Participating
in the course Integrating and Technology
Across Content Areas at Walden University has immersed me the GAME plan
framework as a structured means of planning for both my own new knowledge
endeavors as well as those of my students.
This course challenged me to begin my GAME plan with the ISTE standards
in order to create specific and attainable goals for my learning and then
created learning experiences that would seamlessly and successfully facilitate
my movement through the remaining steps of the GAME plan.
Beginning my GAME plan with the
standards was an indispensable first step that allowed for an extremely focused
goal that I could break down into more specific and manageable subtopics. For my goals I decided on standard 1b “engage
students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using
digital tools and resources” and standard 1c “promote student reflection using
collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding
and thinking, planning, and creative processes” (ISTE, 2008). This course at Walden required that I develop
a problem-based learning unit that indeed linked directly to the first standard
I decided to take action on. I learned a
variety of techniques for the development of project-based learning units that
are tied to real-world problems such as the consideration of situational
dilemmas, community issues, puzzling matters, and looking for improvements
(Laureate Education Inc., 2009).
Authentic problems are the catalyst for authentic student motivation and
so it is important that my problem-based units begin with real-world
problems. As I move forward in my
instructional practice, I have learned through my experiences with the GAME
plan to begin with my standards and then technology can be used to research
real-world problems that would allow my students an opportunity to practice the
standards in an authentic manner.
My second GAME plan goal was
comprised of both reflective and collaborative opportunities smoothly
integrated into Week 6 of this course.
By designing a Social Networking lesson plan, I was forced to consider
both the benefits and challenges of a collaborative approach to learning. The lesson plan that I designed focused
primarily on the use of a collaborative tool (Blog) as a means of clarifying
understanding and thinking while engaged in the discussion of literature. In the future, I plan to immerse myself and
my students in the online networking sites, in order to engage them in the more
authentic aspects of online learning where they will experience diversity
outside of our classroom members. Throughout
the course, the act of blogging facilitated all parts of the game plan from the
setting of goals through the process of monitoring my progress. Similarly, in my lesson plan development, I
was asked to consider how I would be monitoring/assessing my students
progress. Assessment is not simply an
act reserved for the end of a unit but should instead be an integral part of
the process throughout. I have learned
that collaborative technology tools such as Google Docs and Socrative.com can
allow for more monitoring opportunities.
Additionally, I came to understand the importance of ensuring that the activities
a student engages in throughout a unit should match up to the method of
evaluation at the end of the unit. For
this reason, I feel it is extremely important whenever possible to include
students in the development of the summative rubric as well as providing an
opportunity for students to use the rubric for self or peer assessment.
Many adjustments to my instructional
practice will take place as a result of my learning in this course. First and foremost, I plan to integrate more
opportunities for Digital Storytelling into my practice. I have always been intrigued by Digital
Storytelling but wasn’t quite sure how I could work it into my curriculum
outside of the most traditional storytelling lessons. This course has challenged me to consider
more ways that this technological tool could be widely used at several points
in the learning process. Once again, by
reflecting on my content standards first, I can then move towards using this
technology tool to help students practice necessary skills. I can see allowing my students to practice
the GAME plan protocol for learning using Digital Storytelling in their own
unique way. For example, if the standard
we are practicing is persuasive writing, I could challenge my students to
select a controversial issue and then use digital storytelling to practice
persuasive skills in their own unique way (advertisement, PSA, commercial,
etc). The students could create the goal
for learning and then I could walk them through the remainder of the GAME plan
steps for the goals they have set using technology as a tool throughout.
The Walden University course
Integrating Technology Across Content Areas has immersed me in the learning
experiences that I should be offering my students more regularly. The world they will be charged with in the
future demands that students know how to world on solving problems, networking,
collaborating, and conveying messages using technology in the most efficient
and effective manner possible.
Therefore, it is my responsibility to provide students with the learning
experiences that will allow them to practice the skills and knowledge they will
need for tomorrow.
References:
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology
across the
content
areas: Spotlight on technology: Problem-based learning, part 1.
Baltimore,
MD: Author.
Standards for
Teachers. (2008). Retrieved July 8, 2015, from
http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-teachers