Getting a GAME Plan

One of the most difficult issues that a teacher, or person for that matter, must ultimately admit is that no matter how much they learn their are still things that they could be better at. I recently read a list of technology standards for educators created by the International Society for Technology in Education. The group consisted of: Student learning & Creativity, Digital-Age Learning Experiences & Assessments, Digital-Age Work & Learning, Digital Citizenship & Responsibility, and Professional Growth & Leadership. I am very comfortable with encouraging student learning and creativity and educating digital citizenship and responsibility, since music and the music industry are so intertwined with these standards. However, their are two that I would like to become more fluent in. They are designing and developing digital-age learning experiences & assessments and engaging in professional growth and leadership. Fortunately, I have created a game plan to help me become more confident in each of these areas.

My goal will be to create and use at least one newly designed digital-age learning experience and assessment each week, as well as commit to engaging in at least one technology related professional learning activity per quarter. The way that I will achieve these goals is through networking and accountability. I will start by finding teachers that are more experienced in these areas and, essentially, ask them if they would be a mentor or guide to me during this season of growth. Then I will post my new lessons to a blog or wiki where they would be able to respond with their comments about how I could continue to better them and my understanding. I will be able to monitor my progress through the comments that the teachers are leaving, as well as be able to see if I’m reach my desired lesson out put by simply looking at the posts on the wiki/blog. Aside from having the networked mentor teachers give me pointers on my lessons I will also be able to find out what sorts of professional technology activities are being made available to teachers.

Evaluating my growth will be done by checking the posts to the wiki/blog. From here I should see a gradual depletion of growth centered mentor comments. I should also be able to calculate the number of lessons that I have been able to implement. The last area of evaluation I will make is to post all of the professional development activities that I have completed so that I will be able to gage how I am reaching these goals.

I expect that with this game plan and a strong willingness to grow as an educator I will be able to provide the level of quality that our students need for the future. If you have any ideas let me know.