Week #4: Monitoring Game Plan Progress
As a continuation of my GAME plan this past week I spoke with the reference librarian and have set up a time frame to meet next year when my students will write research papers. The reference librarian will aid my students and myself in using search engines and also with the proper citation of sources. In addition to the help of the librarian, I have enrolled in a summer course in computer technology to strengthen my computer skills and knowledge. I also met with our curriculum coordinator and shared the results of the technology survey I took in a previous class. The curriculum coordinator was impressed and interested with the information I had to share. He is going to implement more technology opportunities for teachers in our district to strengthen our need for more instruction and guidance on how to implement technology into our classrooms. I also met with the English department and discussed the issue of plagiarism and the need for it to be mentioned in our student handbook. Currently, there isn't any disciplinary action stated for plagiarism. The lack of a disciplinary action concerned me, I feel very strongly that students need to understand that plagiarism is not acceptable. Simply telling the students to avoid plagiarism their senior year when writing a research paper is too late. Students need to know that plagiarism is wrong and will not be tolerated. Our Engish department has plans to meet with our principlal to discuss a plagiarsim policy.
Presently, I do not feel a need to modify my action plan. I have learned that there are many people within our school district willing to work and help me with technology implementation and the exploration of strategies that will help me to process, develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate my personal game plan.
New questions that I have are:
*How soon will teachers at our school be offered technology training?
*What other sources can I use to help me achieve my GAME plan?
*Am I moving quickly enough to implement my GAME plan?
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Resources and Additional Information Needed for GAME Plan
Resources needed to carry out my game plan are:
* Reference Librarian- The reference librarian will be needed to help reinforce research skills and resources for students.
* Computer Lab- Will be needed to show students how to use search engines to gain credible research information.
*Power point on plagiarism- to be shown to reinforce what plagiarism is and how it can be avoided
*Perdue Owl web Site- Students will review and navigate on the Perdue Owl Writing site at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
*Share the information from a technology survey taken previously by colleagues within the district with administration.
*Encourage our IT Department to search for grants and ways to upgrade our current technology.
Steps taken so Far:
To date I haven't had enough time to take any action. I am busy at school writing finals and preparing for end of year procedures.
Additional Information Needed:
Power points and worksheets on citations and plagiarism.
Reputable research search engine sites.
MLA & APA guide booklets.
* Reference Librarian- The reference librarian will be needed to help reinforce research skills and resources for students.
* Computer Lab- Will be needed to show students how to use search engines to gain credible research information.
*Power point on plagiarism- to be shown to reinforce what plagiarism is and how it can be avoided
*Perdue Owl web Site- Students will review and navigate on the Perdue Owl Writing site at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
*Share the information from a technology survey taken previously by colleagues within the district with administration.
*Encourage our IT Department to search for grants and ways to upgrade our current technology.
Steps taken so Far:
To date I haven't had enough time to take any action. I am busy at school writing finals and preparing for end of year procedures.
Additional Information Needed:
Power points and worksheets on citations and plagiarism.
Reputable research search engine sites.
MLA & APA guide booklets.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
My Personal Game Plan
For a graduate class that I am currently taking at Walden University, I was asked to post a blog developing a GAME plan for strengthening my confidence in at least two indicators in the NETS-T (National Education Standards for Teacher. "GAME" is an acronym used in identifying content standards. The "G" stands for the setting of goals, the "A" represents taking action, the "M" is for monitoring, and the "E" represents evaluation and extension. Teachers use the NETS-T performance indicators to help "design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning; enrich professional practice; and provide positive models for students, colleagues and the community" (ISTE, 2008). The course I am taking is focused on integrating technology into the classroom for use. "While technology is not essential to creating authentic, learner-centered instruction, it offers a powerful resource for engaging students in authentic experiences, typically increasing both their motivation and their learning" (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009, p.51).
The ISTE lists five standards with four performance indicators for each standard. The five standards are: facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity, design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments, model digital age work and learning, promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility and engage in professional growth and leadership.
With each standard is a list of four performance indicators that help to define the role of the teacher.
The standards I feel most comfortable with are; facilitating and inspiring learning and creativity, designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments and modeling of digital-age work and learning. I have often encouraged my students to use innovative thinking and creativity in my English class. When designing lesson plans and activities I try to incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning. Many extra credit assignments require the use of computers for researching authors, vocabulary or history that relate to what my students are learning. In addition to classwork, I also use digital tools to communicate with parents and other teachers. When researching background information I often use a search engine to obtain new and interesting facts about stories and authors that my class will read.
