Goals

1. **Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity** Having now seen Voice Thread in action, I believe I have a new appreciation for what a creative and interactive presentation can inspire. My goal for this year is to design a few lessons using Voice Thread and try them out on my class. I anticipate this happening in May, after the state tests occur.

Grade: A- Instead of using lessons with Voice Thread, I decide to expand on our last unit by incorporating Google Groups and video recordings. Our final unit of the year focuses intensely on inquiry-based learning through close readings of text. At the moment, my students are watching the Pixar clip, "Boundin'" over and over again and doing whole class discussions on theme. In order for students to measure their growth and continue their discussions, I've been recording them on camera and posting videos of our discussions on Google. Students then have to grade themselves on a rubric and continue discussions for independent work time via our class laptops. Eventually I think our end of unit assessment will involve a project where they can create a presentation using Prezi to show their ideas of themes, class participation, etc.

2. **Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments** I already use a form of online Jeopardy for test review in class, but I’d like to try using something like Quizlet for quick checks for understanding. Currently, my school is working on getting “clickers” for classrooms where students have to hit a button to answer questions on a screen. I’d like to incorporate that into our monthly Jeopardy games and perhaps find other online programs for assessments.

Grade A: We haven't gotten our "Clickers" for class use yet but we have transferred our Jeopardy games to the smart board where students can write and interact with questions. I also have started using laptops for project assignments where students have to comment on each others work via Google Docs and make changes on drafts (see below).



3. **Model Digital Age Work and Learning** This brings me into my personal use project. There are many technologies and forums I am ignorant or not yet comfortable using. By May, I hope to develop a class website where students can participate in discussions, check homework assignments, and communicate with each other in a way that models academic excellency.

Grade: C+ Unfortunately, I did not meet my goal of having a fully functional student website. I do have a [|site]up and running but we've had little occasion to use it for assignments. But as I continue to design it for next year, I'm creating assignments students will have to accomplish. In March I attended three informational sessions with a colleague as he designed his own class website. We worked through setting up assignments and discussion threads. [|This] is what his new site looks like, and what I hope to achieve before September of next year. Though we have not used the website, my students have had to discuss each others work via gmail threads.

4. **Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility**  Our school as whole has embarked on a month long effort to educate our students on the dangers of internet predators, cyber bullying, and the importance of maintaining a scrupulous public profile. I hope to continue this by designing lessons around “interpreting Facebook pages” and having class-wide discussions on Digital Citizenship.

Grade: A Through a school-wide program focused on Internet professionalism, safety, and anti-cyber bullying, I successfully taught six lessons with situations and interactive quizzes to help students understand the ramifications of their actions on online and how to stay safe and private.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. **Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I feel like this class become my own technological PD. However, I will continue to attend technological PD’s outside and inside my school. I have also reached out to coworkers to help me improve my “Smart Board” usage.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grade: A-

I attended a PD on Smart Board programs on 3/18 and plan to attend more PD's in August regarding interactive learning software and student blogs.