GAME OVER (Stay tuned for the next round…)

            The goal I had set for myself prior to beginning this course of study was to become more knowledgeable about technologies that can be utilized in the classroom and to become adept at applying them. Having this objective in mind made it easy to establish the aim of my GAME plan, as delineated by Cennamo & Ertmer (2010), although I broadened it to include the modeling of technology for my learners. I quickly came to realize that along with my other responsibilities and forays into new territory, such as reading and developing curriculum for two new classroom novels approved by my district, experimenting with too many technologies could prove overwhelming, and ultimately unproductive.

            Modifying my  mind set, I focused on wiki use and digital storytelling, and both have been successful, in that they have sparked student interest, even though the wiki is not yet up and running. I have shared my efforts with my pupil, and they are eager to begin using it sometime this year, but as a long term undertaking, rather than a specific unit. Just today I received the finished products of my students’ digital storytelling efforts, and I am excited to view them over the holidays. A vote of confidence in favor of this avenue of learning and assessment is that not one student failed to hand in a final product! In addition to allowing learners to engage in this type of media outlet, I am working on several digital stories of my own to be used as hooks and/or anticipation guides when introducing new novels. I too enjoy the creative process, and am finding that this type of modeling compels pupils to evaluate their own work in fresh ways, leading to the practicing of editing skills. Such an approach also highlights for learners how to convey content in this format, a talent they can use in their own endeavors. This is especially important, as meeting both NETS standards, as noted on the ISTE website (http://www.iste.org/content/navigationmenu/nets/forstudents/2007standards/nets_for_students_2007_standards.pdf) and state standards is a critical challenge in regard to the development of digital stories (Laureate Education, 2008)..

            I had hoped to ignite a “fire” by studying technology, in both my students and myself, and I have not been disappointed. By monitoring the progress of my learning, and that of my pupils’ I feel confident that I will reach more students than ever as I expand the ways in which I present content area information and assess my charges. In evaluating my technology use I realized I had lamented the class time lost to technology instruction, only to understand that there was much to gain by fostering student mastery of said technology. For example, I can develop activities and discussion prompts, which can be addressed in any number of ways, outside of school hours, buying a great deal more time than I believed to have been lost. All in all, I am a more confident, well-rounded digital immigrant who is not breaking any records closing the gap, but is doing right by my learners as I expose them to different types of technologies, whether via classroom use or development, who recognizes the importance of such exposures, as well as the need to continue my own education in this area. Life long learning; the most effective way to teach it is to be the best example one can be. Embracing technology is allowing me to do just that.

 References

 Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Program number thirteen. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [Motion picture]. Spotlight on Technology: Digital Story Telling: Part 2. Baltimore: Author.

Advertisement