Carrying out my GAME plan

I have begun to implement my GAME plan in measured steps and have considered what I need to do to progress further.  My goals are to use technology to assist with communication of information and content and modeling and teaching responsible use and documentation of resources in online communities.

NETS-T  3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning  c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats  (NETS-T)

Resources:  In order to meet my goal, I will need resources that include technology, colleagues, and less tangible resources.  The technology that is required includes a blog interface, a school website with a parent portal and the ability to post resources and links, an email distribution list, and software/hardware that allow me to create and manage class information like Publisher and SmartBoard.  Online multimedia, games, and informational websites will provide additional resources.  I will use the skill, creations, and input of colleagues within my building, district, and online sharing communities to assist, supplement, and inspire my work.  Finally, as I hope to make my lessons and offerings dynamic and engaging I need adequate time, inspiration, and drive to deal with the trial and error aspects of creative lesson planning.

Additional Information:  To help me move forward, I need to understand the capabilities of the technology I use and the usefulness of the various options.  I must also better understand what materials and resources are free to use and how I should acknowledge the use of materials created by others (This ties in with my second goal).  I want to reflect on the incidence of use of the materials I create to ensure that the efforts are not for naught.  I also need to continue learning about the various technologies I hope to use while working toward my goals.

Steps so far:  I have a blog established, but I am working to provide links that are more informational, increase the use of meaningful games, and provide exciting activities on the page.  I am creating various original resources as I create lessons and notes with my new SmartBoard.  Our school has recently begun using a new website that allows for increased communication with parents and students, though not all features have been rolled out thus far.  Preliminary information and parameters have been implemented and I continue to explore potential applications of the features on the website.

NETS-T  4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility  a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources (NETS-T)

Resources:  I will consult with the Media Center Specialist to review fair use policies and establish a collection of resources from which we are permitted to use materials without asking express permission, e.g. subscription services.  I will also use resources like APA citation manuals and online referencing guides to determine best practices for citing resources online and in the classroom.  Creative commons will be used to collect and share resources.  The last resource that I will use will be blogs to determine accepted protocols in the online community, extra credence will be given to blogs with an educational focus.  Ultimately I will need a student friendly version of the rules so I can share them with my students.

Additional Information:  I need to know what fair use practices say about use for educational purposes as I am not fully informed about what can and cannot be used without expressed permission.  I need to determine what type of citations are required by my district and the technology I use, e.g. blogger and our website host.  As I have a limited understanding of how creative commons works, I need to explore and participate in that resource sharing site.

Steps so far:  I have used simple citations, i.e. “from the Weather Channel,” to begin citing the images I include on my blog.  Additionally, I have tried to use photographs that I have taken to illustrate my posts, post links to notes and images rather than copy and paste, and embed items with inherent authorship stated such as youtube videos from the original author.  Finally, I have been cognizant about recognizing the ideas and suggestions of my students in my work; students are always referenced in my blog and my classroom when I use their ideas.

I hope to hear from you, my classmates, if you are aware of any resources that have helped you with either of these goals or if you see something that I have overlooked when it comes to additional information.  Unfortunately, I can only see these topics from my own eyes and I am quite sure that there are angles that I have not covered.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts, suggestions, and feedback.

References:

National Education Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) located at: http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf