Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas: Reflection

Erin Schilling: Week 8 Blog Reflection


Step 1: Reflect on the GAME plan you developed and followed throughout the course.

There were two goals that I focused on during this course. The first was to “design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments” (http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers). The second was to “engage in professional growth and leadership” (http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers). From the onset of this course, I was excited about having the opportunity to make some changes in my current student projects. I was also looking forward to networking with colleagues in my district regarding educational technology. Throughout the course, I was able to focus mainly on my first goal and developed several lessons that I will use with my students in the upcoming weeks. My second goal is one that I will continue to work on as I pursue working relationships with my school’s library/media specialist, my district’s Informational Technology staff, and my fellow classroom teachers.

I feel that it was important to set these goals and to reflect on them often. The process of developing my “GAME plan” required me to focus on a couple of goals and then frequently evaluate my progress toward them. “The GAME plan requires you to think about and takes steps to direct your learning process, specifically while learning about technology and how to integrate it into the curriculum” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p.3). This course provided me a good opportunity to work independently and collaboratively on something of my choosing.

Step 2: Summarize any new learning that resulted from your following your GAME plan and explain what impact your new learning will have on your instructional practice.

I learned several things when I was working on my GAME plan. First, I learned that there are easy ways to incorporate technology into projects that I already have in place for my students. I was able to take at least six activities that I had already created and move them into digital projects. Therefore, I am now able to help my students reach content area standards as well as technology standards.

I have also learned that my second goal, engaging in professional development and leadership, is a process, not an end result. It will take me some continued effort to stay involved in collaborative decision-making and professional learning. I have already formed some relationships with my school’s library/media specialist and my district’s IT staff and they have been helpful in moving my ideas forward. I also plan to continue informal conversations with co-workers regarding how we all use technology in our classrooms.

Step 3: Describe any immediate adjustments you will make to your instructional practice regarding technology integration in your content area(s) as a result of your learning from this course.

I have been very pleased with the work that my students have done on the projects I have developed as a result of my GAME plan. I am learning to trust them to work independently at times, collaboratively at times; we are all learning together. I am much more conscientious of helping my students to create their own goals and reflect on their own progress. I plan on continuing to work technology-rich experiences into our daily routines as well as into our larger projects. For instance, my students will record weekly test results using Microsoft Excel. They will copy their tables and graphs onto a PowerPoint presentation that they will share with their parents at parent-teacher conferences in the spring. Their presentations will also include evidence of other work (such as videos of science projects with written summaries and digital stories of social studies exploration projects) and how it relates to the standards. Most importantly, as we begin the process of creating this portfolio of work, my students will decide on their own learning goals. They will have numerous opportunities to reflect on and modify their goals. I suspect that, like me, my students will appreciate the ability to personally decide on their learning goals and will enjoy having time to pursue them.

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) located at http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.