Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Online Learning Presentation
My presentation is at the bottom of my teacher page(To link click on the title Online Learning Presentation and it will take you to the page where my presentation is at under attachments). The instructional gap that I identified is Social Studies for the fifth grade students that are in Title 1 math intervention. These students are currently being pulled during Social Studies.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Final Blog Post
Creating a self directed learning plan called a GAME plan was a very effective process that I look forward to using in the future. I really like the Action, Monitor, and Evaluation pieces of the GAME plan. I coach football and baseball as well as teach fifth grade. In all three situations I set goals with my students and players. After setting goals the goals are either achieved or not. Following the GAME plan will give me as well as my player and students the tools to think about the process needed to complete the goal.
My GAME plan yielded an excellent list of math tutorials that I am posting on the class website as well as posters around the classroom. I am planning on challenging students with these tutorials as well as using them as an instructional aid for students who are struggling to learn through the standard textbook curriculum. As I begin to implement these tutorials into practice I’m sure that I will be making many adjustments along the way.
After creating my content area unit plan that integrated; a problem based learning lesson, an online collaboration tool, and a digital storytelling lesson, I see that I need to take more risks to earn the rewards. I am always afraid that getting away from the textbook lessons will take too much time and students will not learn the content that is needed. The unit plan that I created has proven that the content can be learned by engaging students with technology that allows them to challenge themselves with the content. I look forward to implementing new units and lessons that will include technology with the content in the future.
Creating a self directed learning plan called a GAME plan was a very effective process that I look forward to using in the future. I really like the Action, Monitor, and Evaluation pieces of the GAME plan. I coach football and baseball as well as teach fifth grade. In all three situations I set goals with my students and players. After setting goals the goals are either achieved or not. Following the GAME plan will give me as well as my player and students the tools to think about the process needed to complete the goal.
My GAME plan yielded an excellent list of math tutorials that I am posting on the class website as well as posters around the classroom. I am planning on challenging students with these tutorials as well as using them as an instructional aid for students who are struggling to learn through the standard textbook curriculum. As I begin to implement these tutorials into practice I’m sure that I will be making many adjustments along the way.
After creating my content area unit plan that integrated; a problem based learning lesson, an online collaboration tool, and a digital storytelling lesson, I see that I need to take more risks to earn the rewards. I am always afraid that getting away from the textbook lessons will take too much time and students will not learn the content that is needed. The unit plan that I created has proven that the content can be learned by engaging students with technology that allows them to challenge themselves with the content. I look forward to implementing new units and lessons that will include technology with the content in the future.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Using the GAME Plan with Students
To implement the GAME plan process with my fifth grade students, I will first have to teach them each step of the process with a scaffolding technique. I will probably use my GAME plan for this class as an example. Slowly releasing the power to the students I would like them to create and execute a GAME plan in NETS-S 6-Technology Operations and Concepts-students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
My thoughts are to have my students choose a technology tool that we will use in fifth grade that they are not familiar with or that they might want to review and explore in greater detail. (Wiki, VoiceThread, PowerPoint, Search Engines, Accelerated Reader)
Set Goals
• Choose a piece of technology that you would like to learn how to use.
Take Action
• Determine the steps that will help you meet your goal.
• Examples-Experts, another student who has advanced skills, librarian, online tutorials
Monitor
• How well is your action meeting your goal? Are you learning useful information? Should you modify your actions?
Evaluate
• What did you learn? How can you apply what you learned?
Any assistance in this process would be greatly appreciated!!!!
To implement the GAME plan process with my fifth grade students, I will first have to teach them each step of the process with a scaffolding technique. I will probably use my GAME plan for this class as an example. Slowly releasing the power to the students I would like them to create and execute a GAME plan in NETS-S 6-Technology Operations and Concepts-students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
My thoughts are to have my students choose a technology tool that we will use in fifth grade that they are not familiar with or that they might want to review and explore in greater detail. (Wiki, VoiceThread, PowerPoint, Search Engines, Accelerated Reader)
Set Goals
• Choose a piece of technology that you would like to learn how to use.
