Better bring your A game...

Setting Goals, taking action, monitoring progress, and evaluating results: it sems so easy, simple,a nd straightforward. We do this kind of metacognitive analysis constantly, yet we rarely break down our thinking into small enough chunks for our students to follow.  Putting a name to it, whatever it is, is the first step in moving toward understanding.

My own GAME Plan for infusing technology skills into the content curriculum involves more thorough understanding of that sophisticated thinking process, the thinking about thinking that goes on as we use the internet and on-line resources as daily tools to achieve what we want. In wanting to become more proficient with blogging, I've had to awaken my inner blogger and ad a site dedicated to this class and my ideas about teaching today's students. 

 While I was successful in setting up a page, with a simple template, I need to keep a journal, electronic, of course, to jot down the constant stream of consciousness emitted when I am in hot pursuit of ideas. Several of my classmates commented on my blog post, which led me further down the road toward the title of blogger. They also felt my pain and encouraged my development as I stumble through this learning curve.

 In monitoring my success with this new technology (participating and creating, rather than simply reading and lurking in the comments sections), I realize that I need to spend more time ensuring that I am subscribed to each of you, that I am checking some of your blogs daily as part of my daily class routine. 

To evaluate my progress thus far, I am learning, and I still have a lot to learn. In discussions with other teachers in other districts, I hear that “the young teachers are so innovative, and they have students submitting assignments via email, or entering blog posts. They're always in contact.” The technology teacher who spoke these very words teaches 7^th grade computers and technology, yet she is readying for retirement. Without ageism rearing its ugly head, I return to the notion of Prensky's Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants. How do 20^th century teachers reach 21^st century students? In ten years, where will technology drive education? In seeking to find the answers to these questions, I will be forced to refine my own technological skills, to update my technological resume to compete.

How can a blog be adapted to become a class website? What other ways can I incorporate group community and collaborative learning? What absolutely needs to be done with technology and what can be completed in the classroom? How will the tools I choose improve the four C's of learning: how will it allow for students to use critical thinking and creativity to collaborate and communicate? If I can not answer these questions about the tools and tech I bring into the class, I might need to rethink my thinking about thinking.

More to follow as the GAME plan marches on....