My GAME plan goal is to become more globally connected within the teaching community. My action plan is to connect online with other teachers, communities and possibly other classrooms. I will also monitor these endeavors, recording the time I spend and what I am learning. I will spend time reflecting and evaluating my experiences (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
My first try to connect was seemingly successful. I found a teacher in Japan who wanted to correspond. Then I found out that she wanted to correspond via snail mail. This seemed okay at first until one of my Walden classmates, Williams (personal communication, July 14, 2011), mentioned I needed to check the cost. I went to the post office and found out that it will cost ninety-eight cents per ounce to send mail to Japan. This seems expensive, even if my class mails it all together, and it will also be very slow. I would rather find someone with whom I can email skype or chat.
Next, I began searching epals (http://www.epals.com) again. I had a difficult time finding a teacher with whom to collaborate online. Epals is 300+ pages of requests, takes a lot of time to read and few fit my needs. I posted a request with no takers as of yet. I wish epals had a way to search those ads. If they had a check box to fill out where you could check class age, country, etc., and then search by those criteria, it would be helpful. I have found a few people on epals and am waiting their responses to my requests. There is so much I want to do this year and I really want to find some collaboration with other teachers. If this does not work, maybe I can email my Walden class and connect with some of them for my collaboration. I had really hoped for some collaboration with someone of another culture, but maybe I need to take baby steps and be more patient.
I also tried edmodo (http://www.edmodo.com), which takes forever to get started. My first request for community was denied because they could not confirm I am a teacher. My second request took several days to process. It seems I waited weeks just to be able to join a community. I finally got confirmed as a teacher and was able to post my request. Within hours I had two teachers with jobs similar to mine excited about collaborating online. However, edmodo is not very user friendly and I cannot figure out how to respond to those two teachers. I tried everything. I know edmodo has a user’s guide somewhere, but I cannot figure out how to get to it. I finally posted on Walden’s Question and Answer board for my class. Maybe some of my classmates can help me. I also replied to my own post on edmodo asking for help. My hope is that someone will read it and give me the help I need to start communicating through edmodo.
Edmodo has some communities to join that I think will be very enlightening for me. I have joined the technology community and am considering joining the professional development community. I am sure these will be helpful and will provide what I need. I just need some help getting started. Also, I originally wanted to connect with a foreign country, however, the two responses I have in edmodo are in the United States. A Walden classmate, Pepper (personal communication, July 16, 2011) suggested I collaborate with teachers in America. I am taking her suggestion and refining my plan to any teacher who might have things in common with me.
Also, another Walden colleague, Withington (personal communication, July16, 2011) is also trying the same type of activity I am doing. I plan to email and see if we can collaborate as well. Perhaps we can email our parent forms for permission to let our students collaborate, talk about what we are learning, etc.
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.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
GAME Plan
Carrying Out My GAME Plan
As I ponder the goals I listed in my last blog, I know that I will need a colleague in a foreign country with whom I can collaborate. I will also need their classes to be able to collaborate with my classes (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I have currently connected with a teacher, through epals, who teaches in Japan. She teaches English and wants her high school students to be able to have an exchange with English speaking teens in another country. She said that her school has limited internet and terrible connections and wants to use snail mail. I emailed her back and asked if she and I could communicate via email on a regular basis. I also requested that we try sending something to each other through the mail to see how long it takes to receive. We have exchanged addresses, but I am awaiting her response. I am hoping that we can still have some communication via email or skype or something for my class. If we cannot, I may have to use another classroom for the exchange, however, I think I will still communicate via snail mail with this class and incorporate it somehow into the lessons.
I have begun an account in EMODO as well in case I need to search for a new classroom. I have not been verified by EMODO yet, but am waiting for their approval. I would like us to skype sometime on my smartboard as we interact with the other classrom.
I have also been thinking about how I will present this idea to my classes. I think we will discuss it in class, and I will post the information to my website so the students can look at it as many times as they want (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010a). I have also been thinking about how my students might communicate with others. Students might bring photos, items to show, life story or digital history, share things such as music, facebook, food preferences, etc. (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010b). I also want my student to be respectful of other cultures and work to develop an understanding (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I would like to do some projects that represent our culture, then ones that represent the culture of the other school and depict what we have learned from them. These projects could be interchanged with the Japanese school and also posted for other classes in our own school to view.
I have presented this idea to my building principal. He is supportive of the idea to have my classes communicate with students of another culture. We will begin talking about whether we can make it a mandatory part of the class; since I teach course recovery this might be a little tricky.
I have also begun thinking about my log. I think I will develop an excel form on which to keep my thoughts. This form will include the date, time and content of my communication activity. It should also include a goal for each communication and an evaluation. I think I might also assign each one a number that signifies to what extent it is meeting my goal.
References
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.
Edmodo. (2011). http://www.edmodo.com/community/support#
Epals. (2010). http://www.epals.com/
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Program One. Meeting Students’ Needs With Technology, Part 1. [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Program Two. Meeting Students’ Needs With Technology, Part 2. [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.
As I ponder the goals I listed in my last blog, I know that I will need a colleague in a foreign country with whom I can collaborate. I will also need their classes to be able to collaborate with my classes (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I have currently connected with a teacher, through epals, who teaches in Japan. She teaches English and wants her high school students to be able to have an exchange with English speaking teens in another country. She said that her school has limited internet and terrible connections and wants to use snail mail. I emailed her back and asked if she and I could communicate via email on a regular basis. I also requested that we try sending something to each other through the mail to see how long it takes to receive. We have exchanged addresses, but I am awaiting her response. I am hoping that we can still have some communication via email or skype or something for my class. If we cannot, I may have to use another classroom for the exchange, however, I think I will still communicate via snail mail with this class and incorporate it somehow into the lessons.