Take Action
• Determine the steps that will help you meet your goal.
• Examples-Experts, another student who has advanced skills, librarian, online tutorials
Monitor
• How well is your action meeting your goal? Are you learning useful information? Should you modify your actions?
Evaluate
• What did you learn? How can you apply what you learned?
Any assistance in this process would be greatly appreciated!!!!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Revising the GAME plan
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice? What goals are you still working towards?
• I have learned that there are some excellent computer tutorial programs available for free and for a price.
• I have compiled a list of free computer tutorials for my students to explore.
• I have found computer tutorials that will enhance critical and creative thinking skills
• I am still working towards engaging in Professional Growth and Leadership. When school gets back in session I will finish completing my action plan to share a digital tool once a month with my Professional Learning Community.
Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
My next GAME plan is to implement student response systems into my classroom. My school district is piloting an assessment program next year. With this pilot is a student response system. I would like to create and follow a GAME plan to implement these tools into my classroom.
If you are not ready to set new learning goals, how will you extend what you have learned so far?
To extend what I have learned so far I would like find ways for my students to have time at school to explore the math tutorials that I have found. Many of my students do not have access online at home. I will need to work with my colleagues to be creative with our daily schedule so that my students have time to explore these resources online.
What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
The biggest change I will make next time is to focus in on one specific skill, concept, tool, goal or content. This process has gotten a little jumbled up over the last six weeks. I believe that if I narrowed down my goals and actions the GAME plan would be much clearer and more efficient. I have found that even when you think you have time there is never enough.
• I have learned that there are some excellent computer tutorial programs available for free and for a price.
• I have compiled a list of free computer tutorials for my students to explore.
• I have found computer tutorials that will enhance critical and creative thinking skills
• I am still working towards engaging in Professional Growth and Leadership. When school gets back in session I will finish completing my action plan to share a digital tool once a month with my Professional Learning Community.
Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
My next GAME plan is to implement student response systems into my classroom. My school district is piloting an assessment program next year. With this pilot is a student response system. I would like to create and follow a GAME plan to implement these tools into my classroom.
If you are not ready to set new learning goals, how will you extend what you have learned so far?
To extend what I have learned so far I would like find ways for my students to have time at school to explore the math tutorials that I have found. Many of my students do not have access online at home. I will need to work with my colleagues to be creative with our daily schedule so that my students have time to explore these resources online.
What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
The biggest change I will make next time is to focus in on one specific skill, concept, tool, goal or content. This process has gotten a little jumbled up over the last six weeks. I believe that if I narrowed down my goals and actions the GAME plan would be much clearer and more efficient. I have found that even when you think you have time there is never enough.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Evaluating the GAME plan
I feel like my GAME plan has been a mini success so far. I believe that time will allow me to complete this GAME plan to a bigger success in the future. Many of my actions will be taking place when school gets back into session. I also have not had enough time available to synthesize the information like I would like.
The small success so far is finding and implementing a math tutorial program into my fifth grade classroom. Following my action plan I have been able to compile an excellent list of resources that are available on the web for free. I am going to take these resources and list them by the content strand that my students can explore on each site. After I have finished my list I am going to make posters of the list throughout the classroom for students to use. I still have some questions about one tutorial program called accelerated math. To answer my questions and to hopefully complete my GAME plan, I am going to attend a training on accelerated math at our local ESD in October. This training will hopefully provide the information that I need to make a decision about pursuing accelerated math as a district funded program.
The small success so far is finding and implementing a math tutorial program into my fifth grade classroom. Following my action plan I have been able to compile an excellent list of resources that are available on the web for free. I am going to take these resources and list them by the content strand that my students can explore on each site. After I have finished my list I am going to make posters of the list throughout the classroom for students to use. I still have some questions about one tutorial program called accelerated math. To answer my questions and to hopefully complete my GAME plan, I am going to attend a training on accelerated math at our local ESD in October. This training will hopefully provide the information that I need to make a decision about pursuing accelerated math as a district funded program.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monitoring the GAME Plan
I feel that my game plan is right on track to achieving the goals that I have established. This process is taking a little bit longer than I expected. So more than anything I need to continue to complete my action plan when school gets back in session from summer break.
