Final Reflection EDUC-6714

Final Reflection EDUC-6714

After reflecting on the theories, concepts, and strategies presented in this course, I believe that using technology to differentiate in my classroom will have a huge impact on my teaching practices. In this class I have learned how to use the key characteristics of Universal Design for learning and Differentiated Instruction. I feel that technology, UDL, and DI can provide me with a way to allow my students’ to learn in their preferred learning style and allow them to demonstrate what they’ve learned in ways that capitalize on their strengths and interests. Furthermore, I have learned that technology, UDL, and DI will provide me with ways to better address and manage the variety of learning needs in my classroom. According to Dr. David Rose (Laureate Education, 2009), “UDL is about making sure that there are alternatives, that there are ways in which every student in the classroom can learn”. I know that UDL, DI, and technology can help me customize and personalize learning activities to address my students’ diverse learning styles and abilities. I believe that using technology to differentiate instruction for the diverse learners in my classroom will allow me to design assignments to better respond so student’s specific learning needs.

Before I started this course, I felt overwhelmed with making time to use technology to plan to differentiate instruction. Starting small and trying to use technology to differentiate one unit at a time is one adjustment I will make as a result of my learning from this course. According to Dr. Carol Tomlinson (Laureate Education, 2009), “when it comes to moving form theory to practice, differentiation requires effective planning, organization and management” Instead of starting from scratch, I going to modify my current instructional plans and decide which students needs are best addressed with each activity, and then design additional activities for reteaching or extending learning as necessary for any students who may need it. Although I know that planning to differentiate does take time, I know that it will allow me to start to accumulate a collection of teaching strategies that I can use in the future.

Really getting to know my students from the beginning of the year is another immediate adjustment I will make. According to Grace Smith (Laureate, 2009), “getting to know your students is an essential first step in reaching them as learners”. This course has taught me that the goal of differentiating instruction is to increase the likelihood that students will be successful learners. To make this possible I feel that I must get to know them and understand how they differ from one another in interests, learning preferences and readiness and motivation. I believe it is very important to understand how students comprehend knowledge in order to match learning activities to meet their needs. During week two of this course, I researched, located and created surveys in the areas of student interests, learning styles, multiple intelligences and learning profiles. My goal is to use these surveys to maximize my ability to reach and engage every learner in my classroom. I believe that these surveys will allow me to get to know my students on an academic and personal level. Knowing their interests, learning styles, intelligence preferences, and learning profiles will allow me to provide instruction that will maximize their learning.


Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). “Universal Design for Learning” [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Introduction: Knowing Your Students [DVD] Reaching and engaging all learners through technology. Baltimore: Author.

UDL: Sharing Ideas and Building Resources

http://www.box.net/shared/mcg6tvaxf0

Final Blog Post for EDUC 6713

After reflecting on the GAME plan that I have developed throughout this course, I feel that I have made huge strides in accomplishing the goals that I established in week one. Using the GAME plan approach has allowed me to monitor and evaluate my progress toward achieving my goals. I have learned how to become and how to teach my students’ to be self-directed learners. This course has allowed me to develop and incorporate technology into my instructional strategies. Furthermore, I have a better understanding how think about and how to take steps to direct my leaning as I integrate technology into my classroom. I like using the GAME plan strategy because it has allowed me to customize my approach to learning, helped me integrate technology into my classroom, and given me the tools for lifelong learning.

I have learned a lot from using the GAME plan that will immediately impact my classroom and my instructional practices. Teaching students how to set goals (Technology Related and Content Related) and self-assessing those goals using the GAME plan is a strategy that I will definitely teach my students’. I think it’s important for students to learn how to be self-directed learners. Setting goals, taking action, monitoring learning, and evaluating those goals are skills that will help students throughout their life. Teaching students the steps of the GAME plan will help them respond to changes that may occur during their academic and professional careers.

Using digital tools to help customize and personalize learning activities to address different abilities is one change I will make to my instructional practice regarding technology integration as a result of my learning from this course. I know that students will arrive at my door step with different abilities and needs. I now have a better understanding how to use technology to help support the diverse learning needs of my students’. Using multimedia tools in my classroom will allow my students’ to access information, practice skills and to demonstrate their new understandings.

Although I believe that I have learned and accomplished a lot in regards to technology integration, I still feel that I must continue to look for ways to integrated and structure opportunities for students to use technology in my classroom. As Cennamo, Ross, & Ross remarked, “to teach with technology specifically, is a lifelong journey” pg.1. I know that in order to help my students reach their full potential I must continue to think about what I know about technology and what I still need to know to help make my students’ be successful. I’m really looking forward to getting back to school and implementing all the new strategies that I have learned throughout this course. As I continue to teach, I’m want to make it a priority to ask myself what do students need to learn, and how can technology promote those learning goals? I feel that it is my responsibility as teacher to create learning opportunities for all of my students’.

Reference: Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Blog Post: Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

There are several ways I will use the GAME plan process with students to help them develop proficiency in the technology standards and indicators outlined in the NETS-S. There’s a lot similarities between the teacher and student indictors, so it would only make sense to teach students how to use the GAME plan to help them monitor their learning. Teaching and outlining the four step in used the GAME plan will be the first step I will take. I believe that this must be the foundation to help guide students into becoming self-directed learners. Teaching students the GAME plan will help them learn how to think about their learning process, especially while they are learning about the technology standards and indictors described by ISTE. The GAME plan will help teach students how to customize their own approach to learning, help them develop important technology skills, and help them become self-directed learners.

