Educational researchers Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer developed the GAME plan outline (2009) to help teachers become metacognitive learners and accomplish self-directed learning. The acronym simply means: set a Goal, take Action to meet the goal, Monitor progress, Evaluate whether the goal was achieved, and Extend learning into new situations. Of course, these are steps we hope our students will also take; especially in 21st Century learning environments, self-directed learning becomes increasingly important.
Although teachers still facilitate learning, we are no longer expected to be the source of all information. Instead, we often are helping our students to find the resources that will let them achieve our content area standards and then continue customized learning. The GAME plan is a good fit for this approach, especially when we are working with technology because technology changes so quickly and so many options are available; few teachers will be able to teach students everything they might want to know within all technologies. Instead, teachers must help students be self-directed learners.
After determining which standards students need to master, I can offer a variety of options for learning and assessment, and students can choose among these options if they are armed with their own GAME plans. To accomplish this with my seventh graders, I might begin with a graphic organizer, modeling how I learned a new technology by beginning with a Goal, taking Action, Monitoring my progress, and Evaluating and Extending my learning. Students could then use the organizer to develop their own GAME plans, allowing them more choice and increasing engagement in learning.
The International Society of Technology in Education has developed standards for both students and teachers, and these standards often mesh neatly. The standards for teachers (2008) are: facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity; design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments; model digital-age work and learning; promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility; engage in professional growth and leadership. Notice that these coordinate with ISTE’s standards for students (2007): creativity and innovation; communication and collaboration; research and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; digital citizenship; technology operations and concepts. Further, the teacher standards do not suggest that teachers should provide all the information students may want; instead, teachers are to facilitate and inspire, provide opportunities for learning, and model digital-age learning and responsibility.
Helping my students to create their own GAME plans will lead them to become self-directed learners, which will be an important skill for success in the 21st Century.
References
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 of Technology in Education.). 2007. National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-S) Students. Retrieved June 15, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/content/navigationmenu/nets/for_students/nets_s.htm.
International Society of Technology in Education. 2008. National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers. Retrieved June 15, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2008.htm.
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As teachers of the 21st century, I agree that we have different responsibilities than the teachers of the centuries before us. While cotnent knowledge does need to be taught, it has to come to acceptance that we are not the source of all knowledge. Instead, we must teach our students how to utilize technology to locate information on their own and to develop a plan to stay current with technology as it cotinuously changes. You have done a great job in voiceing this realization and will better serve your students because of it.
ReplyDeleteKatie
Hi B.,
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point in stating that teachers no longer need to know all of the answers and provide all of the instruction. I wish I could have gone to school in the 21st century, our students have so much information at their disposal and the technology is something I couldn't have dreamed of 25 years ago. It is also important to let students know that we don't always have all of the answers to all of their questions, but instead, show them how to use technology to guide discovery to the answers.
Nicely done!
Lora K.
HS English
Rebecca
ReplyDeleteYou have hit the nail on the head when you stated that knowledge and technology are in constant flux, changing ever so often to meet the social, economical and political demands of today's 21st life. Likewise, even though it is our desire to be able to cover as much content as possible to educate our students, this is impossible. Our best bet lies in our planning to teach our students how to learn so that they will become life long learners, self-directed and motivated to learn according to their unique ways. The GAME plan facilitates whole class learning as well as individual learning.
I wish for you all the best as you prepare for the upcoming Fall semester to introduce to your students the GAME plan.
Jewel Meikle