Two standards in which I could use strengthening are; promoting and modeling digital citizenship and responsibility and the engagement in professional growth and leadership. Although I do spend a lot of time teaching my students about plagiarism, I probably do not spend enough time having students cite sources for non-researched papers. Another problem within our district is the lack of technology. Equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources is sometimes impossible in a district that has limited technology. Due to the lack of technology my classes are also limited to global learning through the creative application of technology in the classroom.
In order to strengthen my confidence and proficiency in the promotion and modeling of digital citizenship my plan is to advocate, model and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information to my students with the help of our librarian. Students will respect copyrights and intellectual property by citing sources every time they are used. In order to achieve this goal, I will take more time to teach citations and plagiarism with the help of the school librarian and by using activities that require students to cite others work. Progress of students will be monitored by giving assignments that require students to exhibit safe and ethical use of digital information. Learning will be extended and evaluated by slowly building the length and depth of the assignments which will require students to model safe and legal use of digital information by giving proper credit to another intellectual property by documenting sources.
Professional growth and leadership is another area in which I need more focus. Since I am a new teacher I have spent most of my time just trying to get through each day. Now after a year of teaching, I am slowly gaining more time to exhibit leadership in my school and professional community. A goal of mine is to convince our superintendent and Principal that more technology is needed within our high school building. In my last graduate course I conducted research on why some teachers don't use technology and had teachers take a survey regarding technology
and why or why not they may or may not use it in the classroom. The information I found and received I plan on sharing with our administration to help convince them that better technology within our building can help to motivate our students to learn. Although I am not sure how to monitor my progress, I am hoping that my progress will result in more technological opportunities for my students. I will evaluate and extend learning by continuing to research how technology can motivate and help students to learn.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, A standards-based approach. Ohio: Cengage Learning
ISTE (2008). www.iste.org
The ISTE lists five standards with four performance indicators for each standard. The five standards are: facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity, design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments, model digital age work and learning, promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility and engage in professional growth and leadership.
With each standard is a list of four performance indicators that help to define the role of the teacher.
The standards I feel most comfortable with are; facilitating and inspiring learning and creativity, designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments and modeling of digital-age work and learning. I have often encouraged my students to use innovative thinking and creativity in my English class. When designing lesson plans and activities I try to incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning. Many extra credit assignments require the use of computers for researching authors, vocabulary or history that relate to what my students are learning. In addition to classwork, I also use digital tools to communicate with parents and other teachers. When researching background information I often use a search engine to obtain new and interesting facts about stories and authors that my class will read.
Two standards in which I could use strengthening are; promoting and modeling digital citizenship and responsibility and the engagement in professional growth and leadership. Although I do spend a lot of time teaching my students about plagiarism, I probably do not spend enough time having students cite sources for non-researched papers. Another problem within our district is the lack of technology. Equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources is sometimes impossible in a district that has limited technology. Due to the lack of technology my classes are also limited to global learning through the creative application of technology in the classroom.
In order to strengthen my confidence and proficiency in the promotion and modeling of digital citizenship my plan is to advocate, model and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information to my students with the help of our librarian. Students will respect copyrights and intellectual property by citing sources every time they are used. In order to achieve this goal, I will take more time to teach citations and plagiarism with the help of the school librarian and by using activities that require students to cite others work. Progress of students will be monitored by giving assignments that require students to exhibit safe and ethical use of digital information. Learning will be extended and evaluated by slowly building the length and depth of the assignments which will require students to model safe and legal use of digital information by giving proper credit to another intellectual property by documenting sources.
Professional growth and leadership is another area in which I need more focus. Since I am a new teacher I have spent most of my time just trying to get through each day. Now after a year of teaching, I am slowly gaining more time to exhibit leadership in my school and professional community. A goal of mine is to convince our superintendent and Principal that more technology is needed within our high school building. In my last graduate course I conducted research on why some teachers don't use technology and had teachers take a survey regarding technology
and why or why not they may or may not use it in the classroom. The information I found and received I plan on sharing with our administration to help convince them that better technology within our building can help to motivate our students to learn. Although I am not sure how to monitor my progress, I am hoping that my progress will result in more technological opportunities for my students. I will evaluate and extend learning by continuing to research how technology can motivate and help students to learn. References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, A standards-based approach. Ohio: Cengage Learning
ISTE (2008). www.iste.org
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Final Reflection EDUC 6712D-1
I have learned a lot about web literacy and technology implementation into the classroom. The most striking revelation I have had about the teaching of new literacy skills as a result of this class is that; "The ability to think critically about web information is an essential skill for teachers and students" (November, 2008). Web reading is so much more than just reading what is on a web page, it involves the understanding of the grammar of the Internet and how information is controlled. "Locating and comprehending information on the Web is even more challenging than locating information in traditional venues. This is a highly complex process, one that many learners of all ages find difficult" (Eagleton, 2007). Students and teachers need to understand the essential elements of the Internet. Some of the essential elements are: domain names, IP addresses, URLs, Web browsers, links, home pages, examination of content, and asking about the author or owner. Before our students can effectively utilize the web, they must understand how to think critically about the information and communication they will use on the Web. Students must learn the "grammar of the Internet" before they can engage in critical thinking (November, 2008).
