Teaching+With+Technology

__Week 5 – The Final Week__:

The learning this week focused on reinforcing effort and authentic assessment. Pitler in //“Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works”// for individuals to achieve success or even to maintain it, effort is the only choice that is within an individual’s control. When teachers integrate the instructional strategy of reinforcing effort, it enhances a student’s understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning (p. 155). Integrating spreadsheet software and data collection tools into the learning process with regard to reinforcing effort help students to chart their own progress and see the relationship between the effort they exhibit and their academic achievement. When students are able to see that others have faced many of the same difficulties that they are currently facing and have overcome those challenges, it helps build the connection between effort and achievement (p. 161).

Solomon and Schrum in //“Web 2.0 New Tools, New Schools”// open the section on assessment with the following statement. “All school are driven by requirements to maintain and improve standardized test scores. And yet these efforts create a rather interesting conundrum, because frequently the “new school” model and high stakes testing seem in conflict with each other.” Rather than focus on high stakes testing at the end of the learning, it makes more sense to have ongoing assessment throughout the course of instruction. E-portfolios are a form of ongoing assessment. Interactive portfolios are fluid, they change as the assessment for learning changes. The tools create a platform for feedback through the use of a blog, a place to post work and invite co-authors as can be done with a wiki and a place to keep track of the changes. These types of tools allow for students to collaborate not only with those in their classroom, but to expand their base of learning outside the classroom. Helen Barrett stated “I encourage schools to incorporate emerging Web 2.0 type technologies that motivate and engage adolescent students, including digital storytelling, multimedia artifacts, podcasting and blogging (maintaining a reflective online journal)” (p. 174).

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using technology with classroom instruction that works.// Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). //Web 2.0: New tools, new schools.// Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

__Week 4 – Professional Development__

This week we were asked to think about what concepts should be addressed when designing effective student-centered learning experiences with technology. While we are expected to address the diverse needs of our students, we as administrators should take that same practice and apply it to our teachers. Solomon and Schrum (2007) outlined a number of effective strategies when planning professional development for teachers. Rather than plan one day professional development sessions, administrators should plan ongoing long-term professional development centered on professional learning communities. The focus of these professional learning communities should be as Pilter (2005) stated, focused about the curriculum first and secondly, how to integrate the technology into that curriculum. Technology should be viewed as a means, but not the goal. By focusing on the curriculum first, teachers will be “able to consider //application// of the technology as they learn it” (Pitler, 2005, p. A-5). The professional learning community should include instructional strategies as well as practical applications of technology. Adequate planning time should be incorporated in to the professional learning community for it to be successful.

__EDLD 5364 - Week 3 – A Busy Week__

This week has been a very busy week in the context of new learning. I was introduced to creating a Learning Unit using a UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and had an opportunity to create a lesson using this new tool. More information about this tool follows. Another exciting piece of new learning was the UDL Book Builder ([]), a tool that allows you to create digital books that engage all diverse learners. What a powerful tool this is for all students, both traditional and non-traditional.

What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? UDL is tool that helps teachers create lessons that address all the learning differences that may be in a classroom, traditional and non-traditional students such as those with disabilities, both physically and mentally, English Language Learners, students with learning disabilities, and even students who have a lack of engagement or interest in the learning process. The format of a UDL guides teachers in creating educational goals that are flexible for all students, methods of instruction, options for materials, and assessments, all the tools that a teacher needs when addressing the diverse needs of all the students in the classroom. By utilizing a UDL in the planning of lessons, an educator gets away from the “one size fits all” lesson (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html).

Through brain research, it has been discovered that there are three distinct brain networks, recognition, strategic and affective networks. The recognition network focuses on the “what” of learning, strategic on the “how” of learning and affective the “why” of learning. The UDL helps teachers address all these networks while creating lessons that will meet the needs of a diverse student population.

__EDLD 5364 - Week 2 – Technology Strategies that Positively Impact Student Learning__

The focus on this week’s learning is addressing the needs of “non-traditional” students through the use of technology. According to the lecture videos, each individual learns differently and it is our task as educators to design tasks that will best assist students in understand the hows, what, and whys of learning. Through the CAST website ([] ) we learned that the diversity of learners in our classrooms is more diverse than in years past, a single classroom may include students with emotional and behavioral issues, ADD and/or ADHD challenges, ELL learners, and students with visual and/or auditory difficulties. We were introduced to David Rose, who states that the way we learn is as different as our DNA and we should address three brain networks, recognition network, strategic network, and affective network. Recognition network addresses the “what” of learning, strategic the “how” of learning and affective the “why” of learning. CAST is a research organization whose main focus is to expand learning opportunities for all individuals.

Readings this week focused on technology enriched classrooms and their effect on students of low socioeconomic status and their academic achievement. It has been stated that “students with special needs have experienced increased levels of performance and support when engaging in instruction involving computers (Page, 2002). We must be cautious in assuming that all students have one global learning capacity as identified in Teaching Every Student (Rose, 2002). One must consider that if a student has a disability or a challenge in one area, it may be countered by the ability to perform at an extraordinary ability in other areas. One size/type education fits all does not work, each student has differences, learning style differences, processing information differences, and come to the educational arena with different experiences. As a result of this diversity, the use of technology provides the flexibility to address these needs allowing the teacher to differentiate instruction and meeting the needs of all the students within the classroom. By utilizing a tool such as a UDL (Universal Design for Learning), teachers are able to focus on and address the lesson’s overview, educational goals, methods of instruction, and assessment for a particular lesson of study.

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). //Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal// //design for learning //. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 1. Retrieved on October 5, 2009, from []

Page, M.S. (2002). Technology-enriched classrooms: Effects on students of low socioeconomic status. //Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(4)//, 289-409. Retrieved August 8, 2009 from the International Society of Education []_4_Summer_20021&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentFileID=830

__EDLD 5364: Week 1 Assignment 2 - New Knowledge__

This week’s readings, videos, and discussions have been very interesting, a lot of new learning. The focus of this week’s learning for me was on three different learning theories, constructivism, connectivism, cyborg and social networking.

Constructivism implies student’s prior knowledge is the base on which the learning occurs and new knowledge is gained by interacting with the reading, writing, and content rather than how I was taught, using drill and kill practices and simple recall of information.

Connectivism goes a bit further. To make an analogy, connectivism is like a jigsaw puzzle, there are a number of pieces in the box, and once all the pieces are fit together, you have created a picture, and it won’t become a whole picture (new learning) until all the pieces are connected, a student-driven learning environment.

Cyborg theory seems very futuristic. Cyborg theory predicts that there will be a merging between humans and devices, in a sense, implanting computer chips into a learner’s brain that contains the knowledge the student will need.

The focus of the journal readings was on social networking. An interesting quote by Dallas McPheeters in his article __Social Networking Technologies in Education__ was, “As the technology explosion continues world-wide, society’s call for education’s timely response sounds louder than ever before.” In order to keep up with the rest of the world, the education arena will have to embrace technology as a tool of learning rather than something to be feared. What a wonderful piece of technology to use in our classrooms, it would incorporate the ideas of constructivism and connectivism all through one media.