My GAME Plan Continued
Last week in my blog I wrote about National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS T) that I wanted to strengthen in my own practice. I then created a GAME plan for myself where I picked two of the indicators from the NETS T and set goals for my improvement. The two indicators I would like to strengthen my confidence and proficiency in are modeling digital-age work and learning, and engaging in professional growth and leadership.
The two Goals I want to accomplish are “I will model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate and use information resources to support research and learning.” The second goal was “I will contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of my school and community.” The resources I will need to carry out my plan are a forum where new technologies are introduced to teachers. Now that our Graduate School program is almost over, I am worried that I will not know how to find new technologies. Another resource I could use would be to read books that introduce new technologies. I could even contact my district technology coordinator and ask him to keep me updated. The additional information I need is what would be the best way to contribute the new technologies I learn about to the faculty at my school. I was wondering if during our faculty meetings our principal may give me five minutes to introduce a new technology. Then, if teachers are interested I can give them a more thorough explanation. I will make sure to impress upon them that technology can be very beneficial for differentiation and the bulk of instruction (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).
The steps I have taken so far to achieve my goal is to email the district technology people about new technologies. I asked them if they have a way of being introduced to technologies that they are willing to share (i.e. a blog or website). I also asked what ways they are getting the information out to teachers in the district. I found out that our district has a website already dedicated to new technolgoies http://my.uen.org/myuen/215616.
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Meeting students’ needs with technology: Part 1. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://www.courseurl.com.
Hi Chelsea,
ReplyDeleteI too worry I will not be able to find and feel comfortable using new forms of technology. technology is ever evolving and I find once I am comforable with a technological tool, there is a better and more effective stratgy I should be using. Faculty meetings are a great way to introduce the entire school with new methods. Do you think you would feel comfortable presenting what you learn in this class with your colleagues?
Hi Kristy,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your reply. I do feel comfortable with presenting the great ideas and technologies we have learned about in this class to my colleagues. I have even tried through e-mail, but have not recieved a great response. I am wondering if the formal setting of the faculty meeting might be the best way to share. What do you think?
Chelsea
Chelsea,
ReplyDeleteI know that we are all busy, so it is tough to find a great venue for sharing information with colleagues. It is especially difficult as the school year is winding down. However, I just commented on Kristy's blog that shared Google documents are a great way to update colleagues on new technology tools and stay connected. If you have not already used them, Google docs can be set up to share with as many people as you choose. You can have them be editors (so they can add information), commenters (to add comments to your ideas) or just viewers (with no rights to add to the document itself, simply to read it). Although we are all busy, if you send the initial invite to the shared document, it will maybe encourage them to check it out more often than by sending emails. You can update the document as often as you like, and then remind and encourage your colleagues to check back with the document for ideas. The nice thing about Google docs is that once they are shared, all of you are able to access and read the new information. If all are editors, it can end up being an interactive, collaborative document that remains current with relation to new technologies. Then, maybe a faculty meeting would be a good place to show the document, and remind colleagues to access and add to it as needed. Good luck.
Chelsea,
ReplyDeleteI know that we are all busy, so it is tough to find a great venue for sharing information with colleagues. It is especially difficult as the school year is winding down. However, I just commented on Kristy's blog that shared Google documents are a great way to update colleagues on new technology tools and stay connected. If you have not already used them, Google docs can be set up to share with as many people as you choose. You can have them be editors (so they can add information), commenters (to add comments to your ideas) or just viewers (with no rights to add to the document itself, simply to read it). Although we are all busy, if you send the initial invite to the shared document, it will maybe encourage them to check it out more often than by sending emails. You can update the document as often as you like, and then remind and encourage your colleagues to check back with the document for ideas. The nice thing about Google docs is that once they are shared, all of you are able to access and read the new information. If all are editors, it can end up being an interactive, collaborative document that remains current with relation to new technologies. Then, maybe a faculty meeting would be a good place to show the document, and remind colleagues to access and add to it as needed. Good luck.
Sandy,
DeleteThat is a really good suggestion. I hope that my colleagues would go onto it and edit it, but I am afraid that many of them are just so new to technology that they would have no confidence to try them independently.Any suggestions?
Chelsea
Chelsea,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have a good start to carrying out your Game Plan. I have found that meeting with other teachers is also a really great way to learn about new technologies. Another thing you could try is simply asking some older elementary students...you'd be amazed at what they can introduce you to. In my district, we have a great technology department and they do training sessions all summer to help out the teachers and to train on new technologies that are available to us. You might want to suggest training sessions for your district. Nice post, Chelsea!
Traci,
DeleteI really like the idea of asking older students. I think we are often surprised by the amount and variety of technology our students are familiar with. Thanks for the suggestion.
Chelsea
Chelsea,
ReplyDeleteThat is great that your district already has a website dedicated to new technologies. Hopefully, this will be beneficial to you as you complete this graduate program. I like your idea of using 5 minutes during faculty meetings to introduce a new technology to the other teachers. Then, you leave it up to them if they want more explanation. Hopefully, the more you talk about the positive components with technology, the more teachers would be willing to implement them within their classroom. I hope this works well for you, and you begin to see change occurring at your school! Great post!
Sam R.
Me too! Thanks Sam!
DeleteChelsea
Chelsea-
DeleteI worry too about not being able to keep up with the most innovative research in education with our classes ending soon. I'm sure your Principal would be happy to allow you to introduce new technology. Many of the teachers will take advantage of someone willing to teach them something new. I myself, am not good at technology and would appreciate someone willing to teach me something new. I am going to collaborate with the technology specialist at my school to help me with my game plan. I teach intensive reading and fell into the slump of teaching a monotonous reading program because my district forces us to. After taking these technology classes I realize that I can incorporate many new things without being out of compliance. I am excited to add technology because I know this will bring up the engagement of my students.