Monitoring Your GAME Plan Progress

I learned how technology can be integrated into assessment this week.  Dr. Ross (2009) stated that the "steps in determining effective assessment include: 1. Identifying learning objectives, 2. Determining teaching methods, and 3. Choosing supporting technology"(Assessing Student Learning with Technology - dvd).  Using technology to assess students not only expedites the grading process, but it allows teachers to assess students in an organized way that truly evaluates their content learning.  Students can even become more involved in assessing themselves, monitoring, and evaluating their progress towards learning goals.

Are you finding the information and resources you need?
One of my goals is designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments.  I feel that I am finding the information and resources I need to achieve this goal.  Through online research, I am finding neat lesson plans and online resources, such as Artsonia.com and some cool content videos, to develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments.
Another goal is engaging in professional growth and leadership.  I feel that through this class and my other classes at Walden and through the professional development opportunities I am taking part in throughout this school year in my district, I am engaging in professional growth and leadership.

Do you need to modify your action plan?
No, I feel that I am working on achieving my goals and moving forward.

What have you learned so far?
I have learned the importance of using technology to support content area learning and to use technology, not just for its own sake, but to really enhance content.  I have also learned the importance of setting goals, taking actions towards achieving those goals, monitoring, and evaluating progress.  I believe that it is important to provide students opportunities for more self-directed project-based activities, where they are given choices, and are working hard to meet the objectives of the project.

What new questions have arisen?
How can I give my students more opportunities to use the computer lab, when many of the computers in the lab are not working? I want to provide my students, as a class, with more opportunities to research online and use internet resources on their own in the lab.

Carrying Out Your GAME Plan

As a reflection of my learning, I am becoming aware of how important technology is in differentiating and individualizing instruction for students.  Technology meets the needs of the different learning styles, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.  All children learn in different ways and should be provided with many choices and options in their content learning.  Providing these different choices and options to complete an assignment is not always easy for a teacher, but it makes learning more active and makes students more successful and motivated in their learning.  Dr. Ross stated that giving students more choices in projects "shows off their strengths" and that "primary instruction meets most students' needs, but some need more options" (Meeting Students' Needs with Technology, Part 1). 

Description of the resources and info. I need to carry out my action plan:  I need to continue to investigate and spend time online researching interactive technology resources that I can bring into my classroom.  I need to connect with my district technology director and those colleagues who can help me learn to use the technology resources that are available to me.  I also need to practice using these new technologies, such as podcasts, VoiceThread, interactive Webquests and online field trips, video conferencing, so that I am familar with all of their features and so I feel comfortable using them and teaching them with students. 

What steps have I been able to take so far:  I have practiced and spent time using the online technology resource of Artsonia.com to display my students' artwork online for parents and students' families to view and purchase items with their child's artwork on it.  I have successfully learned how to use the digital camera to transfer visual images of student artwork to the computer and display these images on Artsonia, which is a large children's art gallery.  I have also tried to integrate more collaborative projects in my classroom that offer the students more choices in the completion of the project.  Students may chose powerpoint or VoiceThread, or even a podcast, when creating an art history project.  I'm trying to incorporate the different learning styles into every lesson that I teach, with visuals and graphics, auditory experiences, and more tactile learning.  As far as professional development goes, I'm always on board when our district offers technology-related inservices, where I can learn more and more about technology resources.  I even want to try to attend the National Art Education Conference this summer.

Developing Your Personal GAME Plan

Integrating technology into content area lessons requires a GAME plan.  GAME plan stands for goals, actions, monitor, and evaluate.  It helps you determine how you learn best and initiates self-directed active learning.  Integrating technology into content isn't just about using a specific technology resource, it's learning how and when to use a specific resource to engage and motivate students, where the content and technology tools are working together to make the learning more successful. Dr. P. Ertmer stated that to integrate technology effectively requires "knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and supportive culture" (Enhancing Content, Part 1-dvd).

Two indicators that I do not feel as confident or proficient as I would like to be include designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments and engaging in professional growth and leadership.  What actions I would take to achieve these goals:  I will try to research and design more lessons that offer my students self-directed learning opportunities, where they can have choices and monitor their own progress and learning.  I will try to research more active learning opportunities in my content area (Visual Art) online and try to connect with other art teachers globally to get ideas for enriching my lessons with technology resources.  V. Davis shared that teachers need to "network globally, connect, and share ideas and technology integration allows students to learn in a variety of ways - auditory, visually, and kinesthetic" (Enhancing Content, Part 2).  I will also try to look to my fellow colleagues more to see what technology resources they are successfully integrating into their curriculum.

I will monitor my progress by monthly reflection on my successes or failures with technology resources in the classroom.  I will recognize what is working well with students and allowing them to become self-directed learners and also recognize what improvements or changes need to occur.  I will evaluate my learning by students' opinions and reactions to the lessons.  I will also evaluate my learning by seeing that my goals were accomplished.  I will extend my learning by professional development opportunities and networking globally with other teachers online.