This week we were assigned the task of researching online learning in K- 12 schools. The learning management system that I have explored is Schoololgy. Click on the link below to learn more about this digital classroom.
http://www.slideshare.net/Jgravagna/app4vaughnj
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Reflection for ED6714
Universal design and differentiated instruction have been discussed in great detail throughout this course. Prior to this course I was of the belief that I had a good understanding of differentiated instruction, but was a little unsure of the concept of universal design. From the discussions and resources provided throughout this course, it is apparent to me that they not only go hand in hand, but they are also a necessity to providing students with individualized educational opportunities.
The beginning of a new school year is upon us and in order to get to know my students’ personal interests; I plan on implementing the student survey created within week two of the course. This survey not only has questions about personal likes and dislikes, but it also contains questions about personal learning preferences. The student interest survey will provide me with a snapshot of my students and would allow me to begin to adapt curriculum to meet all of their unique needs.
In addition to my student survey, I will also be able to make use of the plethora of resources that were provided throughout the course on our group’s differentiated station page. These resources provide me with not only the tools to differentiate instruction, but also different lessons and activities that incorporate the use of technology to enable students to have access to the same curriculum, but in a way that is more acceptable and pleasing to their individual needs.
Once students’ academic abilities have been assessed using both different forms of technology and written formats, students will then be provided with differentiated activities that build on their strengths while depleting their weaknesses. Some examples of resources that I will use to differentiate learning are online reading resources such as ebooks and electronic book readers. These tools will allow those students who have difficulty reading or language barriers to have the text read to them while viewing the words. I will also make use of the digital story telling software and presentation software that will allow my students to express their learning in unique ways.
I am excited to begin this new school year. I have already met with colleagues and discussed plans for creating lessons that are not only universal in design, but differentiated to meet the needs of our students. Differentiation is not an easy approach to education, but once stock of knowledge and skills have been built, differentiation will be second nature.
The beginning of a new school year is upon us and in order to get to know my students’ personal interests; I plan on implementing the student survey created within week two of the course. This survey not only has questions about personal likes and dislikes, but it also contains questions about personal learning preferences. The student interest survey will provide me with a snapshot of my students and would allow me to begin to adapt curriculum to meet all of their unique needs.
In addition to my student survey, I will also be able to make use of the plethora of resources that were provided throughout the course on our group’s differentiated station page. These resources provide me with not only the tools to differentiate instruction, but also different lessons and activities that incorporate the use of technology to enable students to have access to the same curriculum, but in a way that is more acceptable and pleasing to their individual needs.
Once students’ academic abilities have been assessed using both different forms of technology and written formats, students will then be provided with differentiated activities that build on their strengths while depleting their weaknesses. Some examples of resources that I will use to differentiate learning are online reading resources such as ebooks and electronic book readers. These tools will allow those students who have difficulty reading or language barriers to have the text read to them while viewing the words. I will also make use of the digital story telling software and presentation software that will allow my students to express their learning in unique ways.
I am excited to begin this new school year. I have already met with colleagues and discussed plans for creating lessons that are not only universal in design, but differentiated to meet the needs of our students. Differentiation is not an easy approach to education, but once stock of knowledge and skills have been built, differentiation will be second nature.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Final Thoughts:
In the beginning of the course we were assigned the task of creating and implementing a GAME plan that would help us succeed at incorporating and mastering the standards of technology education. When given this task I knew that I wanted to gain more knowledge and become more comfortable with incorporating the use of technology into my teaching. I also wanted to be certain to remain up to date on the latest and greatest forms of technology to use in the classroom.
Personally, I feel that thus far I have made progress in both areas. For the upcoming school year I have create a very good working relationship with the technology teacher in our building who is willing to help me in designing lessons that make effective use of all the tools in the classroom. In addition, I have enrolled in a course that will help me make use of the different equipment when teaching math. I feel as though I have made wonderful advances in including technology into my teachings, but I know that as the year goes on and I become more proficient with it, I will have the ability to work towards my goal of learning about and working with new technologies.
Throughout this course I have learned several important things. I have learned that simple changes in the way I plan and conduct my lessons can automatically make my students more engaged and enthusiastic about learning. Many students lack interest in school, but through the use of technology, students regain an interest in what is going on in the classroom. I have also learned that the goals I have set for myself are not as difficult to incorporate in my teaching as I thought they would be. With time, practice, and confidence I am beginning to realize that very little effort is required to design and implement thought provoking activities.
Personally, I feel that thus far I have made progress in both areas. For the upcoming school year I have create a very good working relationship with the technology teacher in our building who is willing to help me in designing lessons that make effective use of all the tools in the classroom. In addition, I have enrolled in a course that will help me make use of the different equipment when teaching math. I feel as though I have made wonderful advances in including technology into my teachings, but I know that as the year goes on and I become more proficient with it, I will have the ability to work towards my goal of learning about and working with new technologies.
