After reading over the NETS Standards for Teachers, I was able to gain a clearer vision of areas where I lack confidence. As a technology teacher, I feel that I am able to model digital-age work and learning; however, I struggle with providing students with real-world learning activities where they think for themselves and develop 21st century skills.
Two areas where I feel that I can improve are:
Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
b. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
Standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.
GOALS: I would like to utilize blogs/discussion posts for my students to collaborate and reflect upon their learning.
I would like to develop more authentic/engaging learning activities where students can “think out of the box” and reflect upon their own learning. I want students to have opportunities where they can collaborate with others to share in the learning and develop critical thinking skills.
ACTIONS: I will utilize the new blog and discussion areas on Edline where students can reflect and collaborate.
In order to create authentic learning activities, I will need to meet with other computer teachers in the county and online to share resources or develop authentic tasks. I would also like to work closely with a core subject teacher from my building to develop a lesson.
MONITOR: I will closely monitor class blogs/discussions to check for student understanding and content of conversations.
I will monitor the lessons that others share to see how well these activities promote student collaboration, creativity, and thinking.
EVALUATE: I will evaluate the use of blogs/discussion by the conversations and reflections of the students.
I will examine how successful meetings with other teachers in the county prove to be. In addition, I will reflect on the effort to collaborate with teachers globally.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved on September 13, 2011 from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx.
Great ideas and goals. What is Edline? I know one of my colleagues did blogs last year and struggled because each student needed their own email and they continually forgot their passwords, but this year she found a blog site where she sets up all their accounts, so that they do not need an email and she holds their passwords. Maybe this site would help you meet your goal. If you need it let me know and I will ask them for it. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteColleen
Colleen,
ReplyDeleteEdline is our grading program that we use to post grades. All students have access to it with a username and password, so it prevents them from having to use email accounts. The newest feature is blogs and class discussions.
Jill
Jill,
ReplyDeleteI, too, am a technology teacher. I have thought a great deal about developing blog usage in my class, but am not exactly sure where to begin, or with what content areas to set it in place. You mentioned working with colleagues of different subjects. What subjects will you be working with, and for what reason?
Danny,
ReplyDeleteGood question. I would really like to work with a colleagues who also teach computer, like you, for example. In addition, I would like to collaborate with one of the core subject teachers (perhaps science) to implement a lesson using technology that really develops student learning and creativity.
I often feel that I do so much on my own that sharing ideas with other teachers could be beneficial to me.
Jill
Jill