Monitoring My GAME Plan

My main focus has been on achieving my goal for ISTE Standard 1:. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  Indicator c. “promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes” (ISTE).  However, due to technology restrictions in my school I will have to refocus my GAME plan on my goals for ISTE Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  Indicator b. states that teachers “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” (ISTE). 

Originally I wanted to incorporate a technology enriched assessment for each unit plan I teach and to develop a list of creative, technology-based assessments for students to choose from.  After becoming inspired by the course text this week, I have decided to develop a student an on-going portfolio project that incorporates each of the above assessments.  John Ross explains that assessments provide valuable data and help teachers support student learning by understanding their individual needs (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).  Students will document and reflect on various portfolio projects of their choice.  Student contributions to their portfolio will include a combination of assessments of personal choice along with required pieces. 

            It will take time to develop project-based assessments for each unit plan that incorporate technology.  I understand that this process could be several years in the making.  As with all lesson plans and projects, I will have to edit and revise my new projects based on successful implementation and issues that arise throughout each project’s process.  The projects will be developed based on content standards and students will be expected to show mastery of the required standard.  These projects will serve as documentation of each student’s mastery of coordinating content standards.

            I have begun the process of creating a list of creative assessments to add to the portfolio.  I would like the list to be extensive enough that students would complete two or three projects each school quarter.  By the end of the school year, students would write reflections of their experiences while creating each project.  I have reflected on my experiences in undergraduate school and I have contacted a teacher from a different school district to give me ideas of suggestions while developing my list.  If anyone has creative, project or problem-based assessments, I would love to hear them!

            Even though my original plans to incorporate a blog into my classroom fell through, I have decided to refocus my goals.  The portfolio will serve as a combination of a documentation portfolio I which students “demonstrate growth by incorporating work samples that show a range of student proficiency over time” (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, p. 151) and a showcase portfolio which “contains samples of exemplary work” (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, p. 151).  Developing student portfolios to document student work will help students take more responsibility in their work and also show mastery of content standards. 

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.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore: Author.