Cennamo (2009) recommends all teachers make a formal GAME plan in which they set Goals; choose Actions via which to meet these goals; Monitor said goals; and regularly Evaluate their own progress (Laureate Education, 2009). Many teachers are naturally self-directed, life long learner, who tend to do this naturally, however informally.
I have created a GAME plan for solidifying my own ability to better prepare students for the 21st Century. I do believe that I touch on each new standard here and there, but hope to increase the frequency to every lesson.
My initial goal incorporates the first of The ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS.T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers standard which states that teachers “facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity” (ISTE, 2008). I will focus on better integrating the reflective process into my classroom pedagogy. Actions I will take to achieve this goal include modeling my own reflective process, while challenging my students to write about their growth, achievement and weaknesses. I will monitor the progress through the dialectic journaling process in which we reflect on each journal entry after we write it, through questions such as, “why did I write that,” and “how did that look and feel?” An additional set of questions will be incorporated for the self-evaluation process in order to encourage both my own and students’ discovery of how we learn best. These will all be in the form of learning logs that will be kept private between my students and myself. My personal reflective learning log will be shared by a colleague with whom I feel comfortable. This process will allow me to better track my own pedagogical successes and weaknesses.
A second personal goal targets ISTE NETS.T standard number 4a. which “promotes and models digital citizenship and responsibility [through the] advocacy, modeling, and teaching [of] safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology” (ISTE, 2008). Actions I will take to learn to better integrate ethical use of the Internet include teaching sound inquiry and scrutinizing skills. I will scaffold instruction at the beginning of each research project, in strategies such as the “ABCs of websites” as suggested by Phillips (2009b) along with the “url back-tracking system,” which Warlick (2009b) recommends (Laureate Education, 2009b). These strategies help students determine the most reliable sources. I will hold students accountable for properly crediting all sources, including graphics and sound bytes, reminding them that do not like when others steal from them. Consistency is crucial. Students should never use a source that is not formally cited. I will also monitor and evaluate these processes through the same learning logs (including my own). I will challenge students to hold themselves and their peers accountable as well.
Sticking to my GAME plan, in which I incorporate these strategies consistently and with follow up will provide the opportunity for growth technologically and otherwise. Through steadfast monitoring and evaluation, I will provide confidence, clarity and growth within myself and my students. We will all benefit. Cennamo, et. al. (2009) reminds educators that “as a self-directed lifelong learner, [we’ll] be able to respond to the rapid and continuous technological changes that inevitably will occur…and better meet the needs of your students today and in the future” (p. 7). We have nothing to lose!
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
ISTE International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). NETS-T. Retrieved November 10, 2009, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom. Baltimore: Author.
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Helping students with the reflection process is a great goal. Something I do with my students that is both a reflective and a self-evaluation exercise is allowing them to submit a grade for themselves. Right before report card time, I give students the opportunity to reflect on their work in class and evaluate their performance. They turn in a one page explanation (very informal) of how and why they have arrived at a certain grade, what they feel their strengths and weaknesses are, what they feel are important factors (and their weight) in calculating grades, etc. It is a time when they really have to take an honest look at what they've been doing in class, decide what is important and articulate it. After reviewing them, I have a short conference with each student to discuss both my evaluation and their evaluation. It is surprising how many of them end up being harder on themselves then I am. There are always, of course those few that think that deserve high grades for minimial work, but I have to say most of them are right on target.
ReplyDeleteVicky,
ReplyDeleteThere is no better way to encourage ownership of one's learning than through the reflective process. Thank you for sharing this experience. Students always pay a little closer attention once they realize reports are just around the corner... This is an excellent strategy for getting students to evaluate their own classroom and work habits and behaviors.
Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to give it a try!
I believe that teaching students how to evaluate a website and make a determination of the site being valid or not valid is an extremely important tool. There is so much information on the internet to be found. Some of the information is very accurate and useful, while much of it is incorrect and not valid. It can be extremely tough for a student to know that they are looking at information that is not fact. They must learn the important characteristics to look for in a valid site. The “ABCs of websites” and the “url back-tracking system seem like great resources to use.
ReplyDeleteI like that you mention mulitple times that you should be accountable for creating new ideas and new thinking too. You mention that if your students are held to high standards, then you should too. It is refreshing to hear a teach say this.
Tara - I applaud you for the plan to model your own reflective process. I find my students struggle with reflection and need time and much modeling to improve. I often ask students to critique and discuss answers they have previously given. It is wonderful how insightful their classmates become. It amazes me how little time most of us think about how we think. Your students will greatly benefit from the reflections you have planned for them.
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteI do periodic journal passes during which we reflect on one another's responses to prompts. I always participate in these, careful to change my location each time so that every student may reflect on my response. They love to see what I write...and that I respond as informally as I tell them to.
Thanks for the response!