Reflection and Resolution

There are several things I will take away from this course that have made a significant impact on my teaching practices. First and foremost is the importance of goal-setting for myself and my students. Working through the GAME Plan process really helps to make goals attainable. It allows you to break it down into small workable chunks to achieve while at the same time allowing for changes along the way. One thing it does not let you do is give up. If your plan did not work, you evaluate why and go back and change your actions so that you can try again. I have yet to attain my original goal but I have made progress. This is something to be proud of in the midst of holiday preparations, graduate work, new programs, and the general utter chaos that is everyday in the field of education.

This blog played a significant role in the GAME Plan. It has become a platform for support, encouragement, and commitment. It is one thing to say to out loud to yourself, "I want to reach this goal." But to put it in writing and publish it for the world to see is another. I resolve to continue blogging and setting goals for myself. I also intend to implement more GAME Planning with my students. I know they can also benefit from the steps as well. It mirrors so much of the creative process I try to teach everyday.

In addition to the GAME Plan, I leave this course with extra confidence and no more excuses. Integrating technology seamlessly into any content area is possible. Not only is it possible, it makes such perfect sense. Every teacher I talk to about using technology in their classroom always uses the excuse...I just don't have the time...it's just one more thing piled on top of everything else. It is my hope that I can move forward as a leader and show others that it is not an additional burden but a time saver and most importantly a more effective teaching tool. Technology shouldn't be taught in isolation and unfortunately so many schools are set up that way. Oh goodness.....do I hear another GAME Plan on the horizon. I'll let you know.

Using the GAME Plan with Students

I have already used the GAME Plan with my 2nd through 5th graders to help them organize their thoughts on a clay project we recently started. Making a sculpture out of clay is a four week process and it is very helpful if the students have a clear plan of what they want to make long before they touch the clay. Using the GAME Plan my students set a vision of what they wanted their project to look like, decided on an action to accomplish it, and monitored their process while they worked. Their projects showed considerable improvement and they are currently evaluated their final product. Now we did this the old-fashioned way using paper and pencil, but I can see this being accomplished through a Blog or discussion board just as easily.

Just as we used the GAME Plan to approach content standards, it could also be used to help accomplish technology goals. I have all my students set a personal art goals at the beginning of the year and we monitor their progress towards these goals through the year. I could require students to also set a technology goal for themselves as well. As I found out through this process, setting a goal is very motivating especially if we have to revisit it often and reflect on the steps in writing.

Naughty or Nice?

When we set our goals, I guess I had something longer-term in mind and I did not consider the craziness of the season. So when I evaluate my progress I feel like I have moved along better then I expected. I had to modify my actions along the way but overall I feel very positive about the process.



In working towards my goal for modeling collaboration, I have set up two collaborative projects with co-workers that integrate technology and the visual arts with the regular classroom curriculum. One will occur in February, to coincide with a third grade writing project and the other in the spring to coincide with the fifth grade study of WWII. Both involve a collaborative effort by students and both teachers to produce a digital storytelling presentation. The problem-based learning unit we are currently working on has helped a lot in planning both of these projects.

My other goal of creating authentic problem-solving for my students has also begun to make some forward progress. I have finally connected to a local issue that I believe will create an exciting project for my students to become involved in. After planning it out with my Learning Community's help, I plan to implement it early spring of this year.

So even though I felt a little "naughty" at first for seemingly dragging my feet while I worked on these goals, I do feel pretty "nice" about the progress I did actually make. I really enjoy the GAME Plan process. It definitely helps you commit to personal improvement.

Two-Four-One Deal

It was a pleasant surprise this week to find many of my thoughts about these goals restated within our resources. I really didn't read ahead but I must admit it is spooky how similar my train of thought has followed the words of wisdom from Dr. Peggy Ertmer this week. I guess that is one of the wonderful things about blogging. It not only opens you thoughts up for others to collaborate and share, but it also keeps a nice electronic record of your thought process as well.

