At this point in my GAME Plan, I am still working on learning more about using a wiki in the classroom. I haven’t been able to collaborate with other teachers, because of time constraints and scheduling. To modify this resource, I looked ahead and saw that a wiki will be incorporated for our lesson plan application, and I accessed resources online about help for teachers with creating a wiki in the classroom. The visual power point presentation was extremely helpful Wiki Help for Teachers.
I have learned so far that the idea of incorporating more technology into the math classroom is vital to motivating and preparing students. The eighth graders have been talking about the one high school in the area that is focused on technology. Some students have friends and relatives that attend a high school where all work is done online and each student has their own laptop. The question becomes the monitoring of the site and making sure students have enough access to participate online. Students are eager and curious, but can struggle using the technology correctly. I guess the help that I need are suggestions for keeping students safe and working on the given assignment and helping those students who lack knowledge or access with technology.
As for locating other online resources to assist students with their understanding and to give students options on the assessment of content knowledge, I have signed the students up for the computer lab and had students create their own online shopping experience. I am still searching for a simulation for percentages, but have found other simulations for later in the year. The idea of selecting a simulation software benefits students and the teacher by recording the choices they make on a given activity and analyzed for judgments made by students after the completion of the project (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009).
The activity I had students participate in to show knowledge of percents and discounts provided the opportunity to utilize technology skills. Students were given a list of stores or websites to access and then selected items or completed an Excel spreadsheet with a limit of $100 to spend using online coupons. This activity went well and students were completely engaged in the process with an added bonus of a reward the next day for the pair that were closest and did not go over the limit. The spreadsheet was then emailed and I checked the assignment later. It worked quite well and the students commented on the convenience of using the technology and I enjoyed the paperless trail of work. The GAME plan is working but time and energy needs to be focused on this one experience when there is so much more to do. Ertmer (2009) stated “the supportive culture of education can be teachers willing to take risks and other teachers being willing to work together.” This idea in mind working with others to build on lessons with technology allows next year to be more successful and the lesson after it.
Heather
MS-Math
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Laureate Education Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Ertmer, P., Program: 2. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [Educational Video]. Los Angeles: Solution.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
GAME Plan- Resources
The process of developing my GAME plan to integrate technology into the classroom involves several resources. To carry out the plan, I would need to collaborate with the other math teacher to include her class in the wiki. My colleague has worked on a wiki before and had her algebra class collaborate with another class in our school district on a project involving making tables to solve problems and then analyzing the data that was collected. Another resource to explore is more websites that vary in tasks to complete the lesson on percents (markup and discount or percent of change).
One step I have taken so far is locating other online resources for students to practice the math concepts and approach teaching them through a different method. One additional website I found integrated written problems about real world situations (http://www.purplemath.com/modules/percntof2.htm). Students can write their own after working through the examples. This task challenges student to take the information learned and apply it to their lives. The PurpleMath forum also gives students a resource for help after school.
Another step I have taken so far is looking over the wiki created by another math teacher in my building. This wiki was helpful in addressing some challenges with the task, by making sure all students participate in some way. The assessment for the task can be difficult so collecting informal data throughout from students helped with the grading. A method described in the text incorporates the KWHL chart, so students can complete the information on the math topic and give feedback on what students know and still want to learn as a guide for the lesson (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009).
The additional information I would need is more confidence with creating a wiki and possibly working on one with another colleague and our classes. I have only participated in two wikis before and still feel unsure of the process. I would need more time to search online for a variety of resources, to meet the needs of all my students’ learning whether technology or non-technology based activities. It could be activities centered on additional practice with the steps to solve a percent problem or to supplement the instruction.
Heather
MS-Math
Reference
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Stapel, Elizabeth. "'Percent of' Word Problems: Markup and Markdown Examples." Purplemath. Retrieved from http://www.purplemath.com/modules/percntof2.htm.
One step I have taken so far is locating other online resources for students to practice the math concepts and approach teaching them through a different method. One additional website I found integrated written problems about real world situations (http://www.purplemath.com/modules/percntof2.htm). Students can write their own after working through the examples. This task challenges student to take the information learned and apply it to their lives. The PurpleMath forum also gives students a resource for help after school.
Another step I have taken so far is looking over the wiki created by another math teacher in my building. This wiki was helpful in addressing some challenges with the task, by making sure all students participate in some way. The assessment for the task can be difficult so collecting informal data throughout from students helped with the grading. A method described in the text incorporates the KWHL chart, so students can complete the information on the math topic and give feedback on what students know and still want to learn as a guide for the lesson (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009).
