Application 4 - GAME plan continues.

This week we were asked to reflect on the following: “Take a moment to consider the steps you have taken toward meeting the goals you established for learning about technology and technology resources. • Are you finding the information and resources you need? • Do you need to modify your action plan? • What have you learned so far? • What new questions have arisen.”

First, my two goals:

•             I will find a tool that will allow students to determine their specific learning style and then use it to focus individually on the students as they are working with assigned activities.

•           I will begin to work with Edmodo and determine is usefulness in comparison to the Wikispace I already use to share classroom information and notes.

At this point, my first goal (specific learning styles) has fallen to the wayside.  I was unable to locate much information, or time to implement it.  At certain points teachers have to cut their losses, realize what will work and what will not, and try again when things slow down a little (maybe Summer?- Ha!).

Edmodo has been my focus.  I currently have my files and such linked to my wikispace, but I have found that a few teachers are also using my stuff.  Which, I am okay with but they have NOT asked for my permission.    I only know they are using it because parents will make comments of “oh, my son’s teachers said he was going to love you and that she uses some of your handouts from your website!”  These are not teachers at my school; these are teachers from filter schools and other schools outside the district.  Edmodo will allow me to monitor who is seeing my documents.  This was something I found out this week – document sharing.

I also was able to spend some time with Edmodo yesterday and I almost have it set up for my students.  I have spoken with a few teachers and they recommend not allowing student commenting at the beginning.  This last for a few days/a week and then speak with the students about proper usage of communication.  I will follow through with this.

Finally, I still have students that say, “what did I miss while I was out?”  I found that because students did not have to sign-up for my wikispace that they continue to ‘forget’ that I have it.  (How?  I am not sure.  I have signs posted my room and mention it once or twice a week.)  If I begin to post assignments through Edmodo, they will HAVE to sign in and see what is going on – as well as work on the assignment. 

I plan to give the student the assignment on Monday to sign up for Edmodo, put in my code, and then work from there.  My biggest question right now is dealing with parents – and how their access will be changed.  They will need to set up an account as well and I am currently working on this.  Has anyone else worked with parent access?

Danielle  

Application 3 - GAME so far.

This week we were asked to take the first step in our GAME plans and beginning planning what we will need.  I feel as though my post last week actually kind of accomplished this, but here we go… 

            What resources will you need to carry out your plan (media segments, reading, experts or colleagues, etc)?

Idea 1:

Seek out a teacher that already performs a learning style test to see what information he/she already has.

Research online tests and the information that is provided to students once the tests is over.

Idea 2:

Research how Edmodo and Wikispaces have been used within my district, as well as outside my district.

Research how teachers, students, and family sign up for Edmodo.

What additional information do you need?

                For both I need time.  Between working 40+ hours a week, grad school, planning a wedding, and such – I need time.  Even during my planning periods I am typically pulled out of my room to attend a meeting, work on something technological for another teacher, or must plan/grade papers for the next day.

What steps have you been able to take so far:

                Thinking about the possibilities is the furthest I have gotten.  I have logged onto Edmodo and played around with the site, but my biggest fear is moving my students over to it and then it not working out.  I know I can always undo everything, but I like to be a perfectionist and know that something is going to work - and cause just a few headaches (if any). 

My thought about Edmodo this week was that it would help protect my personal work on documents and such.  At this point anyone can Google a topic and my site might come up.  They could freely use the papers I have developed for my students – without giving proper credit.  At least through Edmodo, I would know who is looking at my site. 

 Danielle McDonald

Application 2 - GAME Plan

Below is my GAME plan for two International Society for Technology in Education.

My first standard I would like to strengthen is  “customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources”  (International Society for Technology in Education, 2008). 

Setting Goal

•   I will find a tool that will allow students to determine their specific learning style and then use it to focus individually on the students as they are working with assigned activities.

Actions

• I will seek out a teacher that already performs a learning style test to see what information she already has.
•  I will research online tests and the information that is provided to students once the test is over.
• I will have my student take an online learning style test.

Monitor

• Have I completed my action steps?
• Have I taken time to have the students perform the online test?
• Have I reviewed the results myself?
• Have I reviewed the results with the students?

Evaluate

• Once completed, did the students feel they had a better understanding of the ways they learn?
•  Were students able to take their information and apply it to the different activities they were to work on?
• I will focus on extending my learning by determining which activities best support my students individual styles.
• I will rely on the student’s responses to evaluate how effective it is to work through the learning styles test and if it assisted them with learning about ways to study for their math class (Algebra I or geometry). 

My second standard I would like to strengthen is  “communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats” (International Society for Technology in Education, 2008).

Setting Goal

• I will begin to work with Edmodo and determine is usefulness in comparison to the Wikispace I already use to share classroom information and notes.

Action:

• I will research how Edmodo and Wikispaces have been used within my district, as well as outside my district.
• I will implement Edmodo within at least one class.

Monitor

•  Are students using Edmodo?
• Are they using the communication features that are set up with each other?  – much like Facebook.
• Am I using Edmodo to the best of my ability?

Evaluate

• I will determine which way students prefer to receive their information.
• I will determine which way parents prefer to receive classroom information.
• I will extend my learning as I become more aware of what Edmodo can do with communication of notes, files, and connections between students and the teacher.

References:

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers 

Danielle