I was also pleased with the fact that my two goals align quite nicely with our upcoming unit plan. I see modifying my action plan to include these steps. I believe the structure of this class will provide the motivation to fully pursue my goals. Honestly, it has been challenging to motivate myself . I have been bogged down with my real-life problem, and that makes it easy for me to shelf the idea until after the holidays. This unit plan will put the fire under me and ensure that I have something concrete to apply to my instructional practice. I've got to say that it is hard to resist a two-for-one deal.
At the same time, I can progress further on my other goal by collaborating with my learning community on this unit plan and gaining more confidence working with a group. The experience working together using a Wiki will make me much more comfortable using this tool myself so that I could be more effective using it in my instruction. Another two-for-one....got to like that.

Progress: Slow, but Sure

I want to start out this week by saying, sometimes what you are looking for can be found right under your nose. I just want to say thank you to Sarah for her comments last week.

I have decided to poll my students for the real-world issue that is important to them, instead of searching far and near for what I think is important. This "a-ha" moment came from Sarah's suggestion and from our chapter on assessment this week. I realized that I do not plan to assess my students on the topic choice. That is theirs to own, not for me to give. After reading about authentic assessment I feel it is important for me to set up this project as if it were a real film team assigned to create a real public service announcement or to persuade public opinion (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). It would be my job as "the boss" to focus on how effectively they send the message, not what the message was. I have definitely learned the importance of planning out the assessment while planning out the project, and the importance of setting clear expectations for performance.



When we get back from Turkey Day break, I plan to survey the students and continue on from there. The holidays and all of the activities that pull teachers and children away from the regular schedule may slow me down a bit on my progress so please be patient. In the meantime, I think I will modify my action plan to accommodate some time for linking assessment strategies into my lesson plan before I attempt to begin the process of implementation. Which brings up the question what types of assessment would be best? I am leaning towards an analytical rubric but would love to hear some suggestions for some formative assessments to provide feedback to my students along the way.



My other goal is sort of on hold right know as I await the arrival of my collaborative group members. Maybe by next week's post I can give you an update on that progress. I hope everyone enjoys a restful Thanksgiving holiday.



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

Carrying Out the Plan

To reach the goals set in my GAME plan I am going to need locate some resources. First, I need to narrow down the broad idea of "real life issues" into some hot topics that will hook my students I think selecting some very localized topics as well as some national or world-wide topics may be a place to begin. Why just today I received an e-mail from Discovery Education about a project called the, "We can change the World Challenge". I will get more information about the details of this project to see if it will relate to my students but I know there are thousands more like it if I could locate them. If I wanted to stay closer to home a locate some local issues, I think the local newspaper and even talking to students about everyday problems could assist in the search. I believe I could get a lot of assistance from posting a request for project ideas on my Ning group, Art 2.0, as well as putting out a feeler on Twitter. I just want to find something that will spark real creativity and not just another poster contest. So far, I have not made much progress on this goal other than committing to reaching out to my support group for ideas.

My other goal of modeling collaborative learning groups is progressing quite nicely. I have tapped into some resources in my school that will be working with me on a collaborative project. First, I have a group of fifth graders very interested in filmmaking. One has become very proficient at making stop motion films using his web cam and Windows Movie Maker. Even though I personally know a lot about creating animation, my skills lie in using real film. I have dabbled in digital film-making but not on the level he has been working. I have also located a college art student (the daughter of a co-worker) who is seeking to meet the requirements of her current college course and log community service hours by working in my art classroom. She also happens to be a very experienced digital filmmaker. I have made arrangements for her to come and share her expertise. She is familiar with using I-movie not. So together, the three of us, along with the other students interested in film-making ,will be dependent on learning this whole process together. We will collectively discover what it takes to complete a full project from start to finish by each bringing to the group our area of expertise.
The other collaborative effort I am working on is a cross-curricular project with another teacher. I would like to develop a project where we both will depend on each others areas of expertise to plan and execute the learning experience for our students. I have already spoken to a few teachers whom I felt would be flexible enough and creative in their instruction to work along with me in this endeavor. I will keep you updated on how things will progress.

