Course Reflection

Through out this course the emphasis of teacher literacy was prevalent. Obtaining the skills involved with using information to accomplish goals was an objective of many discussions, blog posts, and our applications. Starting the course with creating a personal GAME plan helped create the focal point of the course. We learned the skills of evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating our own ideas to ensure successful transition of our work into our classrooms. Self-reflection was also stressed and to always evaluate oneself with the purpose of producing our best work was another task we pondered on weekly.
Working on our skills as educators, we also explored self-directed learning environments. The importance of letting students learn as independents with little teacher instruction makes for a successful classroom. Tasks such as creating problem-based learning activities helped students learn content as they learn higher order thinking skills, which promotes self-directed learners. Other benefits of lessons like these are students learn to collaborate, learn technology language, learn content deeply and then can apply their learning to new situations. Mostly importantly all of these skills can cover many standards at once.
I feel this course was a great balance of teacher and student reflection. We as teachers had to monitor our own learning and then had to share our skills with our students. We as a classroom gained much from this course. Thus far of the technology courses, this has been the course where we had to evaluate ourselves the most. I truly enjoyed this course and what it had to offer. It has enabled us to let students be self-sufficient learners while in time will make them productive citizens, which is our main goal.

Stephanie Coultrip

Week 7 Extention of NETS-S

Based on the experience and growth I have gained from implementing my own personal GAME plan, I have more confidence in my ability to help my students achieve proficiency in majority of the NETS for students. Working through the NETS for teachers, I incorporated a lot of student/teacher activities where we could learn from each other. By working in this fashion I discovered majority of my new skills with the aid of my students; the more knowledgeable other. Collaboratively we covered many NETS for teachers, as well as students.

At the beginning of the school year I briefly go over the math standards we will be covering as a class and give an example which reflects the standard for students to gain a better understanding of the wording. To incorporate the NETS for students, I would introduce the technology standards in the same method; including example activities and resources. After the introductory period, I could then have students select two or three standards they would like more knowledge on. From here the student could construct their own GAME plan for which we could work on through the year. Discovering the standards in this manner would be a great opportunity for strengthening a student-centered, collaborative, networking classroom; a goal of 21st century learning.

Stephanie Coultrip

Reflecting on My GAME Plan

New skills I have obtained through practicing my GAME plan are new ways of monitoring student progress when using technology applications. Monitoring these activities is time consuming and somewhat of a treasure hunt, but I am finding better methods of organizing student participation and performance. What I have learned the most is I can learn a lot from my students. By watching them complete and turn in final products I find myself asking the students, “How did you do that?” They enjoy teaching me as much as I do them. Implementing the GAME plan in my curriculum has turned my classroom into a well working collaborative environment.

Over the past few weeks I have touched on both of my goals equally, but still need to continue these processes for my students to master these skills. My life skills math class is now able to successfully search for critical real world information and my sophomore math class have explored Wikis, podcasts and a VoiceThread. We will continue adding new technologies as we gain access from our building principal.

A new goal I would work on achieving would be: gathering data, examine patterns, and apply information for decision making, using digital tools and resources. These skills are also crucial to the success of my students’ performance post high school. It seems a lot to take on at once, but all of these goals are closely related and can be easily integrated.

The collaborative, student-centered learning environment has seemed to work well thus far. Learning will continue in this fashion until we see a need for change. As Dr. Peggy Ertmer (2009) states, “Learning in this manner enriches student understanding of content, produces a higher order level of thinking, and gives students ownership to their cognitive gains.” This style of learning will prepare them to be independent problem solvers and self-sufficient citizens.

Stephanie Coultrip

Evaluating My GAME Plan Progress

What I have come to realize when evaluating the effectiveness of my GAME plan progress is that this is not a task fully achievable in a mere number of weeks. Having goals such as incorporating digital tools and resources to promote student learning, as well as, improving students’ online literacy skills to aid in the progress of them becoming self-sufficient citizens are tasks which take time. These goals are tasks which should be incorporated in a year long progression plan. But, we have been able to take baby steps.

The effectiveness of my actions for promoting these skills has produced some valuable skills and data. My students are now able to utilize two additional technology tools and are more familiar with searching and reading resourceful web material. We have also explored some bogus information. It is important for them to be aware of the misleading information that is out there as well. My life skills students now are able to search for employment, transportation, living quarters, and survive on budget.

Taking into consideration what I have learned from implementing my GAME plan and applying them to my instructional practice, is time management. Many of the tasks I had planned took double the time to accomplish. Other factors which have affected my instructional practice are not assuming students know certain things and to always have a back-up plan if the technology fails you.

I believe as I continue to teach these skills new questions and problems will arise. And with the rapid progress of technology, I am going to try to always be a step ahead and learn a little faster then my students. I am very open to them teaching me certain skills and having my classroom be a collaborative learning environment for us all.

At this time the only adjustment to achieving my GAME plan is lengthening the time of progress towards meeting the goals I have established for myself and my class. It is a task which is going to take me the remainder of the year.

Stephanie Coultrip