As I reflect on the types of learning to which students are exposed, I visualize effective learning, learning that has been very informative and engaging to me as a student of Walden and other educational institutions or learning environments. Too often as traditional classroom teachers, we think that real learning has to be found in the confines of a classroom, but that is not the real truth. Learning takes place everywhere, and my most emphatic learning has come from my verbal participation in the learning.
My verbal/written participation in the discussions of the Discussion Boards and commenting on group blogs and wikis has given me insightful knowledge on integrating technology into my English classroom. As I take my GAME Plan further, I want to promote my students learning through the use of these tool. To prepare them for postings by exposing them to knowledge of specific topics, I will implement the NETS-S Research and Information Fluency standard which requires students to conduct Internet searches by collaborating with the librarian, media specialist or teachers of other content areas with the purpose of learning to use the Internet as a source of information that will support the forming of personal opinions and ideas to be shared and analyzed among selected group members.
Equipped with this researched information, students will be competent to participate in online discussions "to help gauge different opinions and reactions to the reading" Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P., 2009). Incorporating Communication and Collaboration with Feedback with Research and Information Fluency, students will then create a class product that indicates the worth of their research. Thus, the NETS-S standard of Communication and Collaboration will be fulfilled.
As I implement the Research and Information Fluency and the Communication and Collaboration standards into my Action Plan, I envision it as a time to make connection to my second goal: to learn, support and teach the ethical and respectful use of digital information and technology. With the requirement to conduct Internet searches, students learning and understanding of Internet ethics and safety will be appropriately taught at this point of the GAME. After all, a hands-on-approach makes the learning more enduring because practice, as I have learned, bring greater proficiency.
Reference:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
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Hi Shirley,
ReplyDeleteImplementing the NETS-S Research and Information Fluency standard by tapping campus resouces such as the librarian or Campus Information Technologist is a great way to not only teach students standard components but the value of collaborating with peers and others. It's a good lead or tie-in to educational/social networking as well. And I agree with your sentiment that practice is the best way to learn. Who wants to go to a dance class and "talk" about dancing? Direct instruction is of course required in many instances (such as when teaching digital citizenry)but it must be combined with proper modeling and scaffolding to successfully develop students as creative metacognitive thinkers. When creating lessons I refer to both the NETS standards and Jukes "21st Century Skill Fluencies" (http://www.committedsardine.com/)to ensure I'm teaching not only content-area knowledge but enduring understandings.
Keila
Shirley,
ReplyDeleteKee shares my sentiments above. The media specialist or tech person is a great resource. I don't know about your school, but at mine, the media specialist has really been able to help my students with some basics about online learning - what's reliable, what's effective, how to search - stuff that I sometimes think we take for granted that they know.
One tool you could use with groups that is pretty cool is Google docs. It allows multiple edits from differnt users at the same time. The only problems I run into sometimes is the initial novelty of some of the tech tools (especially collaborative tools) sometimes overshadows the learning or focus of content. So I have to be careful to really monitor students, give them a few minutes to play around, and then shift the focus to learning. That can be hard, especially with some content.
Dan Lollis
Shirley,
ReplyDeleteYou really have thought your GAME plan through and continue to be reflective of where you are in terms of accomplishing thegoals you have set for yourself. I think it's great how you want to incorporate some of the very same tools you use to learn at Walden with your own students. I have learned so much through the discussion boards, wikis and blog assignments we have been given. It would be beneficial to expose students to that style of learning. It also prepares them more for college and the work place of the 21st century. I agree with you that monitoring the students and keeping them focused is very important. After all these are kids we deal with and they still have a lot of maturing and growing to do. Good luck hope you try it all out and that it works out great!
Jennifer Ramos-Collado
Reflection allows individuals to assess success and possible improvements. It seems as if you had great time learning. Have you successfully implemented any of your learning into to lessons as yet? Continue to beef up the game in practice.
ReplyDeleteCordella Lewinson
As teachers work through the challenges of using technology and facilitating lessons where students are required to use technology, we must remember the ultimate benefits of working through these challenges. Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer, suggest that technology is "more than showing videos or conducting on-line research," it is rather a way to promote "creative and critical thinking skills" (2009, p. 271).
ReplyDeleteReferences:
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.
Keila,Dan, Jennifer, Cordella and Alisha
ReplyDeleteCollaboration can do really guide us to sources that will be beneficial in our endeavors to fulfill our GAME plans. I have not yet implemented any of these into my lessons, but I do plan to get proficient with them myself so that I can model the use of these things for my students and supplement that proficiency with them as we learn together. Possibly I will not get a chance to use this until next school year since it is so late in the school year. I have, though, used some aspects of this in watching movies and performing online-research, but it has not been as extensive as my learnings have guided and directed me.
Thanks for all of your input!
Shirley