The GAME Plan is a great tool to use, not just for ourselves, but to have our students use too. I can see myself having my students create GAME Plans for each unit we do. When we switch gears and start a new unit, I give students an outline of what exactly is going to happen and what they are going to learn. At this point, I believe it would be beneficial for my students to create GAME Plans. Students can create their goals around what they want to learn or what they hope to do with technology.
Over the entier GAME Plan process, my favorite part if the Evaluation. I really get to reflect at this point. It really helps me to look at everything and to see what I can continue to do to make the goals a success. This is definitely something that I want to instill in my students.
The NETS-S are very important for educators to continue to look at and learn about. Not only should we focus on them, but our students need to know about them as well. I have already shown my current students these, and plan on doing this with future students.
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I agree with the evaluation coment. Many times, this is when I get my best ideas. After I finish a particular unit, I make notes or changes in the file, so I can make adjustments the next time I present material or do a project with the class. I agree the NETS-S are very important, and I feel it is important to be sure principals and administrators are on board with them as well. This will help to better supply teachers with the correct tools for the classroom.
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteI think that having the students create their own goals is a great idea. It allows them to own their learning and focus more on what they need to do. I always think back to my early classes in Education and the idea of having students create their own rules as something that didn't make a whole lot of sense. After trying it though, I found that I could guide the students to the direction that I wanted but they are the ones who came out and said the rules. This allows me to point out the class rules as something they created and agreed upon when a rule is broken and then they are more likely to get back on task. I think the same concept can be applied to having students create their own goals in the GAME plan for their learning.
I believe having students reflect after activities or projects is a wonderful approach to instill at a young age. Students, like teachers, need to regroup after an assignment and decide what went well and what needs improvement. I feel this is a great approach with technology. Students can complete a technology project using PowerPoint at the beginning of the school and then reflect on positives and negatives. Then when asked to complete a similar project later on in the year, they have their own personal notes to get them prepared for the upcoming project. Reflection is beneficial in all areas of the classroom especially when technology is being used!
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you plan to incorporate the GAME Plan into your unit structure. That will make it seem more natural to your students, rather than some “extra” you’ve tacked on. Student buy-in is so important in anything we undertake, and the GAME Plan really helps with that by giving them some choice rather than telling them exactly what to do. My only concern is those students who become overwhelmed by choice. It might be a good idea to have a short list of sample goals to help them avoid overload.
I agree with you about the importance of the evaluation. We began our first Web quest this past week, and as soon as the students began to work, I started jotting down notes about what to modify for the next time. I had been over this quest so many times, tweaking and adjusting, and I thought I had taken care of any potential pitfalls. Wrong! My students came up with questions I hadn’t anticipated. It worked out okay, though; at the start I told them that since this was the first Web quest I had created, they might find some elements that needed clarification. Once we are finished, I’m going to have them evaluate the process (in addition to the reflective piece they will write about the project they created) to help me see what else I might need to adjust. I asked my teacher specialist to come in to observe during one class, and having another adult perspective to consider was helpful to me as well.