Indicator 1b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
Goal: To help my students become more self-directed in pursuing online inquiry projects that will help solve problems in our community.
Actions:
- Perform my own online inquiry project to discover problems in our community. My wondering will be What are the major problems in the city of Boonville, Indiana?
- If there is insufficient information online or to supplement my findings, I will interview community members to gain more information about local problems.
- Once I have a clear understanding of the major issues in our community, I will complete an online inquiry project to identify potential solutions to our problems.
- From there, I must learn about strategies to help my students discover our local problems, on their own, and become motivated to solve them in our class projects.
- During student projects, promote interaction with community members through class visits, field trips and, of course, online communication tools.
- Promote a sense of accomplishment as my students present their findings, using digital media, to all interested parties in our community.
Monitor: I plan to complete my research (action steps 1 to 4) prior to the end of our first quarter. Then I will be able to implement my strategies in my classes (action steps 5 and 6). To determine the success of my actions, I will keep a record of the number of students pursuing inquiry projects about problems in our community.
Evaluate: The level of success will be identified with a rubric that measures each student’s impact on the community. Ideas for improvement will be explored and new GAME plans may be developed.
Indicator 2c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
Goal: For each of my students to feel comfortable and successful when using technology in my class.
Action Plan:
- Take an inventory of my students’ learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.
- Place each student on a team with peers that have similar learning styles and working strategies.
- Each team should also have students with a variety of abilities. For instance, one student who is highly proficient with technology, one who is proficient, and one who is a beginner.
- Complete an inquiry project to discover new technologies and more advanced tools of current technologies. My wondering will be What technologies can support the diverse needs of my students? A subquestion will be How can I use our current technologies to better meet the needs of each student?
- Integrate these new technologies and advanced features of current technologies.
- Have each student reflect on their experiences with these tools by completing a post about each technology to their personal blog.
Monitor: Formative assessments throughout student projects will measure student abilities with technology. Student comfort levels and interest in using these technologies will also be surveyed. Student blog posts will serve as evidence for student comfort and success.
Evaluate: This plan will not be successful unless all of my students are passing my class and are comfortable with technology. Success will be determined by the growth shown in formative assessments and in their blog posts.
I think that your GAME plan (Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. 2009) is a great idea. I know that it is hard to get students involved in the community. I think that if the students are choosing the problems in the community they are interested in learning about and possibly being involved with they will learn better and be more engaged, which is a prerequisite for student directed learning.
ReplyDeleteDebbie Stoh
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Mr. Scales,
ReplyDeleteAs a history teacher, I can certainly commend you for your courage to step out of the box and be creative with your assessments. Many of the history teachers at our school are very content with lecturing and giving students multiple choice questions. I like your ideas of formative assessments. What a great way to spark interest in history from middle school students! Students will probably be motivated to complete projects as they work in groups. Since this generation is very efficient in technology, this will be a great way to connect learning to what they already know.
I have also started implementing project-based assessments as a means to evaluate my students. I have noticed how so many of my students are doing better on tests and are becoming more interested in math. In addition I have noticed an increase in my students' math achievement. You are definitely on the road to success with your students!