Throughout this course I have learned several important things. I have learned that simple changes in the way I plan and conduct my lessons can automatically make my students more engaged and enthusiastic about learning. Many students lack interest in school, but through the use of technology, students regain an interest in what is going on in the classroom. I have also learned that the goals I have set for myself are not as difficult to incorporate in my teaching as I thought they would be. With time, practice, and confidence I am beginning to realize that very little effort is required to design and implement thought provoking activities.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
GAME on for students!
Just as with anything in education the National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) and the National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) are interrelated in terms that the teacher lays the foundation for learning and provides the students with opportunities to obtain worthwhile experiences. The students then take what they have learned from the standards taught by their teachers and put it into practice in the classroom in order to demonstrate their knowledge and creativity.
If I were to begin this with my students I think I would initially work with the standard of Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making (NETS-S). After going through the process of creating and implementing portions of my personal GAME plan I have come to the realization that many of the indicators can be taught through the completion of other standards and other indicators outlined in the
NETS-S.
By beginning with critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making students will have the ability to obtain critical and thought provoking learning experiences while incorporating the latest forms of technology. They can work with other individuals within the school, district, state, country, and even other countries through the use of social networking and collaboration sites to research answers to questions, collect data, and report information.
The NETS-S standards all appear to be skills taught in the classroom, but require the use of technological tools. Encouraging students to complete their own GAME plan will better prepare them for the grades that follow and even the working world. It will provide support their learning in other areas and will also provide them opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned as an individual or as a member of a team.
If I were to begin this with my students I think I would initially work with the standard of Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making (NETS-S). After going through the process of creating and implementing portions of my personal GAME plan I have come to the realization that many of the indicators can be taught through the completion of other standards and other indicators outlined in the
NETS-S.
By beginning with critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making students will have the ability to obtain critical and thought provoking learning experiences while incorporating the latest forms of technology. They can work with other individuals within the school, district, state, country, and even other countries through the use of social networking and collaboration sites to research answers to questions, collect data, and report information.
The NETS-S standards all appear to be skills taught in the classroom, but require the use of technological tools. Encouraging students to complete their own GAME plan will better prepare them for the grades that follow and even the working world. It will provide support their learning in other areas and will also provide them opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned as an individual or as a member of a team.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
GAME Plan Progress
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
What goals are you still working toward?
Up until this point I feel I have made many effective strides in achieving the goals of my GAME plan. Through all of my research and relationship building, I have gained insight as to what must be done in order to incorporate the use of technology into classroom lessons. I have learned that throughout the course of my career there will be many new technologies introduced and many opportunities to learn more about the new tools that can be used in the classroom. As of now I am at a standstill to actually implementing my goals due to summer vacation, but I will continue to take steps throughout the summer that will allow me to successfully achieve my goals.
Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
Due to summer vacation I have not fully implemented my plan; therefore, no goals have been put into place in the classroom. For this reason I have not set any new learning goals, in hope that once school begins I will be able to successfully put my new learning into action. After I have accomplished my goals and feel more at ease with the progress I have made, I will set new goals. As a teacher I will continually be learning new things and making attempts to improve. This must be done in order to continue to provide my students with the best educational experiences.
If you are not ready to set new learning goals, how will you extend what you have learned so far?
I will continue to learn about the new technologies and how to incorporate them into my teachings through my professional development opportunities and classes that I have enrolled in for the summer. I have also made it a point to meet with colleagues at least twice a month over the summer to discuss and create lessons that require the use of the different forms of technology offered in the classroom.
What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
The next time I attempt to improve my learning I will use the problem-based learning approach. As discussed in the course reading, problem-based learning “requires higher-order thinking skills, such as those related to problem identification, selecting and monitoring strategies for solving the problem, applying knowledge, and evaluating the success of one’s efforts” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). If I expect my students to be able to think outside of the box and become independent learners than I too must approach learning in the same fashion.
Resources:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
What goals are you still working toward?
Up until this point I feel I have made many effective strides in achieving the goals of my GAME plan. Through all of my research and relationship building, I have gained insight as to what must be done in order to incorporate the use of technology into classroom lessons. I have learned that throughout the course of my career there will be many new technologies introduced and many opportunities to learn more about the new tools that can be used in the classroom. As of now I am at a standstill to actually implementing my goals due to summer vacation, but I will continue to take steps throughout the summer that will allow me to successfully achieve my goals.
Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
Due to summer vacation I have not fully implemented my plan; therefore, no goals have been put into place in the classroom. For this reason I have not set any new learning goals, in hope that once school begins I will be able to successfully put my new learning into action. After I have accomplished my goals and feel more at ease with the progress I have made, I will set new goals. As a teacher I will continually be learning new things and making attempts to improve. This must be done in order to continue to provide my students with the best educational experiences.
If you are not ready to set new learning goals, how will you extend what you have learned so far?
I will continue to learn about the new technologies and how to incorporate them into my teachings through my professional development opportunities and classes that I have enrolled in for the summer. I have also made it a point to meet with colleagues at least twice a month over the summer to discuss and create lessons that require the use of the different forms of technology offered in the classroom.
