My first goal of engaging students in more self directed activities, while enhancing their learning through the use of technology has not yet fully taken shape. Through the unit that I started this week (which was our dance and rhythms unit), my students will eventually have an opportunity to explore new dances through jigsaw dance, which is where students are placed into groups and then split up to learn all the parts of the dance. Once each student has learned their part of the dance, they then get back together with their group to teach them their portion of the dance. I'd also like to record students performances via FLIP camera so they can see what their dances looked like and so they can reflect on their learning experiences. So far, my biggest concern is being able to complete this type of an assignment with the limited amount of time that I see my students (considering all the snow and missed school we've had in the northeast).
The second goal that I had, which was to provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards has been addressed somewhat in this week's class discussion. One way in which I could develop forced-choice assessment through the use of technology would be to use a "classroom response system" as described in this week's video by Dr. John Ross (Laureate Education, Inc, 2009). I'd need to request the classroom response system and figure out how to use it and input my content questions into the program. I have come up with a couple of other of forms of assessment that I don't already use in my class, however, I think it will be key for me to continue to think of ways in which I can assess student learning through the use of technology.
My last goal of reflecting and adapting with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning is an ongoing process. I haven't set aside a specific time to reflect on the things being done in my class, but I do think I reflect and think about those things every day. Just recently, I put together a Wellness Day for my staff and created an evaluation form for teachers to fill out and it made me think about possibly creating an evaluation form for students to fill out after given units. Because my curriculum provides me with plenty of flexibility, I could easily take the opinions of my students into account when planning for specific units next year. Although I have thought of many ideas of how to incorporate technology into my class, the challenge for me will be to continue to find creative ways to engage students with technology in a physically active setting.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). 6713: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [DVD]. Assessing Student Learning with Technology. Baltimore, MD: John Ross.
David Chiarella
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Carrying Out My GAME Plan
After taking a week to think about my GAME plan,
http://dchiarella.blogspot.com/2011/01/personal-game-plan.html, I have realized that my action plan will be one that is ongoing throughout my career. It will be based on the digital tools that are current in our society, and by implementing UDL (Universal Design for Learning) in my classroom my students and I will be provided with flexibility in learning and teaching (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
In order to carry out my plan I will need to continue to come up with multiple ways to provide my students with project based learning assignments that include the use of technology. Not only will I need to research new activities, but I'll also need to bounce ideas off of my colleagues and maybe that means setting up a website or blog site that all of the teachers in my school district can go to so that they can easily exchange lesson ideas. This would provide me with another way of communicating to my colleagues aside from just sending them emails.
Just recently I came up with another project idea for my students which would allow me to reach many of my learners based on Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, p.124, 2009). This project would allow my students the opportunity to create a group choreographed dance and then present it to the class through the use of a variety of technology tools (prezi.com, powerpoint, FLIP camera, present in person, or voicethread). The students would have a chance to work on their projects in class, but would also be required to use a class blog site to communicate with classmates, answer questions, complete quizzes, etc..
As I mentioned earlier, this GAME plan is more of an extensive plan and will probably be carried with me through out my career. My hope is that I can experiment with a variety of tools early on in my career so that I can create an inviting, exciting, and engaging learning environment that appeals to all learners.
Reference:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
David Chiarella
http://dchiarella.blogspot.com/2011/01/personal-game-plan.html, I have realized that my action plan will be one that is ongoing throughout my career. It will be based on the digital tools that are current in our society, and by implementing UDL (Universal Design for Learning) in my classroom my students and I will be provided with flexibility in learning and teaching (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
In order to carry out my plan I will need to continue to come up with multiple ways to provide my students with project based learning assignments that include the use of technology. Not only will I need to research new activities, but I'll also need to bounce ideas off of my colleagues and maybe that means setting up a website or blog site that all of the teachers in my school district can go to so that they can easily exchange lesson ideas. This would provide me with another way of communicating to my colleagues aside from just sending them emails.
Just recently I came up with another project idea for my students which would allow me to reach many of my learners based on Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, p.124, 2009). This project would allow my students the opportunity to create a group choreographed dance and then present it to the class through the use of a variety of technology tools (prezi.com, powerpoint, FLIP camera, present in person, or voicethread). The students would have a chance to work on their projects in class, but would also be required to use a class blog site to communicate with classmates, answer questions, complete quizzes, etc..
