Technology is constantly evolving. It is important for teachers to also evolve with technology so that they can prepare students to utilize new technology in a constructive manner. As I progress through my GAME plan, I have discovered that there are many pieces of technology out there for me to learn and various strategies for integrating these technologies into my classroom. The GAME plan is a step-by-step process that teachers, and even students, can follow as a guide for self-directed learning (Cennano, Ross, Ertmer, 2009, p7). I established for myself two goals that I would like to achieve prior to the completion of this course. The goals I developed are based upon the National Educational Technology Standards (www.iste.org) for educators.
I am having absolutely no trouble finding the information and resources I need to fulfill the goals I have listed for my GAME plan. The first goal I set for myself is to, “model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning (www.iste.org).” I have discovered another piece of technology that I would like to incorporate into my classroom. Through the use of the GAME plan, I am slowly learning how to use and implement this program into my classroom. The newest program is called Google SketchUp and I am amazed at its capabilities. In my last blog post, I discussed how I was able to attend a professional development seminar that focused on learning Google Earth. Well, what I have learned since then is that both Google Earth and Google SketchUp can be used with one another. Google SketchUp is a program that allows a person to “create, modify and share 3D models” (http://sketchup.google.com), which can also be made for Google Earth. Currently, my students are reading a book that is based on a neighborhood in Spanish Harlem, called Bodega Dreams. I believe that the use of this program, along with Google Earth, will allow my students to re-create the neighborhood based on how they “see it” in the book. I feel that by instituting this activity, students will have an opportunity to turn their thoughts about the book into images they can see.
This activity of re-creating the neighborhood in the novel also aligns with my second goal, “which focuses on addressing students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources (www.ISTE.org). “ I have also developed a survey using an online survey tool called Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com) to learn the learning styles and working strategies of my students. I have found so far that many of my students learn best through visual and hands-on activities. Each student has provided in some detail their learning preferences and an explanation as to why they feel they learn best using the method they stated. I was surprised to find how many students are aware of their learning style(s). The one new question that has arisen while working towards this goal is how I am going to get students to feel comfortable learning using methods that do not align with their learning needs. I feel that this is important because life does not always cater to our every need and therefore, we sometimes have to be flexible to learn in ways we do not necessarily prefer.
Overall, I believe that I am making great progress towards achieving my goals and I do not feel I need to modify my GAME plan in any way. Since I have started working through my GAME plan, I have definitely taken a different approach in developing lessons and setting goals for my students. I am now more aware of my students’ needs and I am more open to learning and trying new technologies that I am not so comfortable with using.
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Google Earth. http://earth.google.com/
Google SketchUp. http://sketchup.google.com
ISTE International Society for Technology in Education. (2008) NETS-T.
No comments:
Post a Comment