Reflecting on my GAME Plan

Reflecting on my GAME plan for Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas has made me much more aware of the necessity of formulating, carrying out, reevaluating, and continuously ‘tweaking’ my teaching strategies and lesson plans.

My GAME plan included two goals: (1) promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility and (2) engage in professional growth and leadership.
Working toward the first goal, I have realized how important it is to teach my students how to search, identify, and cite reliable websites. I find that each year my students are more and more technology savvy, but question their sources and depend on too much guidance to find a valid site. Through modeling this practice and facilitating their research for Problem-Based Learning, students will adopt this practice and become more digitally responsible themselves. I will also promote student awareness for citing and owning their own technology productions.

Working toward my second goal of engaging in professional growth and leadership will be a continuous ongoing goal. My district has a very strict policy against any social networking, blocking all educational networking, blogs, and wikis. This course has equipped me with very valuable insights to present when pursuing more 21st Century Skills for my students. I have also become more aware of the need for organizing all of my technology lessons into a portfolio with folders and subfolders. We are changing over to Standards Based Classrooms, with extensive requirements in all content areas, and by organizing this myriad of information, I will have much more time in the future for planning and facilitating.

The biggest impact of using a GAME plan and utilizing what I have learned through this course is the importance of implementing more Problem-Based Learning in my classroom. This will benefit my students’ learning and prepare them to be digitally responsible. Incorporating NET-S will ensure my students are true 21st century learners.

Using my GAME Plan For Student Proficiency

In order to help my students develop proficiency in the technology standards and indicators outlined in the NET-S plan, I will continue to use the GAME plan design. This plan helps me look at my proficiency and my weaknesses while I improve on lessons for my students that will facilitate and engage their learning while staying motivated.

My GAME plan includes two goals: (1)promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility and (2)engage in professional growth and leadership.

By requiring my students to develop a GAME plan, they will

• Demonstrate creativity and innovation
• Communicate and collaborate
• Conduct research and use information
• Think critically, solve problems, and make decisions
• Use technology effectively and productively.

By implementing my GAME plan, I will facilitate lessons that allow my students to obtain these skills. They will be responsible and capable of digital citizenship. I will continue to promote communication and collaboration for my students by providing valid research and detailing NET-S and NET-T to my district for authorization of educational networking.

Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx

Revising My GAME Plan

• What have I learned so far that I can apply in my instructional practice?

I have learned how important it is to incorporate Problem Based Learning projects into all content areas. This is much easier said than done; time constraints, training, organizing, and planning are all very difficult to 'juggle.' However, my students will benefit by using higher order thinking skills as they learn their standards based content. I am using more PBL projects in every area except for math; this is something I need to continue to work on. By creating a portfolio with subfolders for each project that incorporates technology use, I am promoting and modeling digital citizenship and responsibility. Through colloborating with other teachers, and learning through Walden and in-school training, my professional growth continues to be an on-going goal.


• Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will I set for myself?

After learning about how important educational networking is for my students, I would like to set up a blog for my students to communicate with each other on their Problem Based Learning projects.

• How will I extend what I have learned so far?

I will continue to find, share, and organize more technology tools and websites for my students to use for resources and projects. I will also require my students to validate and cite their sources and tools. I am determined to investigate and collaborate more to gather ideas for using PBL in math.

• What learning approaches will I try next time to improve my learning?

I will use more social networking through wikis and blogs to collaborate with my peers when creating or implementing PBL projects in my classroom - especially with our math content.

Davis, V.(2007).Spotlight on Technology:Social Networking and Online Collaboration, Part 2, Laureate Education, Inc, DVD.

Evaluating My GAME Plan Progress

My actions to reach my goal of promoting and modeling digital citizenship and responsibility include demonstrating how to recognize reliable websites and information. I have incorporated several steps into this process: modeling how to break down URL's, identifying the components that qualify a valid website, and requiring my students to claim ownership of thier own productions which will help them recognize the importance of sites they have utilized.

I have learned that my students and I still have a long way to go; this is an on-going process. By continuously citing my sources, modeling, and requiring my students to cite their resources and claim their fame, they should become more proficient with learning through valid websites.

My actions to reach my goal of engaging in professional growth and leadership are also ongoing. I have learned a tremendous amount through my Walden courses, technology training, PLC's, and independent research. My Walden colleagues have helped me with ideas for organizing all of the myriad of technology tools into a portfolio with folders for standards, units, data, and accompanying technology resources. I am still working on time adjustments; it is very overwhelming transitioning everything!I have discovered many technology tools and websites for enhancing learning in my classroom like scavenger hunts and virtual field trips. Putting it all into action in an organized, accessible way is one of my biggest adjustments.

However, my biggest adjustment is to find the time to incorporate more Problem Based Learning into my everyday schedule for my students. After learning from this week's resources, I realize that this type of activity teaches the standards while promoting motivation and engagement. PBL allows students to demonstrate and learn content throughout the process, while gaining ownership of thier knowledge.

Ertmer, P. (2009). Spotlight on technology: Problem-based learning. Laureate Education, Inc. Baltimore.