Final Reflection

It's truly hard to believe that 20 months of hard work are really over. While the program itself is over, the continuation of my education in technology needs to never stop. Technology is changing, and change, as we all know very well, is the only thing that ever stays constant. So, while I will no longer be logging into MyWalden anymore, I will be logging into my computer and the Internet regularly to see all the new things the world of technology has to offer.

The last assignment we had to create was a doozie for me. I knew what I wanted to do, knew how I wanted to get it done, but just had a little trouble communicating it. Once it was finished, I read it and discovered a beautiful lesson that really reaches all spectrum's of the curriculum. This assignment shows how easy it is to truly integrate technology into every aspect of a school day. Through one program, I was able to teach lessons about Social Studies, Science, Math and even Health. This one program took little prep from the teacher and if the students are taught the correct way to use the Internet from the first day of school, almost no prep is needed at all. This lesson is self guided, leaving the teacher to walk around the classroom and help where needed. Deeper discussions can be held due to the amount of information given in this lesson. Students are more attracted to this lesson then say, a paper and pencil lesson, because it allows the to use their gaming and socializing skills they love so much. This program, and class, have taught me that we really need to teach to our students and not at them. Teaching to them means we strive to engage and find their interests and whenever possible, pull those interests into our lessons. No one says a good lesson has to be boring...in fact the opposite is true.
Next year, I will possibly be transferring to another school. I would like to start that school year off with showing others all I have learned. As a team we can create lessons that are technology heavy and then have them for years to come. I will share the engaging lessons, programs and technological advances that without this class I would never have learned about.
So much can be learned through technology. So much can be taught through technology. I hope to open the eyes of my peers and show them that this is really true. No longer are worksheets and overheads going to cut it. We really need to engage and in doing this we will create learners that work hard and are prepared for the unknown future.

Application 4

We use technology so much. My xtranormal movie character explains so much!
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6311375

Class Reflection

Just like one shoe will not fit every person who tries it on, one teaching technique is not appropriate for all learners. A teacher must be able to identify her student’s needs and create lessons and activities that meet these needs. This is not always an easy task. Our students come into our room needing many different things. They come with different levels of readiness, different interests, and different learning styles. In this course, we learned about two different ways to support the differences our learners present. These are the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI). Both of these strategies call for the acceptance of the different learners we teach and allow us to create the best learning environment possible for them.

This class has taught me that differentiated instruction is a way to reach all learners through modified lessons. The easiest way to modify a lesson is through the use of technology. In the end, we just want all students to succeed. In offering different computer programs or technology related lessons we are tapping into the interest of most students and by differentiating these lessons we are meeting almost all students likes. This class has taught me to be open minded about the way I create lessons, assignments and even assessments.

One thing that really helped me in this class was my Ning group. Not only was this a great place to meet with my peers and discuss the class, but it was also a great place to share resources we may have found. Many resources, that I may have never found on my own, were shared here. Two minds (or more) are really much better than one. I found great ways to modify my lessons and was even able to make friends, with whom I continue to share information and ideas.

This course has helped me see that I need to look at my students more. As a teacher, I need to be able to create surveys or quizzes that allow me to get to know my students on a deeper level. Doing this will allow me to create lessons and assignments that really reach the learners I teach.

I am actually using my differentiation lesson plan this week. I divided the students based on ability and am very surprised by the outcomes. All students are producing and working well together. Students I was worried about completing the project are actually working hard to guide their group in the right direction. Giving assignments based on ability and interest really seems to work. While I believe this all in writing, seeing it work in real life is wonderful!!