Matt Damon<object style=”height: 390px; width: 640px”><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/WFHJkvEwyhk?version=3″><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”><param name=”allowScriptAccess” value=”always”><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/WFHJkvEwyhk?version=3” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowfullscreen=”true” allowScriptAccess=”always” width=”640″ height=”390″></object>
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I have been a little tardy in posting. About a year. But if anyone is still reading or will read. I would love to start a conversation about what teachers are using in the classroom that really is motivating to them and tothe students. It could be anything technology related.
I would really like to get the excitement of learning back to the students and I feel technology could be the hook or what ever you want to call it that gets students to have excitement in school.
Well if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them.
Thanks.
I have enjoyed this class learning about the emerging technologies that have potential for use in the classroom. Nevertheless, this class has also taught me about the value of being an advocate for the use of technology and how to study the trends of such technologies. This class has made me aware of the educational benefits of technologies and how to gain confidence incorporating them into the everyday class lesson.
The application assignment had three parts; a lesson plan, a report, and a grant proposal. Using an emerging technology such as digital games, I created a learning activity using digital games. The game was used to enforce and practice content in science. The object was to use drill and practice to recognize the system in the human body. Using games I realized that students today use their spare time playing games on the WII and Xbox, this concept is a great bridge to use to connect education with an activity that students are familiar with and engaged in regularly. Understand though that technology should not be a stand-alone center for the students. It needs to be aligned with the content standards that are being taught in the standards. The report in the assignment was meant to share the learning activities using technology with the colleagues at my
School site and to help them become more aware of the educational benefits of using technology in their lesson development.
This class also helped me identify the benefits of intergrating technology and resources. It also helped me evalutate new technologies using the McLuhan’s Tetrad as a tool to analyze new technologies and help in the dissicuon making process with finances (Laurate, 2009). As an advocate for change to benefit students, I realize that the decision making process is not left solely to the administration and that I have a say as an effective teacher in how to implement change with the use of technology. We learned that we need to consider leadership style when considering how to implement technology as viable to the success of the students.
In this class, we were made aware of the idea that emerging technology is key in how technology will be implemented. Programs such as Second Life and Professional learning networks as well as social networking sites will have an impact on how teachers and students receive information and professional development. Students and teachers are not confined to the learning within the four walls we will be able to network with other professionals to enhance our practice and students will be able to talk to professionals in the area of their study to gain a deeper knowledge of the content. Students are already comfortable navigating and participating in online communities, gathering information, and collaborating in digital settings (Lemke & Coughlin, 2009). None of the opportunities is possible however, without teachers willing to step into leadership roles, model, and advocate for changes that benefit students. To be an effective teacher for my 21st century learners, I need to be forward thinking in terms of technology while promoting integration and resource adoption, this class has helped me gain the valuable resource I will need to continue to seek out resources that will benefit students of the 21st Century.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). New and Emerging Technologies. Baltimore: Moller, G.
Lemke, C., & Coughlin, E. (2009). The change agents. Educational Leadership, 67(1), 54–59. Reproduced with permission of Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development in the format electronic usage via Copyright Clearance Center.
This is a link to the voicethreads presentation
http://voicethread.com/share/1180045/
EDUC-6714 Reaching and Engaging All Learners through Technology
Reflection Blog Posting
During this class experience, the group that I worked with developed a social networking site on Ning.com. There we were able to share valuable resources that will be used to differentiate instruction for all students
. This class focused on Universal design for learning as well as Differentiated instruction.
These two ideas and learning strategies were in my mind the same until this class. In my district, we focus on universal access. I learned that universal design is different in that it is the forethought of instruction and how to use the curriculum in ways that students will have equal access to the content. Students are not the same and teaching whole group instruction is a good start but it does not reach everyone. Technology and resources shared in this class have given my students the ability to learn the curriculum in different ways that may be best for their learning style.
Also in this class we looked at the fair vs. equal debate in the discussion. This has always been a point of contention with students and even parents to some extent. The reality is that what is fair for one makes it equal for others. For example, I had students telling me that having a student using the computer to learn high frequency words while others were researching a project was not fair it was too easy for her; in reality, this student knew half of the grade level words. I explained to them that if a student needed glasses to see and learn would they be able to use them in class. Then why is it not fair and equal for students to use what they can to get the dame information that others have? That was an interesting conversation.
Also in this class, we developed lesson plans and projects that included process of UDL and DI using technology where the needs of the diverse group of students can be met to a high degree of efficacy. Having the support of a collaborative group, I was able to use resources that were shared among the group. Having a collaborative atmosphere helped understand the importance of learning styles and differences.
Understanding that students come to us with varying degrees of strengths and weaknesses and how we as educators can develop a plan to reach all students. Using our understanding of student differences and effective and appropriate uses of technology, we as educators have developed learning activities customized to reach and support every learner in the classroom.
Smith, G., & Throne, S. (2007a). Using technology to differentiate by interest. In Differentiating instruction with technology in K-5 classrooms (pp. 17–25, 28–33, 36–44, 46–47). Belmont, CA: International Society for Technology in Education.
Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Reaching and engaging all learners through technology. Baltimore: Author.
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