting with the administration.
ISTE (2008). The National Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers. www.iste.org
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monitoring My GAME Plan Progress
Another goal that I am attempting to accomplish is "model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning" (ISTE, 2008). The goal is to implement 21st century technologies into my computer classroom but first I must acquire a change in school policy to initiate this goal. I must formulate a proposal with statistical information regarding the educational benefits to the students to persuade the administration to change the current policy that prohibits the students' usage of blogs, wikis, e-mail, and social networking sites. If the school's administration disapproves the policy change, then I must re-evaluate my goal and modify my plan.
ISTE (2008). The National Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers. www.iste.org