Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) recommend the GAME plan as a way to foster and structure self-directed learning. The steps in the GAME plan help students to set goals, take action, monitor, and then evaluate their learning. These skills are going to be essential to students as they enter the workforce of the 21st century (Partnership for 21st Century Skills). The GAME plan also can help students to reach the technology standards deemed necessary by the International Society for Technology in Education (2007). Most notably, the simple process of using the GAME plan ensures that students are meeting the standard of “demonstrat[ing] personal responsibility for lifelong learning” (International Society of Technology in Education, 2007).
In my classroom the GAME plan will be the process I use to help students structure their independent projects. In particular, I am imagining it as a method for students to communicate to me their plans for reaching the standards on projects where they get to choose the topic and method of showing their work. The GAME plan will get students to plan out the steps of their project and remind them of the essential steps of monitoring and evaluating their learning. Students often forget to check their own work, believing that is something the teacher is supposed to do. The GAME plan reminds them that it is just as important to check their own learning and work.
Additionally, the GAME plan could be used to further the NETS for students. To integrate it with the independent project I mentioned earlier, I could require that students include technology in the creation of the project. This would then ensure that students account for standards such as creativity, information fluency, critical thinking, and digital citizenship (International Society of Technology in Education, 2007). This, however, is only a small portion of my classroom instructional time. If anyone has suggestions on how to include the GAME plan and NETS-S into more everyday aspects of the classroom, I would welcome them.
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). NETS for Students. Retrieved February 13, 2011, from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (n.d.). Learning for the 21st century: A report and mile guide for 21st century skills. Washington DC: Author. Retrieved April 4, 2010, from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/downloads/P21_Report.pdf
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9 years ago
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about using the GAME plan as a guide for students in their independent learning projects. Using this format, students not only plan what they hope to accomplish and how they will work to accomplish it, but also engage in regular reflection and monitoring of their actions. I agree with you that students traditionally have not been taught to monitor and check their own work, as evaluation had been thought of as the teacher's responsibility. However, if we desire to help our students become self-directed learners, they must take control of this aspect of their learning process. This, in my opinion, is the greatest strength of using the GAME plan format. I know for me personally, I have learned a great deal about my learning preferences and ways to improve my action plan by constant reflection and revision of my GAME plan.
-Jennifer
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteJust as Jen mentioned, you have a notable point about using the GAME plan method for independent learning projects. I was wondering if you teach at the middle school or high school level. I feel that this might be a difficult concept for middle school students to grasp, however, I think that it is completely appropriate for those on the high school level. One idea that I had for my middle schoolers was using the GAME plan with a group assignment. This would be a good model and a way to get students prepared for doing it individually as high school students later on in their learning career.
Francesca,
ReplyDeleteI disagree. As a middle school teacher I think the GAME plan is entirely appropriate for this age group. Sure, they will need more guidance than high schoolers, but that is my job as the instructor. I plan to provide a template for the students to follow as they structure their plan. This will include questions to guide their thinking. Since I normally conference with students during projects the GAME plan will give us a format for those discussions. It will be more difficult to implement with middle schoolers, but not impossible.
Thanks,
sarah
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you. Middle schoolerfs are perfectly capable of grasping the GAME Plan concept and it will provide them with an excellent strategy to use in all of their courses. I especially like your idea of providing the kids with a template to use to structure their plans. Once they get used to using the GAME Plan, it will become second nature and they'll be that much better prepared for high school and beyond. I'd love it if you could share that template with me.
Thanks,
Melisa
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement about using the GAME plan to help your students communicate to you how they were going to achieve the standards on their individual projects. I believe this holds students accountable for their learning and by mapping their plan out, they become more involved in their own learning. Many times when educators assign a project, the only guidelines students have our the rubric and possibly a timeline of when the project will need to be completed. By allowing students to say, "I am going to do this by...", they have a voice in how they are going to get from point A to point B. Great post!!!
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteYour point that the GAME plan helps students to check their own work by reminding them to monitor and evaluate their own practice is the main reason I plan on using this instruction strategy. My students tend to give all the responsibility of learning over to me (the teacher). I want my students to learn how to become independent learners so the GAME plan is a wonderful way to help me help my students.