Week 3 - Resources and Carrying out my GAME Plan

I would like to continue to strengthen my confidence and proficiency as I seamlessly integrate technology into my content area instruction. Having identified two standards for improvement from the National Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T), I have adequately prepared myself to take up the challenge in developing my plan, and my competency. The two standards are to develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities, and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress, and secondly to address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies, and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.

The use of data from multiple measures and resources to personalize student-learning activities will greatly assist me in carrying out my GAME Plan (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009). According to the CAST website, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that gives all individuals equal opportunities to learn, and provides flexible approaches that can be customized, and adjusted for individual needs. Additionally, I would have to use a broad range of technology resources to adapt instruction to different learning needs and ability levels, while supporting second language learners. Moreover, I would select and use assistive technologies to enable all students, to get involved in the learning process (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009). The specific resources needed to carry out my plan would be to tap into the CAST website, which would assist me in customizing and personalizing learning for my students. This site will not only help with professional development, but will also provide learning tools, and research and development. I can get help in designing lessons or units of study to meet the diverse learning challenges, skills and background of students, while learning the knowledge, skills, strategies, and tools to maximize learning opportunities for all students.

I will also utilize local, regional and state organizational websites that will enable me to increase my knowledge and confidence in using Assistive Technologies (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Hence, I will explore all the assistive tools available, such as visual considerations, language application, voice recognition systems, organizational software, and tools on Microsoft Word, Spreadsheet, and the Internet (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Additionally, I would like to attend conferences and trainings to prepare me to use the technology required for implementation in my classroom. I have sought the advice of my colleagues in selecting appropriate technology tools and resources suitable for the curriculum, not only for implementation, but also for monitoring and assessment purposes. Interestingly, my school had parent-teacher consultations just last week, which gave me the opportunity to talk with parents, and gather information on the students’ background, especially those with special needs. This information has made it easier for me to integrate technology into my instruction to meet the needs of all my students.

References

Cast. (1999-2011). Transforming Education through Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved on January 17, 2012 from http://www.cast.org/

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved on January 13, 2012 from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Program 5: Meeting student’s needs with technology, part 2 [DVD]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.