Evaluating the progress of my GAME plan

I am still planning on using my GAME plan in January, but I have done a lot to make sure that my GAME plan works well for my students. For the first item in my GAME plan, I have decided to have some speakers come to my class. I have talked to the principal from the high school, the head football coach, and some student football players and they are planning the come down and talk to my students. This will be a big deal for my students because our high school has one of the best high school football teams in the state of Georgia. The high school currently has seven players that have accepted football scholarships to major colleges and they will come and speak about their journey to attain those scholarships. The head coach will come and talk to my students about hard work and dedication. The principal will come and talk to the students about the high school and how he expects them to be hard working, successful students.

The second item in my GAME plan was to get my blog approved from my administrator. I got the approval. I have also made up letters to send home to the parents so they will know about the blog. On my letter I will have examples of blog websites so they can go on them with their child, and they will see why blogs will be important for our classroom. Dr. Ertmer stated that one of the ways that teachers can assess students learning is by using blogs (Laureate, 2009).

Reference:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Spotlight on Learning: Problem Based Learning [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Monitoring My GAME Plan Progress

One of things I have planned for my class is doing my class blog. In a previous Walden course, we learned about blogs, and I still have my blog today. For my class, I must continue reading and asking other colleagues about their classroom blogs. I will give my students the opportunity to go to the computer lab so that they can visit different blogs and get familiar with using them. I must make sure I monitor my students in the lab so that I can make sure they are on the right track. Before I introduce it to my class, I may have to go back to the site and refresh my memory on how to use it. I don't think I have to change my plan because I feel that my blog will be great for my students. Dr. John Ross stated that digital technology provides more flexibility for teachers (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). With this flexibility my classroom blog should be great.

To enhance my students learning and creativity I have been giving the students ample opportunities to use any technology available to them. Video, computers, and projectors are some of the things we use in class. Like Dr. Katherine Cennamo said, in order to have creative thinkers we must make our students confident in what they are doing (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).

I am glad that I have concentrated on what I'm going to do next. I really want to try the classroom blog with my next class I get in a few weeks. I want to make sure I got everything together before I start my GAME plan.

Resources:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Author.

Resources for My GAME Plan

My first GAME plan indicator I will need the following resources: colleague assistance, computers and computer software, guess speakers, and a lot of patients with my students. I have to give my students a healthy environment in which they feel like it is alright for them to try new things to help them bring out their creativity. I will need my cell phone so i can call motivational speakers so they can speak to my students about being creative and being successful. I will have to talk to my administrator so that I can get approval to do all the things I want to do for my students. the only step I havetaken so far involves me speaking to co-workers about ideas of how I can reach my goals with this plan. They have been very helpful and I look forward to getting to some of the other options in my plan.

My second GAME plan indicator I will need the following resources: computers lab and computers, projector so I can show them examples of what blogs will look like, and the white board in the la so that I can write all the instructions up for the blog. I have created a blog in my masters program, but I don't think my students have ever done one. I have not been able to take any steps so far because the computer lab is always full; being a Health teacher, I always get to use it last. I am excited about doing a blog for my class because I know it will help my students stay up to date with all our asignments. Anytime I put technology into a lesson my students love it and they seem to do a better job in the class!

Blog Application Week Two

The two indicators that I have choosen from the NETS-T are: 2A. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incoporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity and 3B. Collaborate with students , peers, parents and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.

In order for me to be a better teacher Ifeel that Ineed to look at these two indicators. Indicator #1 (2A) promotes student learning and creativity by incorporating digital tools. In order for me to attain this goal Imust set my students up in a learning environment where they can be creative on a daily basis. With the use of techenology in the classroom the student will have the chance to use their creativity in many ways. Students have an abundance amount of resources and it can only enhance their creativity. I will monitor the students while they are in the computer lab and we will make charts showing how their progress improve each time we go in the lab. In order to evaluate and extend students learning I can ask other teachers for ideas on how I can improve my lesson in which we are doing.

Indicator #2 (3B) promotes collaboration with students, peers, parents , and community members. I will achieve this goal by setting up a class blog for all of my students. I think a blog is a great idea because students will be able to get assignments even if they miss that day of school. The students and I will be able to communicate at any time of the day and even on the weekends. This blog will also be a great way to communicate with my student's parents. A classroom blog will be great for conferences, homework, assignments , collaborative projects, and any student questions. In order for me to monitor the student's progress I will check the blog at the end of each day to see how the students are using the blog. I would evaluate and extend student learning by asking other teachers that have used a blog in their classroom how they make their blog an effective tool for their students.

REFLECTION EDUC 6711: Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology

In the last eight weeks, I have experienced many new ways to integrate technology into my classroom. During week one of this course, I wrote a paper on my personal theory of learning. I continue to believe it is important to utilize several different learning theories in my classroom. After this course, I believe that most of my lessons utilize the social learning theory. Dr. Orey states the social learning theory has "students actively engaged in constructing artifacts and conversing with others" (Laureate Education, 2008). I continue to consider behaviorism a theory that has value in a physical education class. I also continue to believe that such things as learning styles, multiple intelligences, best practices, and educational technologies can all be addressed so each student will be provided with the best possible opportunity to learn. Collaboration and cooperative learning will take on more of an important role in my classroom in this upcoming school year.

My teacher tool box has expanded greatly thanks to this course. I now know how to use technology as a learning tool as well as a teaching tool. Educational technology is a support for teaching and learning that both teacher and learner can call on to help ensure the opportunity for optimum performance. My focus has moved from how I can use technology to how my students will use technology in an instructional event. I feel like my students will buy into this and hopefully develop a deeper understanding of the concepts I am teaching, as well as, to continue to develop their twenty-first century skills.

I plan on implementing the use of VoiceThreads in my classroom. In the integrated lesson completed in week 7 of this course, I developed a plan to have my students work cooperatively and contribute to a VoiceThread on maintaining a healthy weight. The interactive nature allows the VoiceThreads to continue to grow and provides a positive learning environment for those who experience it. I think my students will love creating and working with VoiceThreads.

Additionally, I plan on implementing the use of a class blog. This technology will be used for student interaction on specific topics. It will allow the students to develop a deeper understanding of the material as well as an opportunity to interact with others to see different points of view. I look forward to continuing to develop lessons that will involve the use of my class blog.

One long term goal is to develop lessons for my PE class that utilizes technology on a regular basis. The lessons will be student centered and the technology will be used by the students as a learning tool. According to Dr. Orey, the student uses the technology to be an active learner. the teacher becomes the facilitator. The teacher asks "what can the child do with this technology" (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008)? Learning tools let the students be responsible for their own learning.

My second long term goal is to really get to know the Microsoft Excel program. Many of our resources made suggestions on how to use Excel with your students. This is a program that I need to "play with" to develop my knowledge of all that it is capable of doing. Once I develop some skill using Excel, i think it will be a tool i will use often. I think it fits well with our data collection of fitness scores. By utilizing Excel, I believe my students will be able to better interpret their fitness scores. Once I become familiar with the ins and outs of Excel, I am sure there will be many different ways my students and I can utilize this program to make the lessons more meaningful.

This class has opened my eyes to many different uses of technology in my classroom. I hope to implement the use of a class blog, concept mapping, virtual field trips, Venn diagrams, VoiceThreads, and Microsoft Excel as a way to raise student motivation in my physical education class.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc., (Producer). (2008). Program eight Social Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc., (Producer). (2008). Program thirteen. Technology: Instructional Tools vs. Learning Tools [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Voice Thread on Maintaining A Healthy Weight

http://voicethread.com/#u968986.b1211673.i6537163

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

This week I am examining the correlation between instructional strategies and the social learning theory. Dr. Orey states the social learning theory has "students actively engaged in constructing artifacts and conversing with others" (Laureate Education, 2008). He also shares "teaching others helps the learner develop a deeper understanding of the content" (Laureate Education, 2008). Social learning is very active and is students centered, as well as peer centered. Simply put, the teacher facilitates students learning by providing opportunities for them to work with others cooperatively to create artifacts. Additionally, connectivism is a learning theory that "integrates technology, social networks and information" (Laureate Education, 2008).

Cooperative learning is a strategy that "focuses on having students interact with each other in groups in ways that enhance their learning" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007). Students "make sense of, or construct meaning for, new knowledge by interacting with others" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007). Our text shared several technology based strategies that can provide students with cooperative learning opportunities. "Technology can play a unique and vital role in cooperative learning by facilitating group collaboration, providing structure for group tasks, and allowing members of groups to communicate even if they are not working face to face" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

Examples of technology based cooperative learning opportunities are creating a video (multimedia), web site creation, blogs, wikis, shared bookmarking, WebQuests, and web-enabled multi-player simulation games. When creating a video "students are not only working together in cooperative groups to create the movies, but are actually participating in cooperative teaching" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). I believe this could be Incorporated in my PE class. Many of my students are already developing their skill for making videos in our video production class. WebQuests allow students to "work together to learn about a particular subject or to tackle a particular project or problem" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). I think WebQuests could be utilized in my PE class as a form of cooperative learning. Once my county opens up the use of blogs and wikis to us, i will make use of them to facilitate students learning.

The concept of students interacting with each other for a common purpose of learning is the idea behind cooperative learning. To sum it up "cooperative learning is not so much learning to cooperate as it is cooperating to learn" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Learning socially and utilizing technology is beneficial for students and should be used in our classroom for years to come.

Resources:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program eight. Social Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell. E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.