Pizza Slices

Learning Profile Survey

Child’s Name ________________________________________

Name child prefers to be called_____________________________________

Is your child potty trained? ____________________________

Child’s Ethnicity___________________________________________________

Name of Parents/Guardian(s):_____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

How do you prefer I contact you (Check one)?  E-mail ______  Phone________

E-mail address__________________________________________________________

Phone Number__________________________________________________________

Does your child have any known allergies or medical conditions? ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Who does your child live with? ____________________________________________

What language do you speak in the house?__________________________________

What are some activities you do with your child?_____________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Would you like to volunteer in the classroom?  Yes ___________  No _________

If you answered yes to the last question, when are you available?_______________

________________________________________________________________________

Any questions or concerns?________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Reflection

Reflect on the GAME plan you developed and followed throughout the course. Summarize any new learning that resulted from following your GAME plan, and explain what impact your new learning will have on your instructional practice. Describe how you might revise your plan based on your progress. Also, share your thoughts and ideas about how you might modify and use the GAME plan process with your students.

            When I first started reading the GAME plan, I got a little nervous because I teach very young children and I was not sure how each GAME plan would work with them.  The first GAME plan looked at Problem Based Learning and incorporating it with technology.  Through the support of my classmates in the group discussion, I was able to come up with an idea of using everyday questions my preschoolers ask to create a lesson.  For this particular lesson, I had students exploring why snow melted faster or slower depending on different items.  I continued the lesson further by using pictures on the SmartBoard to show the fastest to the slowest.  I also used the SmartBoard to show scientists conducting experiments with snow.  While I have not done this lesson in my classroom, I plan on doing it later in the year when we come to the Winter unit. The second GAME plan was online collaboration and this was simply not possible to do with preschoolers.  Through the advice of my instructor, I created an activity for ninth graders using a Facebook type format and creating a profile of a famous person from history.  These profiles would be placed on a blog for all to view and comment.  I wish I had the opportunity to do this with a class, because I really enjoyed creating this lesson.  The third GAME plan was digital storytelling.  This was my favorite unit!  My students love to use the program, Voicethread, to create their dictations on the computer.  For this particular lesson, I used the book The Snowman by: Raymond Briggs to have students put words to the story.  My students did a great job with this activity.

Describe any immediate adjustments you will make to your instructional practice regarding technology integration in your content area(s) as a result of your learning from this course. How might you integrate technology as well as problem-based learning, social networking/online collaboration, and digital storytelling into your instruction?

            One thing I will continue to use more often in the classroom is digital storytelling.  Through reading other classmates discussion posts, I learned a 2^nd grade teacher would be using digital storytelling with a science experiment.  The wheels have started turning and I believe I will be creating digital storytelling lessons that are made for different areas other than language arts.  While online collaboration was not possible with my preschoolers, I am considering doing a penpal type activity with my mom’s second grade class.  We would write the letter on SmartBoard and e-mail it to her class.  Her students would e-mail us a letter back.  This would allow for students to start learning about talking to others through the internet.  For problem based learning, I really liked using every day questions from my preschoolers.  I believe I will continue developing lessons based off those many “why” questions I get from my preschoolers on a regular basis.  

Game PLAN part 3

Goals:

1.      I will communicate ideas and information with parents and colleagues using digital media.

2.      I will participate in learning communities that will allow me to learn more about using technology with my preschoolers. 

·  Are you finding the information and resources you need?

           I am doing fine with my first goal.  I have found a couple of newsletters that I like.    I am having trouble with my second goal.  I can't seem to find a good learning community that deals specifically with preschool age.   

·  Do you need to modify your action plan?

.           For my second goal, I may need to modify my learning community to using technology with early childhood (grades PK-3). 

·  What have you learned so far?

            I have learned that many teachers have websites/blogs out there for parents and colleagues. 

·  What new questions have arisen?

For my first goal I am questioning if  I should do a blog or a website.  I thought I would be doing a blog, but now I am not sure.  What are the advantages/disadvantages  between a blog or website?  

GAME Plan continued

Goals:

1.      I will communicate ideas and information with parents and colleagues using digital media.

• What resources will you need to carry out your plan (video, reading, experts or colleagues, etc)?
• I will need a computer, a digital camera, a video camera to create ideas and information on my blog for parents and colleagues.   I will participate in learning communities that will allow me to learn more about using technology with my preschoolers. 
  