As I mentioned earlier, this GAME plan is more of an extensive plan and will probably be carried with me through out my career. My hope is that I can experiment with a variety of tools early on in my career so that I can create an inviting, exciting, and engaging learning environment that appeals to all learners.
Reference:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
David Chiarella
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Personal GAME Plan
After visiting the website for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and examining the National Education Standards for Teacher (NETS-T) the performance indicators that I'd like to strengthen are:
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
Personal GAME Plan:
Goals:
1. To engage students in more self directed activities with a student-centered approach, while enhancing their learning through the use of technology.
2. To provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards that can later help to enhance my ability to teach.
3. To consitantly reflect and adapt with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning so that my students and I can benefit from those technology tools.
Action:
1. I will develop multiple projects to be completed in the classroom and outside of the classroom that will give students the chance to be more independent and an opportunity to be more invested in their own learning. These projects will be developed through the use of a blogsite, virtual field trips, FLIP camera skill analysis projects, prezi.com, and voicethread.com.
2. I will teach to the standards and supplement the learning through the use of technology. In order to do this I will need to be "knowledgeable about content, confident, sure that my teaching beliefs will align with the use of technology, and I'll need a supportive culture" (Dr. Peggy Ertmer, Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). I'll also need to search the internet and gather resources that serve as formal and informal assessments.
3. I'll need to continue to research the differing digital tools that are available to my students and I. Tools and resources that I find to be useful and effective in carrying across the objective for a specific topic can then be taught to a class of students.
Monitor:
1. The projects that seem to flow with the curriculum and content standards, and that the students are engaged in will be the projects that I continue to do year after year.
2. If students do not do well on given assignments or assessments, I'll try to take a look at my teaching and see how I can improve for the future.
3. I will try to set aside time each week to research new digital tools and resources so that this objective doesn't go by the way side.
Evaluate and Extend:
To ensure that my goals are met, I'll need to engage students in learning through the use of a variety of technology tools. I'll also need to not only expect my students to be self- directed learners, but I'll also have to be one myself. "Self directed learning is important in technology because technology is constantly changing" (Dr. Katherine Cennamo, Laureate Education, Inc. 2009).
References:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Promoting Self Directed Lifelong Learning with Technology. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Katherine Cennamo
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences with Technology Part II. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Peggy Ertmer
David Chiarella
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
Personal GAME Plan:
Goals:
1. To engage students in more self directed activities with a student-centered approach, while enhancing their learning through the use of technology.
2. To provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards that can later help to enhance my ability to teach.
3. To consitantly reflect and adapt with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning so that my students and I can benefit from those technology tools.
Action:
1. I will develop multiple projects to be completed in the classroom and outside of the classroom that will give students the chance to be more independent and an opportunity to be more invested in their own learning. These projects will be developed through the use of a blogsite, virtual field trips, FLIP camera skill analysis projects, prezi.com, and voicethread.com.
2. I will teach to the standards and supplement the learning through the use of technology. In order to do this I will need to be "knowledgeable about content, confident, sure that my teaching beliefs will align with the use of technology, and I'll need a supportive culture" (Dr. Peggy Ertmer, Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). I'll also need to search the internet and gather resources that serve as formal and informal assessments.
3. I'll need to continue to research the differing digital tools that are available to my students and I. Tools and resources that I find to be useful and effective in carrying across the objective for a specific topic can then be taught to a class of students.
Monitor:
1. The projects that seem to flow with the curriculum and content standards, and that the students are engaged in will be the projects that I continue to do year after year.
2. If students do not do well on given assignments or assessments, I'll try to take a look at my teaching and see how I can improve for the future.
3. I will try to set aside time each week to research new digital tools and resources so that this objective doesn't go by the way side.
Evaluate and Extend:
To ensure that my goals are met, I'll need to engage students in learning through the use of a variety of technology tools. I'll also need to not only expect my students to be self- directed learners, but I'll also have to be one myself. "Self directed learning is important in technology because technology is constantly changing" (Dr. Katherine Cennamo, Laureate Education, Inc. 2009).
References:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Promoting Self Directed Lifelong Learning with Technology. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Katherine Cennamo
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences with Technology Part II. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Peggy Ertmer
David Chiarella
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