EDLD 5363 Final Video

It's a Twister!

EDLD 5363 Final Reflection

I think our team project was a success! It has definitely been a new experience. I am not used to working online only to create in depth projects with classmates. BUT, thanks to how awesome technology is, we were able to meet online to discuss what we would do with our project. Overall, it went very well and our team worked very well together! I was able to learn a lot through the strengths of all of my teammates. This was a great experience for me! While I think working with a group is usually difficult, I thought working with a group only through the internet would be an undertaking! But thankfully, I had a group of amazing classmates that worked very well together. Jennifer created a google document where we could all come to communicate for our pre-production phase. Once we could all discuss our ideas of how the video would work, each person set out and worked on their part and put all of our work into our group google drive, which was created by Robert. We all corresponded through email to keep track of how our project was going. Robert took all of our individual findings and put it all together to create our final video project. It turned out GREAT!! This project was hard for me because I felt like I needed to do more and help more, but it’s easy to feel that way when you are used to doing an entire project all by yourself. Splitting a project up into parts, puts a lot less pressure on each person. It is exciting to see the final project of two weeks of hard work!

EDLD 5363 Week One

This weeks project was quite difficult for me. You would think writing a personal story and creating a video to go along with it would be easy. But I struggled with what to write. I really wanted to convey something meaningful instead of where I was born, where I went to school, and what I like to do. After reading other people's scripts, especially the one about "Redefining Perfection," I knew I wanted to write something with meaning. I sat and thought deeply about myself and what was most important to me. Success came to mind. Then, I reevaluated my views and realized I was completely wrong. It was very helpful to really think about my life. I discovered that the most important thing and the key to my success was following my dreams. My dream is to inspire people and change the world. By teaching, I am able to do that. My true success is being able to make an impact on my students lives in the most positive way. I really enjoyed this project because it allowed me to really think about myself.

National Technology Plan vs. District Technology Plan

Click below to view my video comparing the National Technology Plan 

to my District's Technology Plan.

The Time for Technology (EDLD 5362 Week One)

Although it feels as if we cannot live without technology, it was not that long ago that computers were rare and technology was limited. Not only was technology rare at home, but within the education field as well. Instruction was completely different than how it is now due to the different theories. But how students need to be taught is even more different because of technology. Teaching and instructional strategies have changed tremendously from 20 years ago to today. When interviewing a teacher who taught 20 years ago, she discussed the huge differences. For instance, teaching reading has changed a lot. She informed me that when she first began teaching 27 years ago, teaching reading was very scripted. It was very step by step. Students were taught to read certain words in specific stories. They were not taught to expand their knowledge to other disciplines or to the real world. She believes that if they had the Internet we do now, back then, that there would not have been much use for it because there was a scripted system you used and you did not do much else. Whereas now, teaching reading is geared toward real life situations. Students are taught to sound out any word they can see. They are taught to expand their knowledge across the curriculum because learning is not isolated within its subject. When interviewing a veteran teacher, she believes there is now a huge different in how students used to be taught and how they need to be taught now. Back then, she discussed that students were much easier to entertain. Students interests were not the main concern when teaching, but she feels now that they must be number one because it seems that if a student is not interested, they will not learn. Students are now exposed to so many exciting and cool things, that their interest levels are more challenging to adapt to in order to keep focus. Before, students could work with the same activity and be entertained for many hours, but now you must change things over and over or have plenty of options for students to choose from or else they will lose focus. Learning theories today are more developed than they used to be. My interview with a veteran teacher recalled the biggest learning theory being that of Piaget and developmentally appropriate learning. Bloom’s Taxonomy was also a theory which is now in practice. Today, we have a lot more theories on instructional strategies, like cooperative learning. Technology back then would not have been useful because of the way things were taught. The scripted learning did not allow for the use of learning games via the computer or Internet. The students were not necessarily taught to transfer the learning towards the real world so reading on the Internet would not have been used. Technology today is the most beneficial resource used. According to Pew Internet & American Life Project, students use the Internet for writing papers, completing assignments, correspondence with classmates about upcoming projects, online tutors and study groups, as well as online classes. Students have to opportunity to expand their knowledge farther than what the teacher provides in the classroom. In fact, it is encouraged by the use of research projects and online activities within classes. Pew Internet & American Life Project also expresses how “most teenagers say the Internet’s ability to help them with their schoolwork and to help them learn new things is one of its best features.” Students can research tips, tools, and tutoring information to help them when homework may be difficult. Students can also access information posted on a teachers website from home to help them when not in the classroom. The USDLA Journal stated that “The miracle of the Internet was supposed to let great teachers reach any student, any subject, any time, and anywhere,” which is the biggest positive for technology in our educational world. This allows students to learn anywhere and anytime. This encourages life-long learning rather than just learning when at school. Technology is the best thing to happen to our educational system. We may have some difficulties to face when it comes to how it affects students focus. But the possibilities and opportunities are endless. Our goal as teachers is to instill a love of learning in each and every student that crosses our path. Technology does just that by offering the ability to learn at the touch of a button. References Arsham, H. (2002, March). Impact of the internet on learning and teaching. USDLA Journal, 16.3. Retrieved on November 17, 2009, from http://www.usdla.org/html/journal/MAR02_Issue/article01.html Graziano, M., Lenhart, A., & Simon, M. (2001, September 1). The internet and education: Findings of the pew internet and American life project. Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved on November 17, 2009, from http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2001/PIP_Schools_Report.pdf.pdf Levin, D., & Arafeh, S. (2002). The digital disconnect: The widening gap between internet-savvy students and their schools. Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved on November 17, 2009, from http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2002/PIP_Schools_Internet_Report.pdf.pdf

