The GAME plan strategy has been extremely helpful in creating and achieving goals that will benefit myself and especially my students. I have seen a great improvement in the quality and content of the lessons I am using within my classroom. Technology is easily integrated into my lessons and is helping to engage all students. This class has exposed me to many additional possibilities that come with using technology in class. I feel much more prepared and confident when it comes to social networking, digital storytelling, and problem-based learning as instructional support to help deliver content and achieve standards.
The first GAME plan I established involved improving activities and making learning more personalized. As I created lessons, I focused on how I could make my lessons more meaningful and personal to my students. I created lessons with the thought of how this lesson could be applied to my students and have personal meaning to them. I was able to provide lessons that met the needs of the diverse learning styles of my students and provided authentic and engaging activities to give meaning to the academic content.
Improving contact with parents and the community was the focus of my second GAME plan. I regularly used a classroom blog and enjoyed the contributions made by the parents. The students found the blog to be a great way to share the activities and knowledge they were learning in the classroom. I also worked with the students to create public Voice Threads allowing the parents to participate in digital storytelling with the class. I created and regularly updated a classroom website providing resources and information for parents. I was impressed with how many hits the website received during the first month. The students were excited to share with their parents the neat resources that could be found on the class website. Using a parent survey, I received input about the efforts made to improve communication between the home and classroom.
I continue to try to use technology on a daily basis. My school is extremely blessed with the amount of technology available. I have found ways to incorporate student responders along with digital storytelling and social networking. I have used interactive Mimios, Power Points, and other technology programs to improve learning and deliver meaningful instruction. I have found opportunities to use digital storytelling in many areas of the curriculum. Social networking has proved to be a beneficial and effective way to communicate and share classroom activities with parents. I still feel a bit restricted by the young age of my students, but I have been able to make accommodations to make things work. The support and assistance needed still limits the amount of activities and problem-based learning that can be done. The students are becoming more and more independent, and I see the advantages that this type of learning provides. As we begin our second problem-based learning activity, things are moving at a much quicker pace with fewer questions and problems.
Recently, I was able to attend a training about using digital storytelling in the classroom. It was very helpful and provided many suggestions on how this simple technology strategy can be used to increase learning. I love this technique, and I see the positive results that this form of technology provides. The students are thoroughly engaged and anxious to create and share their digital stories.
I enjoy this type of class where new resources and forms of technology are presented and shared. I found the wiki to be very helpful and not as challenging as I had thought. I am going to plan a lesson where students can use a wiki to support learning and problem-based activities. Even though my students are young, there are a lot of ways that technology can be used, and with a little creative, patience, and thought, even the youngest of students can enjoy learning with technology.
