Using game play & development to educate
Monitoring My GAME Plan
Walden University – Course 6713: Week 4 Application
I have decided to go with a class blog, after careful consideration from research and discussion with my classmates regarding blogs, wikis, and even a class newsletter. At this time, it is the most convenient way for me to communicate with my parents through the use of current technology (ISTE, 2008). Later, I would like to add a newsletter option, but that will require a fair amount of pre-planning and organizing before I would be ready for that step.
Currently, I have acquired my class blog at falgoust.wordpress.com and will be adding a theme and editing the features. I also added a page which will house a copy of my MLA Style Guide once complete. The page includes links from some websites I found useful. I will use these references, and others if necessary, to compile my classroom guide for students.
One time-consuming task is obtaining parent emails from the school nurse’s student records. I have to go in, one by one, and pull my students, and record the data. Those parents who did not put an email address on this card, I will contact by phone to see if they would like to include an email address to get assignment, project and test updates for my class.
I do not see a need yet for modifying my action plan, therefore I will continue with what is on my agenda. However, as mentioned above, I have learned of a way to make a class newsletter work. It will require preliminary work to get set-up, which can be done over the summer, as well as gaining the support of several dependable and trust-worthy students to continually help lay out the document during the school year. One question that has arisen through peer discussions is, “in what instance might an educator create a wiki that allows parents to collaborate by adding to and editing a class wiki?” Any suggestions?
Resources:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). NETS for teachers 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2011, from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx
Shanna,
I was intrigued that you had to go through the nurse to get the emails of the parents. Is there no centralised system to help you access this information? I’m wondering how you could try and set up any systems to make this easier for you next time. I know in an elementary school that this is easier for teachers with only one class, but in a middle school if all the teachers had to do the same thing it would be more efficient if all teachers had easy access.
I liked the header of your new blog, very flash!
Andy
Andy,
At my school, there are several options for obtaining information, however, the information cards the nurse has are the cards included in the registration packets given to parents. It is mandatory that parents return these. I cannot include an information card of my own in this packet, as it’s not meant for individual teacher purposes. I have handed info cards at the beginning of the semester to my students to obtain the info I need, but it’s not guaranteed it will come back to me. I am not allowed to give a grade for the return of the document. Plus, being a semester class, I have to do this two times a year. So, for now, the nurse is my best bet. Any suggestions on another way I might be able to obtain this information?
I’m glad you went to see the class blog I am setting up. Thank you for the compliment! I still have a lot to do on it, but it’s coming along.
Shanna
Shanna,
My school uses Filemakerpro to organize all of the student records, but there are better student management systems (SMS) out there. The benefits of these are that all records are in one place and a teacher can access what records they need for any student, class or group within the school. These are chosen at the administration level and if implemented well can be really beneficial for information dissemination. They can organize reports, records, planning and much more.
As an individual it is hard to introduce one of these into the school and the process to do so can be very time consuming. Does the nurse have some form of electronic system? It might be worth checking if they do, if not this system could help them.
Andy
Andy,
Actually, we have this in place. The problem, it’s not up-to-date, believe it or not! There are old phone numbers, old addresses and emails, etc. I was surprised to hear that, as YES, that would be the perfect way to obtain this information. Since I was told it was out-of-date after several attempts to contact parents, I went to the cards that our nurse keeps on hand and gets from parents every year at student registration. I don’t understand why they do not have something in place to where this information is updated in our student management system!? 🙁
Shanna