Friday, March 25, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
EDUC6714 Reflection
Course 6714 has been very rewarding. During this course I have had the opportunity to expand my knowledge about the Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction. The Discussion Board and Differentiation Station on Face Book provided me with opportunities to interact with my peers and instructor as well as explore resources that can be used to implement the principles that were learned.
I plan to utilize the new technology and resources introduced to modify existing lesson plans and create new ones that will create a more inclusive classroom environment. Additionally, the hands on practice with creating lesson plans and experience with voice threads has increased my knowledge of differentiating instruction through utilization of technology that will enhance students’ content learning.
Also, as a result of my learning in this course, I am better prepared to identify my students’ interests and learning styles. I have selected surveys to use for both at the start of the school year. This adjustment to my instructional practice will help me get to know my students so my school year begins with lessons designed with their learning preferences considered (Tomlinson, 2009). These initial observations and assessments will be followed with assessments throughout the learning experience to help me group students correctly. By incorporating very basic technology like use of a flip camera to capture students during activities, I can perform these subsequent assessments when time permits. Dedicating time to observe students during learning will be a great aid with identifying needs for different media formats and to see students’ progress.
On a final note, the exposure to new technology has given me more confidence with trying new things. As a result, I plan to continue pursuing new technology that can benefit my students.
Tomlinson, C. (2009). Learning profiles and achievement. School Administrator, 66(2), 28-33, Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.
I plan to utilize the new technology and resources introduced to modify existing lesson plans and create new ones that will create a more inclusive classroom environment. Additionally, the hands on practice with creating lesson plans and experience with voice threads has increased my knowledge of differentiating instruction through utilization of technology that will enhance students’ content learning.
Also, as a result of my learning in this course, I am better prepared to identify my students’ interests and learning styles. I have selected surveys to use for both at the start of the school year. This adjustment to my instructional practice will help me get to know my students so my school year begins with lessons designed with their learning preferences considered (Tomlinson, 2009). These initial observations and assessments will be followed with assessments throughout the learning experience to help me group students correctly. By incorporating very basic technology like use of a flip camera to capture students during activities, I can perform these subsequent assessments when time permits. Dedicating time to observe students during learning will be a great aid with identifying needs for different media formats and to see students’ progress.
On a final note, the exposure to new technology has given me more confidence with trying new things. As a result, I plan to continue pursuing new technology that can benefit my students.
Tomlinson, C. (2009). Learning profiles and achievement. School Administrator, 66(2), 28-33, Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Reflection
Creating my own personal GAME Plan has helped me plan, monitor, and evaluate my progress with learning how to design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments. More specifically, I have developed my own learning goals and developed a learning strategy to attain the knowledge I need to achieve my goals. I followed the specific actions of my GAME Plan and dedicated time to think about my progress. At some points during the process, I decided to add in new steps to make my plan more effective. For example, I began logging useful websites that I encountered and also tagged them on my Delicious site for future reference. Overall, the GAME Plan has helped me stay focused on becoming a more self directed learner.
A big part of my role as an educator is to continuously customize my lessons in ways that support all of my students' learning needs. My new knowledge of Universal Design guidelines(UDL) has introduced me to many technologies that support young children with physical and developmental disabilities. As a result, I feel confident that I will be able to locate resources to level the learning field for any student that enters my classroom. It is a great feeling.
In addition, I am sincerely grateful for the exposure to collaborative learning forums and tools like wikis, blogs, and digital story telling. The hands on experience has helped me understand how technology can be used to enhance content knowledge.
Finally, the course learning has inspired me to approach lesson planning with some new goals in mind. First, in accordance with UDL principles, I will provide multiple options for students to receive and share information in order to engage all types of learners. Second, I will continue to review learning goals at the start of each lesson but I will also encourage students to establish their own learning goals. Doing so will promote students to think creatively about what they want to get out of each activity making the learning broader for all, including me. Last but not least, I look forward to expanding my use of technology in the classroom beyond my Promethean board.
A big part of my role as an educator is to continuously customize my lessons in ways that support all of my students' learning needs. My new knowledge of Universal Design guidelines(UDL) has introduced me to many technologies that support young children with physical and developmental disabilities. As a result, I feel confident that I will be able to locate resources to level the learning field for any student that enters my classroom. It is a great feeling.
In addition, I am sincerely grateful for the exposure to collaborative learning forums and tools like wikis, blogs, and digital story telling. The hands on experience has helped me understand how technology can be used to enhance content knowledge.
Finally, the course learning has inspired me to approach lesson planning with some new goals in mind. First, in accordance with UDL principles, I will provide multiple options for students to receive and share information in order to engage all types of learners. Second, I will continue to review learning goals at the start of each lesson but I will also encourage students to establish their own learning goals. Doing so will promote students to think creatively about what they want to get out of each activity making the learning broader for all, including me. Last but not least, I look forward to expanding my use of technology in the classroom beyond my Promethean board.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Using the GAME Plan with kindergarten students
In order to assist my students with meeting the NETS-S standards of creativity, collaboration, information fluency and digital citizenship, and engaging in growth and transfer of knowledge I will begin by planning each lesson to ensure it includes the content information students need to get started.