The knowledge and experience I have gained by taking this class will influence my teaching practices and will help to take my teaching techniques into the 21st century. I have learned that in order for students to effectively read information from the web they must employ strategies for Internet inquiry that will guide them to a better understanding of information and inquiry. In order for students to understand how to use the information they find on the web they must be able to understand web and print literacy, understand resources, ask questions about the information and validity of the material, evaluate information and ideas, synthesize ideas to form an understanding, transform information into knowledge and reflect on what one has learned. While taking this course, I have learned how to prepare and guide my students to understand the resources, information and ideas that they will find while using web technology. A strategy that I have learned is the "REAL" process. The REAL process is a scaffolding of four steps to help students understand web materials. The four steps are: read the URL, examine the content, ask about the author and owner and look at the links. Another useful Internet inquiry I learned is "QUEST". "QUEST is a model of Internet inquiry that engages and supports students as they tackle the complexities of reading on the Web" (Eagleton, 2007). The "Q" stands for questioning, the "U" represents understanding resources, the "E" signals evaluating, the "S" is for synthesizing, and the "T" represents transforming information found. With the use of "REAL" and "QUEST" strategies my students will have a better understanding of Web literacy and the information that they find while using Internet inquiry. REAL and QUEST will help me to make Internet inquiry clear and focused, which in turn will foster literacy.
A professional development goal that I would like to pursue is teaching my students how to navigate and understand Internet inquiry. I now realize that many students do not have the foundation or building blocks of web literacy. It is clear that students know how to navigate on the Web, but don't always understand how to evaluate information found. I will take more time in the future to teach my students how to validate information on the web. I plan on incorporating the use of "REAL" and "QUEST" strategies to help students evaluate and put information together, to research outside the box and expand their boundaries while utilizing web technology to its fullest potential. In order to implement the use of REAL and QUEST, I will take time to teach my students the principles of these two strategies. I will spend time teaching the steps and instructing students how to use REAL and QUEST strategies in the classroom to ensure that students will have inquiry skills when we begin research projects. The skills that I teach my students in English class will also help them to succeed in other classes that will require web inquiry or research.
In conclusion, the Web has opened the door and made research and information easily accessible to our students. Some of the information students will find is accurate and useful, wile some information is not. "Not teaching students to be savvy Internet users leaves them to navigate the information superhighway without a map, a tank of gas, and a spare in the trunk" (Eagleton, 2007). Teachers must take time to make sure that our students become familiar with the basic organizational structures of the Web. It is more important for a teacher to model, practice, scaffold and give feedback while teaching students strategies to employ successful literacy skills. In the future I will not assume my students have the literacy foundations, I will take time to teach them how to achieve literacy and guide them to success.
References:
Eagleton, M. B. & Dobler E. (2007). Reading the Web, Strategies for Internet Inquiry. NY: The guildford Press.
November, A. (2008). Web Literacy for Educators. CA: The Corwin Press.
The knowledge and experience I have gained by taking this class will influence my teaching practices and will help to take my teaching techniques into the 21st century. I have learned that in order for students to effectively read information from the web they must employ strategies for Internet inquiry that will guide them to a better understanding of information and inquiry. In order for students to understand how to use the information they find on the web they must be able to understand web and print literacy, understand resources, ask questions about the information and validity of the material, evaluate information and ideas, synthesize ideas to form an understanding, transform information into knowledge and reflect on what one has learned. While taking this course, I have learned how to prepare and guide my students to understand the resources, information and ideas that they will find while using web technology. A strategy that I have learned is the "REAL" process. The REAL process is a scaffolding of four steps to help students understand web materials. The four steps are: read the URL, examine the content, ask about the author and owner and look at the links. Another useful Internet inquiry I learned is "QUEST". "QUEST is a model of Internet inquiry that engages and supports students as they tackle the complexities of reading on the Web" (Eagleton, 2007). The "Q" stands for questioning, the "U" represents understanding resources, the "E" signals evaluating, the "S" is for synthesizing, and the "T" represents transforming information found. With the use of "REAL" and "QUEST" strategies my students will have a better understanding of Web literacy and the information that they find while using Internet inquiry. REAL and QUEST will help me to make Internet inquiry clear and focused, which in turn will foster literacy.