Teaching students how to set goals (Technology Related) and self-assessing those goals is another key aspect of the game plan. To help students with this process I will display the NETS for students and have the select one goal to work on throughout the term. I believe that this help student determine which skills they all ready have and decide on the ones they need to learn more about. Once my students have decided on a standard, they will need to create their own GAME plan. Each student will be responsible for coming up with a way to demonstrate that they have obtained their goal. I believe that teaching students how to use the GAME plan will help them learn how to set goals, take action, monitor those goals, and reflect on their learning.



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Revising My GAME Plan Week 6

After reviewing my progress on meeting my goals that I have established for learning about technology and technology resources, I believe that I have made progress, but I feel that there is always room for improvement. According to Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009), “as a lifelong learner, much of your learning will be self-directed. That is, you will be responsible for locating learning opportunities and completing tasks to meet your own learning goals”. As I continue to teach, I’m want to make it a priority to ask myself what do students need to learn, and how can technology promote those learning goals? I feel that it is my responsibility as teacher to create learning opportunities for all of my students, and to be a lifelong learner as describe by Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer.


Although I believe that I have learned a lot, I feel that integrating a classroom blog is a technology tool that I could apply in my classroom today. It’s a tool that can offer a lot to me and my students’. I want to start small and use it as a place to publish class syllabus, class rules, homework assignments, rubrics, handouts, and presentations. I believe it will save me and my students’ a lot of time as far locating and duplicating copies of things that I had already handed out. Furthermore, I think it might reduce the frequency of “I didn’t know I had homework”, or “I lost my handout” responses when my students’ did not do their work.

As far as the NETS-T standards, I would like to focus a little more on designing and developing digital-Age learning experiences and assessments for my students’. This of course, is once I accomplish the goals that I have set in week one of this course. It seems like it may be a little complicated to assess students learning while integrating technology tools. I believe that it will not be as complicated as I think once I experiment with assess technology tools.

To be honest, I’m not really sure what learning approach I will take in the future. I really want to reflect on the strategies that I’m current working, which I have not be able to do because it’s the summer. Once I have had time to take action and monitor my learning goals, I believe that I will be able to reflect on whether the strategies that I have chosen are actually are working or not.


Reference:


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

Week 5 Evaluating My GAME Plan Progress

Well, I’m little stressed right now due to the fact I’m a week behind on my assignment. I just went on a family vacation thinking I would have internet access and I was wrong. I assumed that the resort would have wireless internet available for its guest. I guess that’s what I get for assuming. Lesson learned!


After reflecting on my progress toward meeting the goals I established for learning technology and technology resources, I would have to say that I feel like I have made huge strides in accomplishing this task. The actions that I have taken has helped my meet my goals thus far. Using the GAME plan approach has allowed me to monitor and evaluate my professional growth. I have been able to identify whether the resources that I have been using will help me meet the goals of my plan. I have accomplished this mainly through reflecting on my actions. It’s this reflection that has really helped me think about what has worked, but also has helped me evaluate what is working at this point in time. This blog has also been a huge help in allowing me monitor my learning throughout this course. According to Cennamo, Ross, & Ross, “learning, in general, and about technology specifically, is an ongoing process” pg.7. This blog as allowed me to reflect on my ongoing experiences with technology and has allowed me to explain teaching insights have gain from what happens with the technology tools that I’ve use thus far.

Although I believe that I have learned and accomplished a lot in regards to technology, I still feel that I must continue to look for ways to integrated and structure opportunities for students to use technology in my classroom. As Cennamo, Ross, & Ross remarked, “to teach with technology specifically, is a lifelong journey” pg.1. I know that in order to help my students reach their full potential I must continue to think about what I know about technology and what I still need to know to help make my students’ be successful. Up to this point, no new questions have come up. I am eager for school to start so I can implement the technology tools that I have learned throughout this summer.

As of now, I really don’t want to make any changes to my Game plan until I’m able to see what impact technology can have one my teaching strategies. Once school starts I will able to evaluate and extend on my Game plan. I want to be able to look to see what patterns might emerge and then I will be able to decide if I need to make any modification to my plan.

Reference:

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.

Week # 4 Monitoring My GAME Plan Progress

I have made some progress towards the goals in my GAME plan thus far. I have had some success with finding the information and resources that I need. Although the internet has provided me with a great deal of information, I now need to synthesize the information and try to make sense of it. I’m still in the process of trying to locate a professional conference on using technology to support authentic instruction. In addition, I’m going to contact a few teachers in the district who are computer savvy though e-mail, phone, or face to face if possible. There are also a few books that I’m in the process of ordering that may help contribute to me achieve my game plan.


As of now, I don’t think I need to make any modifications to my GAME plan. I have had some success, and I want to give my plan a little more time before I make any changes. There are several resources that will be available once school starts that may help open a few more doors. It seems that up to this point that the strategies that I’m using are helping me make sufficient progress toward my goals.

Up to this point I have learned a lot about how to become a self-directed learner. I have a better understanding how think about and how to take steps to direct my leaning process as I integrate technology into my classroom. I really like using the game plan strategy because it has allowed me to customize my approach to learning, help me integrate technology, and give me the tools for lifelong learning.

I have also learned a lot about the impact authentic experiences can have on students. The ability to help student immediately connect with what they are learning is the one key aspect that I continue to notice about authentic learning activities. It’s this connection that seems to help deepen the learning process and help students construct a personal meaning about their world, and technology gives them the opportunity to express what they have learned in many ways.

What are the restrictions or limitations that will arise as I experiment with using technology and with authentic instruction? These are the big questions I keep asking myslef? Will my students’ have the basic necessary skills to use technology in the classroom? Although I these questions seem negative, I feel that by using the steps in the GAME plan, I will be able to find answers to these questions. I believe that my game plan for learning will allow me to identify any limitation or restriction and help me apply my new knowledge to make the necessary change to meet my learning goals.