What's my GAME plan?

The GAME plan presented in our textbook is a wonderful way to guide my self-directed learning and help me keep up-to-date on changing technology and the needs of my students (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010). After looking through the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers, or NETS-T, I selected two indicators in which I would like to become more proficient. The first is indicator 1b: Teacher engages students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. My goal for this indicator is to better connect my students to issues in their world in which they could utilize their creative and artistic skills to communicate a message or solution to a real-life problem. The second indicator is 1d: Teacher models collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others, in face-to-face and virtual environments. My goal for this indicator is to engage in more collaborative learning experiences so that I feel more comfortable doing so. I have always been an independent learner and I find it challenging to work in groups. In the past, I have not encouraged collaborative learning in my students because of my personal view. As I have been integrating more and more collaborative work into my instructional strategies I have begun to see the benefits and I realize the importance of this skill.



To reach my goals I plan to take the following actions: for indicator 1b, I plan to use technology to explore the many on line projects that seek student involvement for success. Maybe some of you know of some locations I could begin exploring? Some possible actions may lie in using a favorite program of my fifth graders, Sketch Up. For example, working on a simulated model of a modern city design or even redesigning our own town would provide an real-working architects view of design. Another action could be to use digital film making as a connection to real world issues. I could see students working on public service announcements. For example, recently we worked on a campaign for staying healthy at school by designing germs that were strategically placed throughout the school building to remind students to wash hands etc. I could see my students going beyond the walls of the school to communicate messages to the world through digital media. For indicator 1d, my actions need to be focused more on what I need to be involved with to model this behavior for my students. I will need to take steps to locate other people to set up a collaboration project. Whether it be a student group that has technological skills to teach me, a group of grade level teachers willing to collaborate on a cross curricular project, or even a peer to collaborate with on line, I need to design a project that I cannot do on my own so that I will be forced to learn in a group setting and depend on others.



Since indicator 1d is closely tied to my personal view I believe the best way to monitor my progress towards this goal is through a reflective journal, possibly even a blog. This will help me document how different attempts to model collaborative learning effect the students as well as myself. By forcing myself to be dependent on others I could also document my feelings through the project to determine if certain behaviors bother me more then others and learn how to communicate those concerns to future collaborators. Indicator 1b, could be monitored through student surveys. Comparing a pre-survey to a post-survey could provide data to illustrate the impact an authentic learning experience could have on the students. Also joining an on line peer group that engages in this type of instruction could provide me with support and contacts for my own projects. By sharing the search for projects with others I will be motivated to not just let my search for ideas and lessons fall on the back burner but keep it a constant reminder. Both of these goals are based on me pushing myself out of my comfortable instructional patterns. It is easy to fall back on what we know and do when things get hectic and we don't seem to have time to try something new. I would benefit a lot from a mentor who could monitor my efforts and hold me accountable and push me forward.



Finally, the end of the game plan, evaluate. Whether I met my goal for indicator 1b, could be determined in the student surveys. I think I could also gain some insight of the impact this instruction had on students by interviewing them individually. Indicator 1d, will need to be evaluated through my reflective journal. This is an on going cycle of learning and improving. Even if I feel I have strengthened my skills in these particular areas in it just the beginning of the journey. Please feel free to suggest any ideas that may help guide me along the way.



One last note, I introduced the GAME plan this week to my second through fifth graders as we planned for the production of a clay sculpture next week. On paper they set a goal for what they wanted to make out of clay, they planned out the best way to make it, they tried a practice run and monitored how their technique worked. I witnessed more in-depth planning and creative problem-solving then I can ever remember. They are prepared for working with the real clay next week which can be very unforgiving. We plan to evaluate the project when it is all finished. I am sold on the GAME plan!

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.