Erin Schilling: Week 7 Application Blog Response
I believe that it is imperative for students to set goals for themselves. I also think that they need to be taught how to set goals and how to monitor and evaluate their progress. Teaching my students the GAME plan process would be a means to do this.
In order to help my students reach all of the NETS-S goals (found at http://www.iste.org) , I think they would need to be guided through the process. When we, as adults, looked at the NETS-T standards, we were able to look back at our own prior experiences and make decisions about what a logical “next step” would be. I think this would be different for students (especially in the elementary grades); they probably have little experience with these standards and may not be able to determine what they need to work on most or first. So, working through these standards together seems like a reasonable strategy.
First, I would have my students look at the NETS-S standards and help me to define them in “kid-friendly” language. We could map out what each one of the standards would look like. We could also relate the standards to projects we have already done so that we could illustrate what it means to achieve that particular goal. Then, as a class, I think we could determine what goal we would like to work on and brainstorm ideas of how we could achieve that goal. We would define the “G” of the GAME plan and give an option or two for the “A,” or action portion of the process. Together, we could develop a rubric (using our definitions and illustrations from the class discussion) for students to use to monitor (“M” of the GAME plan) their own progress toward the goal. If I chose to formally assess my students’ progress toward our goal, I would use the same rubric that they used in their own monitoring steps. Finally, students could self-assess (or “E for evaluate) their work and determine if they reached the goal and/or if they need to modify their goal.
After doing this process together for one or two of the NETS-S standards, students may be ready to choose their own goal, develop their own action plan, and monitor and evaluate their progress. Doing so would require self-awareness and independence, but would be a very valuable experience for the students.
I love your idea to have students “translate” the NET-S standards. These objectives will definitely be more meaningful this way. When you map out what each objective could look like with your class, maybe you could use a web organizer (I love using graphic organizers). I also think your idea of having students choose their own standard as a personal goal is a logical next step for preparing them to use the GAME plan independently. After you have supported their learning through modeling the process with a few standards as a class, they should be ready to tackle one on their own.
ReplyDeletePutting the standards in “kid-friendly” language is a great idea that I did not even think of, and I use “kid-friendly” GA performance standards everyday! However, I do not believe that my first graders could help me put the technology standards in kid-friendly language; therefore I would need to do this prior to introducing them to the standards (I am afraid they would be overwhelmed and shut down immediately if I did not). Connecting the kid-friendly standards to projects already completed is another great idea. I am sure the students could think of connections that I might not even think of. They are always so much more creative and imaginative than I am!
ReplyDeleteStarting slow in the process would be very important to be sure that students have an understanding of the methods being described. It would be better to take extra time in the beginning, than lose students as they begin creating GAME plans on their own.