A professional development goal that I would like to pursue is teaching my students how to navigate and understand Internet inquiry. I now realize that many students do not have the foundation or building blocks of web literacy. It is clear that students know how to navigate on the Web, but don't always understand how to evaluate information found. I will take more time in the future to teach my students how to validate information on the web. I plan on incorporating the use of "REAL" and "QUEST" strategies to help students evaluate and put information together, to research outside the box and expand their boundaries while utilizing web technology to its fullest potential. In order to implement the use of REAL and QUEST, I will take time to teach my students the principles of these two strategies. I will spend time teaching the steps and instructing students how to use REAL and QUEST strategies in the classroom to ensure that students will have inquiry skills when we begin research projects. The skills that I teach my students in English class will also help them to succeed in other classes that will require web inquiry or research.
In conclusion, the Web has opened the door and made research and information easily accessible to our students. Some of the information students will find is accurate and useful, wile some information is not. "Not teaching students to be savvy Internet users leaves them to navigate the information superhighway without a map, a tank of gas, and a spare in the trunk" (Eagleton, 2007). Teachers must take time to make sure that our students become familiar with the basic organizational structures of the Web. It is more important for a teacher to model, practice, scaffold and give feedback while teaching students strategies to employ successful literacy skills. In the future I will not assume my students have the literacy foundations, I will take time to teach them how to achieve literacy and guide them to success.
References:
Eagleton, M. B. & Dobler E. (2007). Reading the Web, Strategies for Internet Inquiry. NY: The guildford Press.
November, A. (2008). Web Literacy for Educators. CA: The Corwin Press.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
FINAL REFLECTION ON TECHNOLOGY
The Walden graduate course that I have taken on "understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society" has really helped me to develop my technology skills as a professional teacher. I knew technology was important and after taking this course, I now realize how important it is for me as an educator to stay on top of the latest technology and find ways to implement technology into my everyday teaching. Before taking this course, I never dreamed of blogging or podcasting. I never attempted to use modern technology for fear of failure. I have more confidence in myself and have learned that there are many other teachers who are just learning how to use technology in their classrooms. I also thought that our school district was one of only a few districts lacking modern technology. After talking to other students through our discussion groups, I learned that there are many schools and teachers hoping for better technology.
I have deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process. The implementation of technology related activities and skills in the classroom are necessary for the future success of our students. Throughout this course I have read and believe that students need to be challenged and also need to work cooperatively to prepare for their future in a world centered around technology. Technology has made communication and information easily accessible and has made our world smaller and has opened doors for communication with the rest of the world.
I will continue to expand my knowledge of learning and leading with technology. This summer I have signed up for a course on blogging and plan on using blogging in my English classes when we return to school in August. I am hoping that students will get more out of my classes and will be excited to use technology to help them learn. Since communication is such an important aspect of life, I plan on teaching my students how to communicate with their peers by blogging.
I have set two long-term goals to transform my classroom environment. The first is to shift the focus of my teaching to a more cooperative style. I have spent so much of my teaching time in the past lecturing and using activities that didn't really inspire a higher level of learning in the classroom. I will work to make my lessons and teaching more cooperative. The second goal I have set is to continue learning more and using more technology in the classroom. For a long time I thought the lack of technology in my classroom was holding me back. After taking a survey and realizing that all of my students have access to technology, I now know that I will need to be creative, but can have my students use technology based skills and assignments in their learning.
A few of my answers have changed from a survey I took at the beginning of this course. I will now design instructional activities requiring collaboration to acccomplish a joint take. Another change I will make is to provide my students with multiple and varied opportunities for using technology tools and resources to support their learning. The last aspect of my teaching that has changed is promoting the development of leadership and technology skills with my colleagues, as well as students.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Technology & Students
For a Walden University assinment, I was asked to survey my 9th grade English students on technology related questions. The following are the results from a survey given to ten, 15 year old students at Millersburg Area High School, Millersburg, PA.
1. How much time do you spend daily texting?
none- 0 students
up to 1 hour- 5 students
more than 1 hour- 4 students
2. Do you have a blog site?
yes- o students
no- 10 students
3. Do you have a Myspace account?
yes- 6 students
no- 4 students
4. How many computers does your family own?
none- 0 students
1- 4 students
2 or more- 6 students
5. How much time do you spend on the internet daily?
none- o students
less than 1 hour- 3 students
1-2 hours- 5 students
more than 2 hours- 2 students
In addition to the survey above, I also created a podcast featuring 3 students (ages 16, 13, & 11) asking technology related questions. The questions were:
1. Do you consider yourself to be a digital native or digital immigrant?
2. On a daily basis, what technology are you exposed to?
3. Do you use more technology at home or school?
4. What technologies are you interested in learning more about?
5. What is your favorite technology tool?
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