What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
The next time I attempt to improve my learning I will use the problem-based learning approach. As discussed in the course reading, problem-based learning “requires higher-order thinking skills, such as those related to problem identification, selecting and monitoring strategies for solving the problem, applying knowledge, and evaluating the success of one’s efforts” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). If I expect my students to be able to think outside of the box and become independent learners than I too must approach learning in the same fashion.
Resources:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
My GAME Plan Progress
This year is quickly coming to a close for many school districts across the country which delays the implementation of my GMAE plan. However, I am still able to make progress in my planning in order to make sure that once school begins I can have an immediate and fresh start. The actions I have taken to meet the goals I have set for myself are proving to have positive results in creating and implementing technology into many of my lessons. The class I have enrolled in, the relationships I have formed, and the resources I have discovered provide many useful and helpful hints to making use of old and new forms of technology for the classroom.
Within the last week I have conducted a few lessons that involve the use of my classroom blog, SMART board interactive lessons, and student response devices. I have learned that incorporating technology into my lessons is not as difficult and time consuming that many individuals believe it to be and it can have positive effects on students. “Technology allows students to engage in independent study, to collaborate in new ways, and to produce creative, original projects” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). It is evident that student involvement is much more evident when they have the opportunity to use technological resources.
As I continue through the summer and into next school year I am sure that many questions of confusing situations would arise. Until that time comes around I feel that many of the steps I have taken have provided me with the answers I may be searching for.
Once the new school year begins, I will be able to start with a clear view of what needs to be done in order to incorporate as many forms of technology as possible. As the year progresses I will have several opportunities to take advantage of professional development opportunities to learn more about the different types of technology that can be used in my classroom.
Resources:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Within the last week I have conducted a few lessons that involve the use of my classroom blog, SMART board interactive lessons, and student response devices. I have learned that incorporating technology into my lessons is not as difficult and time consuming that many individuals believe it to be and it can have positive effects on students. “Technology allows students to engage in independent study, to collaborate in new ways, and to produce creative, original projects” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). It is evident that student involvement is much more evident when they have the opportunity to use technological resources.
As I continue through the summer and into next school year I am sure that many questions of confusing situations would arise. Until that time comes around I feel that many of the steps I have taken have provided me with the answers I may be searching for.
Once the new school year begins, I will be able to start with a clear view of what needs to be done in order to incorporate as many forms of technology as possible. As the year progresses I will have several opportunities to take advantage of professional development opportunities to learn more about the different types of technology that can be used in my classroom.
Resources:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monitoring GAME Plan Progress
The school year is quickly coming to an end, and I am beginning to think about and plan for next year’s class. The GAME plan I have designed for myself is made up of both personal and professional goals. Thus far I feel I have been somewhat successful at receiving the necessary resources and information that I need in order to carry out my plan. I continue to have a working relationship with most important and skilled individual, the technology teacher. Discussions with my colleagues have provided me with many ideas for language arts and math lessons that encourage hands on learning while implementing technology. Not only have I picked the many talented brains of my colleagues, but I also have enrolled in a math class at a local university. This particular course will help educators find unique ways to teach math while making use of the technology and manipulatives already available in their classrooms.
As I move forward with my GAME plan I am beginning to realize that implementing technology into my lessons and activities is not as difficult as most believe it to be. Every aspect of life involves the use of some form of technology from keeping in touch with friends and loved ones to keeping track of the week’s/month’s events. I also have come to the realization that by remaining current with the latest and greatest forms of technology and incorporating these devices into my teachings that I will have more creative ways to assess student progress. In this week’s resources Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer (2009) discuss how technology and assessment can go hand in hand, but they should not be considered as an afterthought or “tacked on” to the end of a lesson. They should be incorporated throughout. (2009, p.139).
Due to the fact that school will end within the next week or so, I plan on implementing many of my newly designed activities into next year’s class. For this reason I currently believe that I am on the right track and making strides to achieving my goals. I am sure that once I begin to incorporate the different forms of technology into my lessons and learn more about the newest devices I will have many questions. Until then I will continue to work with my colleagues, take courses, and read information to help me grow and develop in completing my GAME plan.
Resource:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classrooms Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
As I move forward with my GAME plan I am beginning to realize that implementing technology into my lessons and activities is not as difficult as most believe it to be. Every aspect of life involves the use of some form of technology from keeping in touch with friends and loved ones to keeping track of the week’s/month’s events. I also have come to the realization that by remaining current with the latest and greatest forms of technology and incorporating these devices into my teachings that I will have more creative ways to assess student progress. In this week’s resources Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer (2009) discuss how technology and assessment can go hand in hand, but they should not be considered as an afterthought or “tacked on” to the end of a lesson. They should be incorporated throughout. (2009, p.139).
Due to the fact that school will end within the next week or so, I plan on implementing many of my newly designed activities into next year’s class. For this reason I currently believe that I am on the right track and making strides to achieving my goals. I am sure that once I begin to incorporate the different forms of technology into my lessons and learn more about the newest devices I will have many questions. Until then I will continue to work with my colleagues, take courses, and read information to help me grow and develop in completing my GAME plan.
Resource:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classrooms Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
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