I have begun an account in EMODO as well in case I need to search for a new classroom. I have not been verified by EMODO yet, but am waiting for their approval. I would like us to skype sometime on my smartboard as we interact with the other classrom.
I have also been thinking about how I will present this idea to my classes. I think we will discuss it in class, and I will post the information to my website so the students can look at it as many times as they want (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010a). I have also been thinking about how my students might communicate with others. Students might bring photos, items to show, life story or digital history, share things such as music, facebook, food preferences, etc. (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010b). I also want my student to be respectful of other cultures and work to develop an understanding (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I would like to do some projects that represent our culture, then ones that represent the culture of the other school and depict what we have learned from them. These projects could be interchanged with the Japanese school and also posted for other classes in our own school to view.
I have presented this idea to my building principal. He is supportive of the idea to have my classes communicate with students of another culture. We will begin talking about whether we can make it a mandatory part of the class; since I teach course recovery this might be a little tricky.
I have also begun thinking about my log. I think I will develop an excel form on which to keep my thoughts. This form will include the date, time and content of my communication activity. It should also include a goal for each communication and an evaluation. I think I might also assign each one a number that signifies to what extent it is meeting my goal.
References
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.
Edmodo. (2011). http://www.edmodo.com/community/support#
Epals. (2010). http://www.epals.com/
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Program One. Meeting Students’ Needs With Technology, Part 1. [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Program Two. Meeting Students’ Needs With Technology, Part 2. [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Global Learning
Global Learning
I have become very comfortable with the internet and technology. I think I am very good at incorporating the following standards: “Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity,” and “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,” and “Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using,” (http://www.iste.org /Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx). Even though I am feeling very comfortable with technology, there are still a few areas in which I need some more experience.
I am fairly confident in teaching with technology. However, I am not comfortable with branching out to connect with other classrooms. I want to spend some time working on the following National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers goals: “Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools”, and “Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning,” (http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx). I will use the Goal, Action, Monitor and Evaluate (GAME) plan (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009) to further develop my NETS-T goals.
My Goal is to become more globally connected within the teaching community. This will give me confidence and knowledge as I teach my students to do the same. I will be able to successfully model safe global technology standards while teaching. This will allow me to feel freedom in giving up control of my class to allow students to be self directed global learners (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).
My Action will be to connect with another classroom and begin to exchange ideas, etc. with them via snail mail, internet, etc. I will also locate and participate in a global learning community. This will allow me to fully understand global communities and encourage my students to also become global learners (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
In order to Monitor, I will look at some global communities and evaluate them to decide in which I will participate. I will keep a log of the time I spend and what I learned in each. This will allow me to be able to teach my students how to evaluate their own online experiences and learning as well as to experience this learning myself (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
Finally, I will Evaluate by reflecting upon the log and what I am learning in the communities I chose. I will be able to decide if I am learning and sharing what I want to learn. It will also provide me with time for reflecting on how to make my experience better. I will then be able to share this process with my students as well (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
I could use some help from my colleagues at Walden University. So, if any of you have suggestions to help me get acclimated to global communities, please share your experiences or suggestions. I would love to get involved in epals (http://www.epals.com), but it seems a little overwhelming to me. I have also found a site called Edmodo (http://www.edmodo.com /community/support#). Has anyone connected to epals or edmodo? Does anyone suggest another place to connect?
References
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.
Edmodo. (2011). http://www.edmodo.com/community/support#
Epals. (2010). http://www.epals.com/
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_ Teachers _2008_EN.sflb.ashx
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program three. Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences With Technology, Part 1. [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.
I have become very comfortable with the internet and technology. I think I am very good at incorporating the following standards: “Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity,” and “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,” and “Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using,” (http://www.iste.org /Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx). Even though I am feeling very comfortable with technology, there are still a few areas in which I need some more experience.
I am fairly confident in teaching with technology. However, I am not comfortable with branching out to connect with other classrooms. I want to spend some time working on the following National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers goals: “Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools”, and “Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning,” (http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx). I will use the Goal, Action, Monitor and Evaluate (GAME) plan (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009) to further develop my NETS-T goals.
My Goal is to become more globally connected within the teaching community. This will give me confidence and knowledge as I teach my students to do the same. I will be able to successfully model safe global technology standards while teaching. This will allow me to feel freedom in giving up control of my class to allow students to be self directed global learners (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).
My Action will be to connect with another classroom and begin to exchange ideas, etc. with them via snail mail, internet, etc. I will also locate and participate in a global learning community. This will allow me to fully understand global communities and encourage my students to also become global learners (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
In order to Monitor, I will look at some global communities and evaluate them to decide in which I will participate. I will keep a log of the time I spend and what I learned in each. This will allow me to be able to teach my students how to evaluate their own online experiences and learning as well as to experience this learning myself (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
Finally, I will Evaluate by reflecting upon the log and what I am learning in the communities I chose. I will be able to decide if I am learning and sharing what I want to learn. It will also provide me with time for reflecting on how to make my experience better. I will then be able to share this process with my students as well (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
I could use some help from my colleagues at Walden University. So, if any of you have suggestions to help me get acclimated to global communities, please share your experiences or suggestions. I would love to get involved in epals (http://www.epals.com), but it seems a little overwhelming to me. I have also found a site called Edmodo (http://www.edmodo.com /community/support#). Has anyone connected to epals or edmodo? Does anyone suggest another place to connect?
References
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.
Edmodo. (2011). http://www.edmodo.com/community/support#
Epals. (2010). http://www.epals.com/
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_ Teachers _2008_EN.sflb.ashx
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program three. Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences With Technology, Part 1. [Webcast]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.
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