Reflection-Integrating Technology in the Content Area

The course, Integrating Technology across the Curriculum focuses attention on the idea of self-directed learning through the GAME plan. Cennamo,Ross & Ertmer (2009) suggested that self-directed learning is an individuals effort to learn new skills and knowledge through a clearly defined plans or procedures. These procedures are what encompass the GAME plan. Cennamo (2010) suggested that the GAME plan represents setting clear goals, choosing methods of achieving these goals, regularly monitor those actions and effectively evaluate the final outcome of the actions. Cennamo (2010) also suggested that it is not only important for teachers to use this strategy to increase their knowledge and acquire new skills but it is important for them to guide their students to use this plan to become Self-directed Learners. Learners that can use available technology to acquire information and to transfer the acquired information into usable products.

During the course, I embarked on a GAME plan that sought to engage students' thinking through the exploring of real-world issues and solving real-world problems using digital tools and resources. My goal was to learn new tools and to guide my students to use these tools, through Inquiry-based approaches, to investigate and seek solutions to authentic local and global problems. Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer (2009) described Authentic Instruction as, "an instructional approach that uses real-world issues and authentic problems to facilitate and inspire students' learning and creativity" (p.27). The same source surmised that Authentic Instruction enables teachers,"to meet their curriculum standards in ways that can engage and support their students' interest, creativity and motivation" (p. 40). As I learned new tools and strategies, I updated my action plan, after careful monitoring and evaluation. In addition, the students were introduced to creative ways of demonstrating their learning using technological resources. In summary, the GAME plan supported my teaching by providing a framework that encourages continuous planning, monitoring and evaluation in all aspects of the teaching/learning process.


This course has pointed me to several areas that I can use technology to improve my content delivery. I found the principals of Individualized Learning most urgent and hence I have made the greatest efforts to implement them in my instructions. Individualized Learning proposed the idea that all teachers should develop GAME plans that set goals, actions, monitor and evaluate every child to ensure that they can benefit fully from all teaching/learning activities (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009). The study resources suggest that this can be successfully achieved with the support of technology. Hence, I am planning more effectively to avoid one size-fit all instructions, but rather more individually-based approaches that uses technological tools to meet the individual needs of my students. For example, I provide additional links for my gifted students to further their research and collaborative tools for my slow learners to give them additional time and opportunities to communicate their ideas. With the aid of technological resources, individualized assessment and evaluation are given attention as well. I guide my students to use a variety of media to demonstrate their understanding of the content materials. Digital storytelling is one of the tools that I am aggressively investigating for future use in my assessment.

This course exposed me to a variety of technological tools that can be integrated into my two specialized subjects, Geography and Social Studies.

Reference:

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaning classroom use-A standards-based approach. USA: Cengage Learning.

Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

The GAME plan process has proven to be very effective in assisting me to set goals, actively plan, monitor, and evaluate my teaching/learning activities. It also emphasised the need to keep an updated portfolio as a means of continuous reflection and evaluation. The GAME plan therefore served two main purposes for my professional development. Firstly, it guided my personal development in understanding and using several technological tools. Secondly, it guided my development in integrating technology into the curriculum and my students use of technology in their learning. Indeed, it effectively supports the idea of, Self Directed Learning. Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer (2009) suggested that Self Directed Learning is, locating opportunities and completing tasks to meet ones own learning goals. This week, I was introduced to the Digital Storytelling tools. I am very exciting about the prospects of formulating a GAME plan to master these tools and introducing them to my students.

The role of teachers in meeting the standard of the NETS-S, is to guide students to the many technological tools that are available to assist them to become more independent learners. In addition, it is important for teachers to guide the students through all aspects of the GAME plan: setting goals, take action to meet those goals, monitoring progress, evaluating development and extend the learning to new situations (Cennamo, Ross & Eetmer, 2009). During this course we discussed, constructed lesson plans and units that clearly demonstrated how the GAME plan can be used to develop the following NEST-S: Creativity and Innovation, Communication and Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making and Digital Citizenship.

Reference: Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaning classroom use-A standards-based approach. USA: Cengage Learning.

Revising my GAME plan

Out of this week's learning resources, I was very excited to learn about the online collaboration tools and activities. The resources highlighted several creative ways to engage students through online collaboration. Throughout the presentations there were many examples of how both the required content materials and the technological standards can be clearly met through careful integration of both. In addition, many cognitive and socio-cultural benefits were identified as well. My new goal is to use online collaboration tools to link my classroom to a classroom in my sister island of Barbuda, as we work on our natural disaster project. Two of the main challenges that will be experienced are: firstly, the training of the students and teachers to use the technologies, and secondly to coordinating of the times when the two classes can gain access to their computer labs. The question that now arise is, can collaboration activities be successfully executed if both classrooms cannot connect with each other at the same time?

Evaluating GAME plan progress

My game plan is progressing very well. We have structured our project along the lines of a problem-based activity. From their research so far, it was easy to guide the students to understand that out region is prone to tsunami since our island sits on an active earthquake belt similar to Japan. We have decided that the people of our island need to be made aware of this threat and what they can do to minimise the effect on our lives. The students are presently documenting what information our people need and how we will communicate this information to them. The students have several opportunities to work with several technological tools as they investigate this real-world issue. The students will work in groups to research and develop their community information strategy and tools. What technological tools can I use to assist the students to collaborate in designing and developing their communication strategies? What online tools are available for communicating with a large number of persons? I will model the use of a few strategies as I further advance my second goal, which is to model the use of technology.