GAME Plan Reflection

Several weeks ago we were asked to create a GAME Plan following the NETS-T standards. At the time I felt that I needed to strengthen my confidence and proficiency in Modeling Digital-Age Work and Learning as well as Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. Over those weeks I have developed resources and information needed in order to carry out my plan and meet my objectives. In order to strengthen my abilities in the two areas I had completed the following:

• I have begun to set up my EDLINE page in a manner that keeps my students and parents of the student informed about what is going on in class each day. I have begun uploading my course materials and plan to stay on top of attendance and grades as they happen.
• Through this course I have been learning all sorts of new ways to incorporate technology into my daily lessons, such as, blogs, wikis, digital storytelling, electronic journaling just to mention a few.
• I have also had the opportunity to sit with my school's instructional facilitator and my county supervisor in order to discuss possibilities to have in-service classes in the fall to teach other teachers in the school different ways of using technology. There has even been talk about having me teach some of these methods and I just learned how to use them 5-6 weeks ago.

One adjustment that I needed to go through with my research and my objectives is the fact that none of this will happen overnight. There are restrictions in my county that say that blogging is against county policy. This is a hurdle that our county needs to seriously take a close look at and find a happy medium. Also the fact that the first time that I try to implement some of the new ideas into my classes it may be a complete disaster and that I will have to learn from that and adjust for the next time.

Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

Teacher standards and student standards are inter-related to one another. I believe that without the student standards you would not have the teacher standards and vise versa.

• At the beginning of next school year I will be presenting my students with the NET standards and ask them to evaluate them much like we did back in week 1.
• I'll ask them to create their GAME plan for the year based on the standards.
• At the end of each quarter the students will revisit their GAME plan and evaluate where they are in terms of meeting their goals/expectations.

Revising GAME Plan

• One thing that I have learned over the past week is how to use Wiki pages. I think that I am going to try to use this concept while I am teaching summer school. I will pilot it in summer school and try and work out any kinks so that I am ready for the new school year in the fall.
• I am still working toward my goal of learning more about and/or teaching some of these new technology integrations during our in-service sessions in the fall. I am scheduled to meet with our Instructional Facilitator next week to look at possibilities.
• I'm not ready, at this time, to set any new goals for myself. I want to see the goals that I set for myself 5 weeks ago through.
• Next time I plan on gathering even more information about these technologies so that I have a better case when I meet with the higher-ups.

Evaluating GAME Plan Progress

During the summer our supervisor has allotted 5 in-service days for the members of my department as well as 3 other new teachers to the county. I will be leading those in-service days in order to accomplish the following:

• organize and share our handouts, tests/quizzes, and notes. We will be posting our work on our Share Point site for all tech teachers in the county to use as they see fit.
• reviewing some software programs such as Windows Movie Maker, Google Sketchup, and Photostory, in order to integrate them into our curriculum.

I am still trying to maintain contact with authorities in the county about the use of blogs. Right now it is tough just due to the amount of work that goes on at the end of the year (graduation, exams, final projects, etc.)

Questions:

• How can I persuade the higher ups to let us use blogs in our classroom?
• What blogging sites would be the best and easiest to use if I could only gain access to certain ones?

GAME Plan Progress

Since creating my goals of Modeling Digital-Aged Work and Learning and Engaging in Professional Growth and Leadership, I have begun to set the wheels in motion for next school year.

• I have begun to organize all of our handouts, notes, project sheets, etc. in order to upload them to my EDLINE account so that parents and students are able to see and access the materials that are covered in class.
• I have been exploring Windows Movie Maker and Google Sketch up, 2 programs that I plan on using in my classes next year.
• I have met with our Instructional Facilitator to discuss possibilities for in-service sessions in August prior to the start of school.
• I will be meeting with my County Supervisor over the summer in order to discuss, develop and implement new forms of technology for the county.

Resources and Information Needed for GAME Plan

The resources that I will need to carry out my GAME Plan are as follows:

• EDLINE - which is our County's choice for programs when it comes to sharing information about our classes with parents and students of our classes.
• Blogging software- I can see a realistic use for using blogs in my classes.
• In-service time- I am currently working with our Instructional Facilitator in a manner of coming up with ideas for school-wide in-service next year.
• Supervisor commitment- in communication with our supervisor in order advocate for the use of blogging in the classroom.

I am still trying to go through the proper channels and talk to the right people in order to have blog sites, or at least certain ones, unblocked from our networks security. I still need to know what benefits the students get out of blogging and how to make it relevant in our class work so that our Office of Technology can understand our needs.

I welcome any suggestions that you might have.

NETS-T indicators

Model Digital-Age Work and Learning:

My GAME plan for strengthening my confidence and proficiency in this indicator is as follows:

• Use the tools that my county has in place for keeping in touch with parents in regards to students grades, assignments, due dates, etc. more frequently and more realistically.
• Stay on top of new technologies myself so that I can understand how to use and teach the new technologies to my students. This is the first time that I 've actually used a blog.
• Use these new technologies for the different assignments that are completed in my classes.

Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership:

My GAME plan for strengthening my confidence and proficiency in this indicator is as follows:

• I plan on attending county in-services to learn from my peers the new technologies offered in our county.
• I plan on being a presenter, in order to teach to my peers new technologies that I already know about.
• I will be spending time with my county supervisor over the summer to discuss ways our department can move into the 21st century's digital age.