Reflection

Reflection

The GAME plan that I developed was an attempt to go further in-depth on a project that I worked with my students on in the past.  I have asked my students to attack a classroom assignment that I refer to as the Stock Market Game with varying degrees of depth over the last few years.  This year provided me with a good opportunity to test out the integration of some technology that they could learn to use and then interact with their classmates with.

One of the eye-openers for me is that it can sometimes appear that we are attempting to force technology to work in some assignments.  I feel this way on occasion with the assignments in this program and maybe it is only because I have been churning away at this for eight classes.  I know that I love incorporating technology when I can but I prefer to make it authentic and well thought out.  I think that I would drop the separate steps of the blog and the digital storytelling video and combine them into one.  I think this would be a better experience for my students and would create a more authentic use of technology.  I think this is one of the adjustments I will make in the future.

Technology is definitely finding a way into my everyday lessons.  I still face the battle of finding enough functional equipment that is in my school to provide equal access for all of my students.  I think that the responses and feedback I got from them showed a real desire to use these tools that are a part of their regular life.  It is my job as the professional to do a better job of incorporating them seamlessly into my classroom and the curriculum.  This course and my GAME plan have definitely forced me to gain some hands-on experience in different types of technology.  One of my ongoing battles will be with my district on the use of social networking and online collaboration.  I have got to get them to see it as a valuable tool for our student’s education and not as a taboo environment.  There are so many things that are outside of our control when it comes to the education of our students.  I have to focus on the things I can control and make them the best I can while working to educate others and bring about positive changes to the things that are outside of my control.