Setting goals at the beginning of the lesson will be a good way to start discussion to encourage students to establish their own learning goals as well. For instance, I may set a goal for all students to learn about mammals. Students could search for information about a specific mammal they have an interest in thus expanding their knowledge to include their own personal learning goals. I will also give the students multiple media to use to find information including books, videos, and online searches. This will teach them that multiple resources provide vaster information about a topic.
It will be important to provide tools for my students to revisit their learning goals so they can monitor their progress with locating information they need. Because my students are young, I will provide a check list on a chart that we review together throughout the lesson.
Evaluating the students' learning will include consideration of their efforts, collaboration with peers, and progress with understanding information from the different literacy formats presented. The end of the lesson will include a discussion about the learning process and the academic achievements. I will point out that achievements include learning to master the mouse, sharing knowledge with peers, working hard, and learning new facts about mammals. Finally I will ask my students to tell me what they liked and disliked about the activity to help me do a better job of helping them learn.
Most importantly, I feel this GAME Plan approach will help students realize that learning is the path to where ever they want to go.
Setting goals at the beginning of the lesson will be a good way to start discussion to encourage students to establish their own learning goals as well. For instance, I may set a goal for all students to learn about mammals. Students could search for information about a specific mammal they have an interest in thus expanding their knowledge to include their own personal learning goals. I will also give the students multiple media to use to find information including books, videos, and online searches. This will teach them that multiple resources provide vaster information about a topic.
It will be important to provide tools for my students to revisit their learning goals so they can monitor their progress with locating information they need. Because my students are young, I will provide a check list on a chart that we review together throughout the lesson.
Evaluating the students' learning will include consideration of their efforts, collaboration with peers, and progress with understanding information from the different literacy formats presented. The end of the lesson will include a discussion about the learning process and the academic achievements. I will point out that achievements include learning to master the mouse, sharing knowledge with peers, working hard, and learning new facts about mammals. Finally I will ask my students to tell me what they liked and disliked about the activity to help me do a better job of helping them learn.
Most importantly, I feel this GAME Plan approach will help students realize that learning is the path to where ever they want to go.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Revising my GAME Plan
Reflecting on my Game Plan in week 6, I find that I am actively working on my goal to collaborate with other educators to learn new digital tools, specifically a wiki! Working as part of the language arts/social studies team to construct the wiki and utilize it as a tool to interact with each other continues to be a real learning experience for me. The team work has enabled me to get to know my terrific peers. We have become real comrades through our efforts to achieve knowledge. We share information and help each other through the challenges of the project as well as the stress of our daily lives. I thank all my team members for this rewarding experience.
Also, one action of my Game Plan is to determine my progress with increasing my technology skills by asking the question, "Do I know more?". I am pleased to reply that I do know more about designing digital-age learning experiences. As a result of my efforts this past five weeks, I feel confident that with additional practice, integrating technology to enhance content learning will become more and more natural to me as an educator.
Also, one action of my Game Plan is to determine my progress with increasing my technology skills by asking the question, "Do I know more?". I am pleased to reply that I do know more about designing digital-age learning experiences. As a result of my efforts this past five weeks, I feel confident that with additional practice, integrating technology to enhance content learning will become more and more natural to me as an educator.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Week 5 additional comments
Hi Ashley Y,
I wanted to response to Ashley Young's question about ideas for fifth grade blogging projects. The children I know in that age group are really loving Wii games, Nintendo, etc. They have hand held devices as well as gaming systems at home. For Language arts, you could ask them to compare to gaming options and tell you what they like and dislike about each. This would give them an opportunity to show off their knowledge to peers and share information about a topic they are interested in. For those students who may not have the interest or access to the games, you could expand the project so they can research online games. Possibly use some computer lab time for those with no computers at home?
Ashlee Menar,
Thanks for your comments. I do use flip charts and find them very useful with charting. Thanks for noticing that I am trying to stay on top of my assignments. Really, my goal is to finish this classwork a little ahead so I can have some time to enjoy the holidays. We'll see!
I wanted to response to Ashley Young's question about ideas for fifth grade blogging projects. The children I know in that age group are really loving Wii games, Nintendo, etc. They have hand held devices as well as gaming systems at home. For Language arts, you could ask them to compare to gaming options and tell you what they like and dislike about each. This would give them an opportunity to show off their knowledge to peers and share information about a topic they are interested in. For those students who may not have the interest or access to the games, you could expand the project so they can research online games. Possibly use some computer lab time for those with no computers at home?
Ashlee Menar,
Thanks for your comments. I do use flip charts and find them very useful with charting. Thanks for noticing that I am trying to stay on top of my assignments. Really, my goal is to finish this classwork a little ahead so I can have some time to enjoy the holidays. We'll see!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Week 5 comments
Denise-thanks for the tip on Microsoft movie maker!
Jeya, We'll just stick with it and try to remind ourselves of how far we have come. What was it I read? Technology is constantly changing and evolving--- So are WE!
Jeya, We'll just stick with it and try to remind ourselves of how far we have come. What was it I read? Technology is constantly changing and evolving--- So are WE!
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