Futher Progress on GAME Plan

To make sure I answer all parts of this week's assignment and to keep myself organized, I am going to use the bulleted list included in the Application instructions for week 5.

• How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?

The actions I have taken to meet my first goal of designing a summative assessment each 9 weeks have been helpful in helping me get the ideas and support to design these authentic projects. Initially these actions were enough. As I've gathered resources and ideas, I now need to revisit the actions and include some more concrete, maybe deadline oriented actions. (Although, there are deadlines worked in to the monitoring section of the GAME Plan.) I also need to include actions to create the materials for the students to complete the assessment.

The actions for my second goal--updating classroom website so it is more than just information--have been adequate. The action I now need is to encourage the students to make visiting our LexConnect a regular part of their routines for ELA.

• What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

As I am conducting informal surveys and discussing my GAME Plan with my students, and my progress with my students, the biggest thing I have learned that I can apply to my instruction is that not every student is as interested in using technology as I originally thought. I thought all students would be all over it. I have also learned that not all parents view the computer as an important tool in education. Students report of being grounded from the computer and are not even allowed to go on it for class use. So not only do I have to keep in mind that not everyone has up-to-date technology available to them, but also they may not have the desire or ability to use it if they have it.

• What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?

One big thing I still need to learn, and this applies directly to my instruction, is how much of the technological application should I teach? How much do students need to know? How much should I let them explore and discover on their own?

Also, I need to learn more about ANGEL Learning System. I need to use it to its capability. Right now there is not anyone that knows all of the pertinent application to its fullest. I know there is a 20 hour professional development course that I can take to learn more about it. I will probably do this, although I don't need the hours, to learn more about ANGEL. In addition, I will continue to push my TIS to learn what she can so she can help me!

• How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?

I answered this question a couple of weeks ago, and I think the changes I made then are appropriate for where I am now, and I do not need to make further changes. My GAME Plan is both challenging, but not overwhelming. To recap those changes: My first goal is to create summative assessments for 3rd and 4th quarter of this year. I will wait until I get to know next year's students before I create ones for 1st and 2nd quarters. I need to keep in mine that I may need to change the assessments that I am creating this year.

The only things I will change for the gaol relating to my class website is using student and parent surveys for not only the evaluating part of the plan, but also part of the monitoring part. This will help me ensure that I am meeting the needs of all of the stakeholders in my classes and in their homes.