Monitoring My GAME Plan

For my first goal (2d: provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching) I have a plethora of information. The textbook has been very helpful in providing suggestions of assessment types. This week's and last week's resources especially have given me some great ideas for new assessments. Chapter 5, about UDL, provided a great rational for why students need different assessment options. "The more flexible the teaching strategies, materials, and assessments you use in your classroom, the more accessible they will be to the diverse needs and preferences of all the students with whom you work" (Cennnamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 117). At this time, I believe my action plan is working well and right now, does not need to be modified. I feel that I have learned a completely refreshed way of designing assessment. The only question that I have at this point is: Is there a limit to the number of different assessments I can use for a particular assignment? In other words, would it be OK if every student was working on a different assignment all aimed at the same goal? Or is that simply too many options?

My second goal (4c: promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information) is requiring me to find information outside of the textbook. I have been searching the internet and various teacher websites to find materials that teach digital citizenship. I have stumbled upon a great program offered by turnkey instructional programs. They offer a free program called "The Digital Citizenship and Creative Content." I am thinking about ordering it for next school year. I think that my action plan is going well even though it is requiring more effort than my first goal. At this time, it does not need to be modified but I may be in need of some additional resources if anyone has suggestions.
I am surprised by the many different approaches I have come across while looking for ways of teaching this topic. I've also learned that some companies and organizations outside the education field feel that this topic is an important one to explain to students. My question for this goal is how in-depth should I go with this topic for 8th graders? Do students need to understand the reasoning behind copyright laws? Or simply know what the rules are and to follow them?

-Matt DeAmaral
Middle School ELA

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.

http://digitalcitizenshiped.com/