After reading the National Education Standards for Teachers, I compared them to what my personal goals are. I found two standards that I wanted to improve on and master during my teaching career. The first standard is to “engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources” (ISTE, 1997-2009). This standard interests me because I believe it fits in very well with social studies. Part of the curriculum I teach is real world issues and what better way to do that by using technology to learn about them.
The second standard is to “collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation” (ISTE, 1997-2000). This standard stood out to me right away. I have envisioned a 21st century classroom and community where little pencil and paper is used. Where students get immediate feedback on their work and where parents, teachers, and students are all connected in a twenty-four hour classroom. I can envision a classroom that is totally redefined by technology because students are independent and innovative.
To meet these goals, I will begin to integrate technology based lessons into my class daily. By integrating technology daily, I will be teaching my students to become independent learners and innovative thinkers. I want to create a website where students go every single day to get their assignment. From there, I want to incorporate Web 2.0 activities and give each student individualized learning to help each student succeed in my class. I believe technology can help teachers reach more students because it makes lesson easier to individualize. Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) reference Rose and Meyer (2002) who said “Universal design for learning (UDL) suggests that teachers can remove barriers to learning by providing flexibility in terms of options for materials, methods, and assessments” (pg. 117). I would love for my classes to have no barriers of the type and the amount of learning that gets done by every single child. I will know when I have reached my goals when I have included technology in every lesson and I act more as a guide to social studies then as a teacher of social studies.
The way that I plan on extending my learning of these standards is to teach other teachers to use the technology skills that I have learned. My school has just hired someone with a similar job description and I would love to be able to help more students then in just my classroom. I figure the best way to do that is to teach other teachers to use technology in their 21st century classroom.
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Hi Anthony,
ReplyDeleteI really like what you said about a "paper & penciless" classroom. I also teach Social Studies and I look for more and more ways each and every year to teach and assess my students without the tradional tests. In my AIS (Academic Intervention Services) I use the following website: http://www.classzone.com/cz/books/amer_hist_survey/book_home.htm?state=NY While this site is at the middle school level for New York State, you can customize for any grade as well as any state, even if you do not use that text book. There are a ton of games, review activities, and quizzes that students can work on either in a station learning activity during a class or as just some extra work during a free period.
Hello Anthony,
ReplyDeleteOur GAME plans are similar in the aspect of extending what we have learned about technology integration in the classroom thus far to our colleagues. I believe that by spreading the knowledge we can help build classrooms and communities of students who will be prepared for the 21st century. Many teachers do not implement technology into the classroom because they simply do not know how to. By providing these teachers with training on technology use in the classroom through mini-workshops to mini-lessons we would be helping to lay the foundation for the paperless classroom you speak of.
Alicia
Tony,
ReplyDeleteYour strategy for extending your GAME plan - teaching other teachers - will also lead to encouraging those teachers to create a GAME plan. You will also be monitoring your own plan as you guide them throughout learning new technologies. I plan to find a job doing just that after I complete my degree through Walden. The GAME plan is something that I will continue to use for my professional development and for my students' learning goals.
Anthony,
ReplyDeleteGood GAME Plan.It looks challenge.
When you state that” I want to create a website where students go every single day to get their assignment".
I was thinking about some results that I am getting now with some projects done by my High School students.
The benefits: No more excuses for being unprepared for class or no more "tricks" about “I did hand my work on time" (because the date and time is there when students post) same than here in our blogs. No more sloppy writing and If you encourage your students to the fact that they are acting like "book's authors" and their peer will be evaluating also their work; is amazing how the motivation goes for doing "good work" and the best work, at High School Level they are very competitive, which is good. Actually I had them create the blogs with a partner due to the large classes that I have. (32-34 Students per period)
Good luck.