Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

My GAME Plan process had two goals: one was to incorporate five new technologies into my lessons (using ideas from Walden and elsewhere) and giving my students choices on how to complete assignment with their choice of technology. I recently have begun writing book talks for the book “Jennifer Murdley’s Toad”. For assessment, I offered my students choices. They could write the talk, type it into Word, and create a podcast using Audacity. They could do a ten-slide digital story. Or they could create a video book talk. They could pick the way they could complete this project and I would assess their mastery of the material. I have to admit giving students this much freedom was difficult at first and I think the results will be great, but it is hard to let go for some projects.

I have also found that the more technology we use in my classroom, the more comfort, confidence, and eagerness is instilled into the students. They are becoming more proficient with the technology and almost want me to eliminate any “traditional” lessons. They want to learn using 21st century skills even though they are unaware that what we are doing is learning with 21st century skills that will benefit them in the future. After the completion of this course, it will be my goal to keep up with new technology and that means setting a goal of incorporating one new tech into my lessons per month. I think that learning with technology will be a great asset to my students and I want to give them the best chance at success.

Many comments I have received from my learning community have been mostly about creating hands-on lessons using the free technology of web 2.0 tools. Through websites like Free Tech For Teachers, http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
there should never be a shortage of the new tech ideas that can be used in the classroom.

In conclusion, ditch the text and worksheets and bring in the tech!

Thanks!
Craig

3 comments:

  1. Craig,

    In response to your conclusion, my campus just recently became a no worksheet campus. At first, it was a little overwhelming. However, with all of the new technology that I have been discovering and all of the class discussions, assignments and collaboration, it gets less and less overwhelming each day. I agree that technology is on the way in and worksheets are on the way out.

    Hayley

    Hayley

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  2. Craig,

    It is hard to imagine a world without textbooks, workbooks, worksheets, etc., but we can strive to minimize the use of these outdated teaching tools. Although I believe these antiquated tools can provide some value in the classroom, digital-age tools are the present and future of education.

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  3. Hayley and Jody,

    At my district where technology is old and new tech is hard to come upon, I can only hope that somehow, someway that more tech will become part of education and the funding will follow. I am guilty of using too many worksheets but through my GAME Plan, am hoping to eliminate them slowly but surely. In one of our Walden videos about assessment, the speaker asked, "Would you assess someone baking a cake with a pen and pencil or would you have them bake a cake?"

    The answer is obvious and that is why technology must be incorporated!

    Craig

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