  • What resources will you need to carry out your plan (video, reading, experts or colleagues, etc)?
  • I will need to find learning communities that will allow me to learn more about technology and preschoolers. 
    
• What additional information do you need?


• Nothing at this time.
• What steps have you been able to take so far?


• I have begun looking for learning communities. 

GAME Plan

There are two standards from the International Society for Technology in Education that I want to improve on using in my professional life.  These two standards are (ISTE, 2008): 
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:

3. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:

a.       participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning

In order to use these standards more in my professional life, I will be creating a GAME plan.  A GAME plan sets goals, takes actions to meet those goals, monitors progress toward achieving these goals, and evaluates whether the goals were achieved (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, p. 3, 2009). 
GAME Plan
Goals:

1.      I will communicate ideas and information with parents and colleagues using digital media.

2.      I will participate in learning communities that will allow me to learn more about using technology with my preschoolers. 

Actions:

1.      To reach my first goal, I will set up a blog that parents and colleagues can view.  On this blog, there will be ideas on working with preschoolers. 

2.      To reach my second goal, I will search the website to find two learning communities that gives ideas on using technology with my preschoolers. 

Monitor progress

1.      To monitor the progress of my first goal, I will make sure the blog is updated every other week.  I will inform my colleagues about my blog by posting a sign in the lunchroom as well as sending out an e-mail.  I will inform parents in my classroom by putting it in my newsletter and the memo board outside the classroom.

2.      To monitor the progress of my second goal, I will implement two ideas I learned from the learning communities into my classroom every month. 

Evaluate

1.      To evaluate the success of my first goal, I will ask two parents and two colleagues to give me feedback on the blog.

2.      To evaluate the success of my second goal, I will keep a running record of how the lesson went that implemented the two ideas I learned from the learning community. 

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom

     use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

ISTE (2008).  International Society for Technology in Education.  Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards.aspx

Reflection on Course 6711

Reflect on the “Personal Theory of Learning” you developed in Week 1. Summarize any modifications to your personal theory of learning you have made as a result of your learning in this course. How has this course deepened your knowledge and understanding of learning theory and the use of educational technologies?

In Week 1 of this course, I talked about my personal theory of learning.  In one part of my paper, I stated “My personal theory of learning is that every student learns differently.  There is not one single method that will teach every one of my students.  It is my job to get to know my students and find out how each student learns.”  This can be a challenging task, because I have very young students that have never been to school.  Through taking this course, I have found how much technology relates to many different learning styles.  It is a learning tool that can be appropriate for all students.  In the video clip, Brain Research and Learning, Dr. Wolfe talked about the brain learning and remembering things when we teach the material more than one way. This directly correlates to the idea of the multiple intelligence theory. No two students learn alike and we must understand this in order to better address all the learning needs in our classrooms ((Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  Technology relates to many of the multiple intelligence and this is one of the reasons technology is beneficial to the classroom. If one of my students is visual learner and another is linguistic, I can teach both of these students with the same program on the computer.

Describe any immediate adjustments you will make to your instructional practice regarding technology integration as a result of your learning in this course. Identify two technology tools you would like to use with your students and how the tools will support or enhance your students’ learning. How has your repertoire of instructional skills expanded as a result of this course?

During my summer vacation, I have been collaborating with two other teachers in my building to create lessons that integrate technology.  I have shared information with the teachers that I learned in this class and it has opened all of our eyes to some new technology tools.  One technology tool that we want to use next year is VoiceThread (http://voicethread.com).  VoiceThread is an amazing and free resource that can help students work on dictations.  For our students who are on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for speech, this gives us another way to have students work on their pronunciation.  Another technology tool that we want to use next year is virtual field trips.  I did one virtual field trip this year with my students and I was amazed how much they enjoyed it.  They were able to answer many WH questions solely based off of watching the virtual tour. 

List two long-term goal changes you would like to make to your instructional practice regarding technology integration and outline a strategy for achieving them

1. This year, our school won a grant for I-pads in our school.  Next year, I would like to write a grant to get a SmartBoard in my classroom.  There are many advantages to a SmartBoard such as differentiation and meeting many different learning needs.  I believe I can use the SmartBoard as a way to integrate technology into my lessons and classroom. 
2. This coming school year, I would like to get another computer time for my students (this would allow us to go to the computer room for three times a week).  If I get another computer time, I want to use the computer time to do my calendar time as an interactive time on the SmartBoard.    

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program one. Understanding the brain [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.