According to Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer (2009), there are four specific steps to encourage "self-directed learning" using the "GAME Plan" (pp.3-21). These steps include: "set Goals, take Action to meet those goals, Monitor progress toward achieving goals and Evaluate whether the goals were achieved and Extend your learning to new situations" (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 3).
In order to self-direct my learning in regards to technology, I have set the following Goals taken from the NETS*T:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.
My Action Plan:
To facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity, I plan to start out small and build upon the technological resources I teach my students. I plan to use a new technological resource (for example: podcast, wiki, blog, Webspiration, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Digital field trip) to facilitate learning for my students each month. I will first demonstrate how to use the resource while facilitating a standards based lesson, and then I will allow my students to explore the resource while focusing on the content standards. This will enable the students to creatively develop new knowledge in an engaging and meaningful manner.
While using these resources, I will be designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments for my students. They will be using the technological resources to develop their understanding of the content standards while I will be constantly assessing their knowledge.
Monitor:
I will monitor my progress as a facilitator of digitally rich content each month. My goal is to incorporate 1 new resource in my teaching. This will be easy to monitor as I will assign myself a new resource each month. If I use it within the month, I will be working toward my goal. If not, I will have to make up for it and incorporate 2 the following month. I will also be monitoring the students and their understanding of the new resources in addition to the information they are learning which relate to the content standards.
Evaluate and Extend:
Each month I will be able to determine if I meet my goal. Once I teach the students 3 new technological learning resources, I will begin to incorporate numerous tools within the same project. I will continue to build upon my knowledge as a facilitator while teaching my students to use the resources to benefit and enhance their learning.
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.
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Those are some very challenging goals. I hope you are able to achieve what you set out to do. With such high expectation over such a wide area, you may find that you are stretching your students too thin. If I were to suggest a minor alteration in your plan, it would be to pick one or two pieces of technology to focus on. Week after week the students could add to their mastery of the tool making them experts of a couple of things at the end of the year, instead of just being introduced to several things at the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteSam,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. I feel that my goals are manageable since I already use technology in my classroom. This will just encourage me to use it with various types of technology. Also, it helps because I have small groups of students and the resources in my classroom. So hopefully with all of those factors and some motivation, I will be able to acheive my goals. I do like your ideas of just choosing one and building upon their understanding of that tool. Do you think that spending a month on each concept is stretching my students too thin? I guess I will have to see how it plays out and then adjust as needed. Another positive is that I will have most of my students for the following year, and I could always introduce new resources next year like you mentioned. Great feedback, thank you!