Wrap Up....Teaching With Technology EDLD 5364

This class proved to be very informational. Not only did I learn new information useful for teaching, but I learned a lot of about myself as a student. Through the weekly readings and videos I was able to gain new information that is beneficial to my teaching. I have always been a huge proponent of technology, but I didn't always know how to incorporate it. The book Using Technology With Classroom Instruction That Works was very helpful for me. Pitler provided me with lots of examples of technology that can be incorporated in the classroom. I will definitely keep this book handy due to its examples for diverse learning with technology.
This group assignment taught me a lot. I learned how to use a UDL lesson plan to create a diverse lesson. Prior to the class, I had never hear of or even used a UDL lesson plan. Working with this group assignment taught me quite a bit. Before this assignment, I thought that it would be easy to adapt my lessons for diverse learners or students with impairments. But having to adapt an actual lesson, I had to think through all of the different steps that would need to be taken to successfully create an adapted lesson. This new information transferred my old thinking of how simple it would be to adapt a lesson for students with impairments and made me realize how in depth I have to think when adapting a lesson.
I learned quite a bit about myself as a learner within this course due to having to complete a group assignment via the internet. It was a lot different trying to cooperate with three people all from different places. Technology is such an awesome thing! It was a challenge trying to work with three different people through the internet because there was not the instant feedback there to help get answers when there were questions. This class proved to be a challenge, but it helped me become more decisive and independent. I tend to need approval and want to make sure I am correct (especially in a group project) but not meeting face to face made me be decisive and confident in my decisions. I think the help from my colleagues is what got me through the course. At times the directions and expectations were unclear, so four heads together to figure out what we had to do worked out in our favor.
This course challenged me as an individual learner and as a group member, but I have grown as a learner and educator. I will be able to take the information I have learned from the readings and videos and apply them to my future as an educator.  Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age said "Successful learning experiences challenge and support each learner appropriately and adjust as the learner changes over time" (Rose).  How true for my learning experience in this masters program! My successful learning experiences within this course will allow me to continue to my journey as a life-long learner. 

• Page, M. S. (2002). Technology-enriched classrooms: Effects on students of low socioeconomic status. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(4), 389–409. Retrieved from the International Society of Education at http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Number_4_Summer_20021&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentFileID=830

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

• 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 6. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/

Last but not Least...Week Five

This week's readings about assessment was very helpful to me. I tend to forget that assessments are not only used to assess a students learning, but it is used to my teaching. Therefore, assessments are extremely important in order to make sure I am doing a good job. But if we have the traditional type of assessment, such as a test at the end of a unit, how would we as a teacher adjust our teaching if the unit is over? “It makes more sense to have ongoing assessment – the way evaluators do that is known as formative evaluation”  (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p.168). Ongoing Assessment will provide the chance to assess your students learning and your teaching at multiple parts during a unit.
In this weeks videos, there was information about using a variety of assessments to assess students learning. I think various assessments will be extremely beneficial for both my learning and my students. I like the idea of video games as assessments. Students will respond better to assessments if they are geared towards their interests. 

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, 168-176.