Evaluating Your GAME Plan Progress

One goal that I have implemented into my GAME plan is teaching my students to collaborate with others. I am incorporating a website, www.globalschoolnet.com into my curriculum. This site with allow my students to learn through online exhibitions, interactive games, and writing about global issues. Through this site, my students will be able to collaborate with students from all over the world. One question that I had is what my school policy was regarding this type of website as well as if I needed parental permission to allow my students to take part in this. In speaking with my administration and reading though my school handbook, I found out that this website would be acceptable. Students were given a permission form at the beginning of the year to give students permission for internet access. Since researching this, I have introduces this site to my students. We have explored all of its features. My students are very excited about getting started on a collaborative project!

The other goal that I have implemented into my GAME plan is teaching my kids to be safe when using technology. In researching rubrics and checklists to use through this process, I have found quite a variety. Some of the information that I have found is explanations as to why this is so important as well as the steps to take during this process. Here is a list of websites that include information as well as rubrics:

http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/tbarcalow/490net/EvalRubric.htm
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic32.htm
http://www.nhema.net/rubric.pdf
http://www.nhema.net/rubric.pdf

I have learned that evaluating websites is a skill that many teachers are trying to teach their students. Technology plays a major role in today’s classroom. Teaching students to stay safe when they are searching the web will help them research more efficiently and maximize learning.

As I continue to implement my GAME plan, reflection is very important. In Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use, Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009) state, “Key to effective reflection is the ability to go beyond a simple description of what happened to consider why it happened , how it is connected to other events, and what adjustments should be made to subsequent actions based on this understanding.” I need to reflect on what is working and what changes need to be made as I move forward with implementing my goals. Keeping a journal will help me in this process.

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. Ohio: Cengage Learning