Over the past few weeks I have gone through the entire GAME plan process by: creating two goals, planning and implementing specific actions, monitoring my progress, and evaluating my actions. Although this process was rather lengthy and I did not meet both of my goals, I still learned how to be self-directed when it came to my learning of the NETS-T. The NETS-T and NETS-S are nearly the same. The only difference between the two is that the teacher version is instructing students how to meet their standards (NETS-S). As the GAME plan process helped me as a teacher, it can also be helpful when teaching students to develop proficiency in the NETS-S as they learn to become more self-directed learners.
Cennemo, Ross, and Ertmer explain that, “While the ultimate goal is that students will, over time, assume full responsibility for their learning, teachers need to provide guidance and support while students are in the process of becoming self-directed” (2009, p. 30). Rather than having students create two goals, I would ask them to choose the one that they need the most practice with. The six different standards that the students could choose from are: creativity and innovation; communication and collaboration; research and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; digital citizenship; and technology operations and concepts. After they have chosen a goal they will have to create a plan of action by incorporating the standard into the problem-based project which they are given. Throughout the project students will monitor their progress at specific check points and at the end of the activity students will evaluate themselves when it comes to meeting their overall goal.
Although the students will have the option to be creative in solving the overall problem, they will be required to work towards a NETS-S goal and learn the math content at the same time. Throughout this authentic type of active learning and GAME plan process, students will be completing a task that helps lead them towards becoming self-directed learners.
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.
Erin-
ReplyDeleteI think your plan for students to chose one area that they feel they need to improve upon is fantastic. Would you have them work on this for the entire year? Trimester? Semester? Quarter? When I first read this I was thinking each trimester or quarter students would focus on a different goal. You could even have students reflect at the end of the grading period about what they feel they have accomplished with their goal. Good luck with this idea!
~Meghan
Meghan-
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of having them focus on one standard for each project, but I think that your idea about focusing on one each quarter is an even better idea! A project is so short that it would be nice to allow them a quarter so that they have multiple weeks of practice. Thanks for the thoughts!
Erin
Erin~
ReplyDeleteI like how you will make the students choose 1 goal that they want to improve on. I think sometimes if it is to involved they get all mixed up in the process they forget to "learn."
Just as Meghan said I also like the idea of every semester or trimester to focus on one standard. Might have to use that one! Thanks girls!
~Michele