App 4

App 7

Throughout this course I have been exposed to many strategies and resources that I plan to carry out and use in my own classroom. I plan on using Polldaddy.com to gauge student int erst and learning styles so that I can best plan to meet their needs during instruction. I also plan on using different assessment tools throughout units to measure student knowledge and growth on a particular subject. I can use digital checklist for observations and student response devices with students. I feel that all the resources gained from this course will assist me in the start of changing instructional strategies to be more differentiated to better meet students educational needs.

Reflection

The GAME Plan that I worked on really helped me reflect on my actions and thoughts about working and improving upon my teaching. I feel that I have explored more resources and learned a lot just by starting the GAME Plan. I am very excited about trying some of the new strategies with students when they come back next week.

I learned about many resources were teachers collaborate and through exploring these sites I received many great ideas to use in my own classroom with my students. After exploring these sites I think that I will be more apt to use collaborative activities with other professionals.

The most immediate change I will make in my classroom instruction is having students more clearly map out their plans and encourage them to reflect more throughout the learning process.

Week 7 GAME Plan

My goal of working with other professionals in my field that have experience will assist me in helping my students reach proficiency. Working with other teachers I will gain ideas on how to use different technology ideas in the classroom. Also if there are times that I am having problems with using technology I can go to other professionals and ask for assistance to help children better understand an assignment.

My goal of participating in learning communities to learn more about using technology in the classroom will help me create new assignments to expose students to different types of technology, along with different uses for technology.

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

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.

Week 6 Game Plan

What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

In last week's next step assignment there were many useful resources regarding other professionals and their use of technology in the classroom. I feel that the resources that were provided will be very useful in implementing my own technology driven activities in the classroom.


What goals are you still working toward?

I will continually be working towards finding Professional Learning Communities were technology is the main focus to explore various creative implementations of technology.


Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?

Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.


What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?

I will work more on facilitating Problem Based Learning and handing over more of the teaching to the students and allowing them to make more choices.


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

Week 5 GAME Plan

* How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?

So far my actions have helped me become more motivated in pursuing my goals further. I have created plans for working on a collaborative lesson with another second grade class. I have researched online learning communities within my district so that I can better understand the technology that is provided for me.

* What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
I have found many great resources that I will be using this year with my planning, I will also be using KWL charts more frequently to help inspire questions for problem based learning.

* What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?
I still want to learn more ways to implement technology in the classroom I sometimes get stuck on the same uses that I am comfortable with and have already used. I would like to hear more from teacher chat groups and other in the education field to provide me with fresh ideas and uses.

I also have so many more questions about problem based learning such as how is there space in the classroom for students to be working on various different ideas or final projects at one time? Also how long does it take to get children familiar with the concept especially at a younger age? Finally how does timing work I am thinking of my huge variety of students and how I always have those that are so far behind sometimes due to behavior and others due to other disabilities. I of course modify their assignment but sometimes that doesn't help and they get even more discouraged when they see their peers finish and begin a different project.

* How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?
I think that this is not the time for me to be joining another committee I am in a lot already and just found out I am switching from my well known primary grade to an intermediate grade with the F-Cat. Even though time outside of school may be more limited I will be able to use more independent technology projects with the older students.


Ertmer, P.“Spotlight on Technology: Problem-Based Learning, Part 1”

Ertmer, P.“Spotlight on Technology: Problem-Based Learning, Part Two”



Cennamo, K., Ertmer, P., Ross, J.,(2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach.

Week 4 Game Plan

I recently registered on Cisco to receive newsletters on the new applications of technology in the classroom. This website offers webinars, forums to chat with other professionals and many other resources to provide ideas for implementing technology in the classroom. I visited some resources suggested to me by Ms. Clausen and found that Suzie Boss was holding a Project Based Learning Camp on www.edutopia.org, there were also many interesting video topics that I got lost in watching. I finally visited Polldaddy.com as suggested to me in a previous blog which I think will be a useful tool to use in gauging students interest or prior knowledge before or after a project. I could use it prior to a lesson as a formative assessment and after the project to assess the project I planned and what did or did not interest students. I could also use it at the end of unit as a forced response assessment. Finally I signed up on TES Connects to view lessons and ideas I really wanted to see the lesson for Murder Mystery Math how fun does that lesson sound. I really liked the screen cast and demonstration videos on free4teachers.com. This is very useful to me because I love implementing technology but at times get a little frustrated when I am not able to figure out how to work certain programs so the tutorials are very helpful. Looking through all of these websites are motivating me to search further for technology uses in the classroom.

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.