Thanks to everyone who offered comments and suggestions last week to help me find more information and resources about math tutorials. I am going to continue researching the information that I was given last week. I am also going to make one small modification to my action plan. I had taken an action to contact colleagues at my building through email, requesting any information they had on math tutorials. After receiving information on my blog last week I am going to extend this to some neighboring school districts that are in our athletic conference.
After last weeks exploration in UDL principles I am even more excited to bring a math tutorial program into my classroom. If I can find a program to fit the needs of my students this could be an excellent technological tool to help me provide experiences that students need to become enthusiastic about learning. One tutorial program so far that I am very interested in is Accelerated Math. I have requested more information from their website. The tutorial program appears to be very individualized. Students take a placement test that tarts them at their appropriate level; the program also appears to give quick and easy data to the students and teacher monitoring progress.
Some new questions that have arisen are will the free tutorial programs online meet the goals of the tutorial that I am looking for? How much does a math tutorial program cost? What will my principal think about purchasing a math tutorial program?
Thanks to everyone who offered comments and suggestions last week to help me find more information and resources about math tutorials. I am going to continue researching the information that I was given last week. I am also going to make one small modification to my action plan. I had taken an action to contact colleagues at my building through email, requesting any information they had on math tutorials. After receiving information on my blog last week I am going to extend this to some neighboring school districts that are in our athletic conference.
After last weeks exploration in UDL principles I am even more excited to bring a math tutorial program into my classroom. If I can find a program to fit the needs of my students this could be an excellent technological tool to help me provide experiences that students need to become enthusiastic about learning. One tutorial program so far that I am very interested in is Accelerated Math. I have requested more information from their website. The tutorial program appears to be very individualized. Students take a placement test that tarts them at their appropriate level; the program also appears to give quick and easy data to the students and teacher monitoring progress.
Some new questions that have arisen are will the free tutorial programs online meet the goals of the tutorial that I am looking for? How much does a math tutorial program cost? What will my principal think about purchasing a math tutorial program?
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Carrying out the Game Plan
Resources & Information to Complete the GAME Plan
Goal 1 Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Standard B- develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
Actions to Take
• Conduct reading and research on the Web about math tutorial programs.
• Post an information request to all my colleagues through email.
• Ask my Walden University classmates for assistance on their experiences with math tutorial programs.
• Meet with my district tech-coordinator when he is back in his office from summer break.
Steps Taken
• I reviewed the textbooks companion website and linked to Mrs. Linquist: The Tutor.
• I also reviewed information on a math program called accelerated math.
• I sent out an email request to colleagues at my elementary school.
Goal 2 Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Standard B-exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building as well as developing the leadership and technology skills of others.
Actions to Take
• Schedule a meeting with my Principal to share the technology skills that I have learned with my professional learning community.
• Choose one skill each month to share with my colleagues.
• Work with my grade level team to share methods to infuse technology into the content.
Steps Taken
• None-I will set up a meeting with my principal after summer break. I will also meet with my grade level team in August when we meet before the beginning of the school year.
Goal 1 Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Standard B- develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
Actions to Take
• Conduct reading and research on the Web about math tutorial programs.
• Post an information request to all my colleagues through email.
• Ask my Walden University classmates for assistance on their experiences with math tutorial programs.
• Meet with my district tech-coordinator when he is back in his office from summer break.
Steps Taken
• I reviewed the textbooks companion website and linked to Mrs. Linquist: The Tutor.
• I also reviewed information on a math program called accelerated math.
• I sent out an email request to colleagues at my elementary school.
Goal 2 Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Standard B-exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building as well as developing the leadership and technology skills of others.
Actions to Take
• Schedule a meeting with my Principal to share the technology skills that I have learned with my professional learning community.
• Choose one skill each month to share with my colleagues.
• Work with my grade level team to share methods to infuse technology into the content.
Steps Taken
• None-I will set up a meeting with my principal after summer break. I will also meet with my grade level team in August when we meet before the beginning of the school year.
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