Evaluating my GAME plan progress - week 5
Isn’t it interesting how things seem to come around in cycles? A week ago as I paused to evaluate my progress thus far, I had taken some steps, small steps mind you, but steps nonetheless toward my first goal of having my students participate in on-line discussions as we read a work of literature. However, I had not really done anything of any significance with my second goal beyond some research. Well, a week later, it seems I am now getting somewhere with my second goal.
My second goal is to design and develop assessments for digital-age lessons that assist my students to make real-world connections with 21st century technologies (ISTE, 2008). I have several things in mind I would like to learn to incorporate into my lessons. The last two weeks, my thoughts have been focused on learning to have my students produce pod casts and video casts. While this is something I would really like to work toward and have real plans for such, I need to also be looking into other methods of getting my students using technology in my lessons. It just so happens that one of the assignments I have been dabbling with and have tried a few variations of is an assessment I conduct as I conclude my lesson on indirect characterization. As I have been working the past week, I have had the epiphany to develop this lesson with a technology-based assessment. I had some ideas skulking about in my head but I wasn’t quite sure what to do with them. Then, as fate would have it, I read Melissa’s week 4 blog, in which she discussed her use of Schoology (Provost, 2010). I had to go check out the site. While looking it over, it occurred to me that this site might just prove to work for me as a place to have my students create “mock” facebook pages for characters in the novel we are reading. I could feel the ideas ricocheting about in my head. This has potential.
While I’m not there yet, I started just this Monday with my fourth block students on Schoology. I am basically using them as a trial run with this, a test drive. It may not be the final version of this assignment, but this will definitely be a big step toward my goal. I’m sure I’ll have to make adjustments but I think I’m on to something here. I’ll definitely let you guys know how it goes.
p.s. Thanks Melissa!!!
References:
ISTE. (2008). The ISTE NETS and performance indicators for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved
from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx
Provost, M. (2010). Monitoring my game plan progress. [blog]. Retrieved from http://mprovost.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/monitoring-my-game-plan-progress-week-4/ on November 27, 2010.
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Wesley,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your blog post! I just looked into and signed up for Schoology. This site resembles Facebook and will definitely interest students. It is very similar looking to the Edmodo website and page that I recently created. As with Edmodo, I am just starting out with Schoology. Have you been able to explore it yet? I searched for you in hopes that I could "add" you as a friend and experiment with the website. You came up as unverified (as am I). I am waiting for an email verification and then hopefully we can connect and start exploring together. You are very brave to take this on with a class of students! I would love to see the work your class is doing if possible. Good luck with your action plan & reaching your goals!
Connie,
ReplyDeleteHey, I appreciate your comments and affirmation. I just wish I knew what I was doing a little bette with this site. I think my problem right now is that I don't have verificaton yet so I can't really explore. I'm afraid that my district's email server has such a strong spam filter that the verification request may be getting lost. I am going to call the 800 number in the morning. Keep me posted as to how and when you get verfication. Thanks so much.
Wesley
Wesley,
ReplyDeleteI really like your idea for Schoology. I think that I am going to try to incorporate that into my classroom. My students are constantly talking about Facebook and I really think that they would get a lot out of creating a page about their character from their book. All of my students have independent books that they are reading at their own level and interest. This would be a great way for them to connect to their book and show through technology their understanding of the characters in their books. This would even work for the students that are reading non-fiction text. I am going to look into and come back to read your posts about your success. I will look at Connie's too, and then I will let you know if I have an success! Thanks and good luck to you and Connie!
Woohoo! Well, it looks like I better get back out there and continue my Schoology launch so we can all compare notes. Wesley, after reading your reply on the discussion board last week, I was telling my intern about your idea for students to create character facebook-ish pages and how this paralleled the "Romeo and Juliet" VERONAFOLIO pages we make on paper in my class; I told her I was excited to see how you progressed and now I get to share with her that you are indeed giving it a try!
ReplyDeleteI think our minds are becoming more and more wired like technology...at some points you can perform endless dead-end searches, but then when you find that direct-hit, the ideas and forward "links" just start popping! Before you know it, we can go from zero information to an overload of options and directions, thus needing the critical thinking skills that can transport the good ideas to the next level and filter out the bad ones. Even if Schoology doesn't pan out, the process of inquiry, investigation, trial and reflection is what makes us more reflective practitioners and masterful self directed learners.
Good luck!
Melissa