The additional information I would need is more confidence with creating a wiki and possibly working on one with another colleague and our classes. I have only participated in two wikis before and still feel unsure of the process. I would need more time to search online for a variety of resources, to meet the needs of all my students’ learning whether technology or non-technology based activities. It could be activities centered on additional practice with the steps to solve a percent problem or to supplement the instruction.
Heather
MS-Math
Reference
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Stapel, Elizabeth. "'Percent of' Word Problems: Markup and Markdown Examples." Purplemath. Retrieved from http://www.purplemath.com/modules/percntof2.htm.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The GAME Plan
As a professional, the goal would be to increase technology usage to promote and support learning in the mathematical classroom and model digital-age work and learning. This involves practical and effective digital media being implemented in lessons to engage students in the curriculum. The real concern is the creation of lessons that can be modified to present students with challenging problems to solve. That is applicable to their lives. One site that teaches students to be better consumers is Percent Shopping. The activity teaches student to understand percent markup and discount in a game format.
Technology in the classroom allows students to collaborate with others and clarify their thinking by sharing the creative process. I would be interested in creating a wiki for students to post questions and collectively work on a given lesson. The access this link would provide parents support at home to help with assignments and tutorials to explain lessons, but created by students. Giving students’ ownership of their learning can be essential to providing that extra motivation to participate in class.
Technology gives students confidence to learn new skills and continually increase knowledge of programs and software. To be effective as an educator, we need to learn to create blogs, podcasts and wikis to present to students. This technology increases my network of professionals to access and discuss issues. It enhances students’ learning and allows students to work with others outside the classroom walls. It provides the connection students will encounter in the workplace.
The opportunity technology presents is the continuous work on projects throughout the year and not just over a few weeks. This paperless trail helps with monitoring students’ progress and creative use of technology to solve authentic problems. To determine the success of technology in the classroom the use of data and reflection on learning goals will be helpful (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009). Data can be collected through problem solving examples and assessment software linked to progress for individuals.
Technology affects the classroom from being teacher-centered to a more effective way of focusing on the students (Laureate Education Inc., 2009). The teacher should prepare students not just for high school success, but for the rest of their lives through enriched activities in multiple digital formats. Teaching changes when incorporating technology, because it allows students to be self-directed learners. Usually students are tested on skills that should be mastered by an individual. Instead they can work with peers and create stories, websites, and projects over periods of time for others to read and provide feedback. My mindset has changed from being the answer person in the room, to facilitating students to find and solve problems using different strategies on the Web. Students become involved in projects they care about and not just something presented in a textbook. Establishing these NETS-T goals in the classroom increases student knowledge and understanding while challenging the teacher to continually seek ways to connect the global and digital society with the classroom.
References
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Laureate Education Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Ertmer, P., Program: 3 Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences With Technology. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [Educational Video]. Los Angeles: Solution.
Technology in the classroom allows students to collaborate with others and clarify their thinking by sharing the creative process. I would be interested in creating a wiki for students to post questions and collectively work on a given lesson. The access this link would provide parents support at home to help with assignments and tutorials to explain lessons, but created by students. Giving students’ ownership of their learning can be essential to providing that extra motivation to participate in class.
Technology gives students confidence to learn new skills and continually increase knowledge of programs and software. To be effective as an educator, we need to learn to create blogs, podcasts and wikis to present to students. This technology increases my network of professionals to access and discuss issues. It enhances students’ learning and allows students to work with others outside the classroom walls. It provides the connection students will encounter in the workplace.
The opportunity technology presents is the continuous work on projects throughout the year and not just over a few weeks. This paperless trail helps with monitoring students’ progress and creative use of technology to solve authentic problems. To determine the success of technology in the classroom the use of data and reflection on learning goals will be helpful (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009). Data can be collected through problem solving examples and assessment software linked to progress for individuals.
Technology affects the classroom from being teacher-centered to a more effective way of focusing on the students (Laureate Education Inc., 2009). The teacher should prepare students not just for high school success, but for the rest of their lives through enriched activities in multiple digital formats. Teaching changes when incorporating technology, because it allows students to be self-directed learners. Usually students are tested on skills that should be mastered by an individual. Instead they can work with peers and create stories, websites, and projects over periods of time for others to read and provide feedback. My mindset has changed from being the answer person in the room, to facilitating students to find and solve problems using different strategies on the Web. Students become involved in projects they care about and not just something presented in a textbook. Establishing these NETS-T goals in the classroom increases student knowledge and understanding while challenging the teacher to continually seek ways to connect the global and digital society with the classroom.
References
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Laureate Education Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Ertmer, P., Program: 3 Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences With Technology. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [Educational Video]. Los Angeles: Solution.
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