Over the past five weeks I have been working through the GAME plan process as described by Crennamo, Ross and Ertmer in Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. In implementing the GAME plan process I set three goals to address ISTE standards for teachers. In the following weeks I took action, monitored what I had learned and evaluated my progress towards my goals. What I liked best about this process was that it was fluid and could be changed or adjusted as monitoring dictated. Also, the plan allows for much organization and reflection as goals and steps are the focus.
The GAME plan process could be used with my students. Many of my students have never taken a technology survey to truly assess where they are in their knowledge of available technologies. This would be a necessary first step if students are to set realistic goals for themselves. Once the class had taken individual surveys, I think it would be important to model the entire GAME plan process to elementary students by setting one class goal that would address one of the individual survey results. It would be beneficial to take the entire class through the process, one step a week, modeling each step and adjustments made. Once the class has worked through the GAME plan process with one common goal, I would challenge each student to look back at his/her survey and set one goal to work through the process individually. This would again require weekly checking in to determine progress through the plan. It may be necessary to group students with like goals for additional support.
I believe the GAME plan process will help overcome two challenges that our authors in the EDUC:6713 resources have posed. First, by having a GAME plan, students will be continually reminded of the focus of their task and will be less likely to focus on the technology itself. Second, by setting and monitoring individual goals, competition between students should not be an issue. Students need only compete with themselves.
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12 years ago
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Susan,
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about elementary students participating in developing and completing a GAME plan, I cannot help but think that the modern day student will have so many more advantages over students from my generation. It blows my mind when I see lessons that are created for elementary students - they seem so much more advanced from when I was in elementary school (born in 1983). Even the lessons that have been showcased in the DVD resources are above and beyond what I ever remember learning.
However, your suggestion of completing one step of the GAME plan per week can definitely make it easier for elementary school students to learn the concept of the GAME plan. My question is, what standards would you use? Have technology standards been developed for elementary-aged students? If so, where can I find them? I have looked at the ISTE.org site and I did not locate standards specific to this age group. Which brings me back to my original comment - I cannot believe that elementary students even understand the NETS standards for students.
I agree with you that the GAME plan and NETSS should add focus to my class as well. My students will now have a vision of where we are going instead of just me leading them blindly.
ReplyDeleteThere are no technology standards specifically written for elementary students yet. I see the 2007 ISTE's Educational Technology Standards for students (http://www.iste.org/ as a guide for elementary teachers to begin to lay the groundwork for secondary eduaction. Students can see modeling of creativity & innovation in lessons. Communication & collaboration can be taught and examples of how to do so with digital media would open some doors for students. I believe students cannot understand NETS on their own. They can get there though.
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