A Reflection on Reaching and Engaging all Learners through Technology: The Differentiation Station Social Nework to UDL and DI Implementation

As an educational professional, I have always – unknowingly until now – thought that the goal of education was the mastery of knowledge. It was not until I became acquainted with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) through this class, Reaching and Engaging all Learners through Technology – 6713D-2, that I was exposed to and made to understand that the goal of education is two-fold: the mastery of knowledge and the mastery of learning (Center for Applied Special Technology, 2009a). To fulfill this two-fold goal, educational curriculum must be designed to meet the diverse needs of all of its students and not create educational barriers for those who are different in abilities, learning styles, background and/or preferences (Center for Applied Special Technology, 2009b).

How can curriculum be designed initially to meet these diverse needs? This is a question that I asked myself as I read through the class’ discussion boards, studied the class’ resources, and examined the URL’ s of my Ning colleagues. The answer to this question has brought me to my second revelation and needed adjustment, assessment. Prior to this, I saw assessment only in a summative way to simply identify those students who had or had not reached or exceeded important learning targets. This narrow view of assessment gives only half of the purpose of assessment, an assessment of the learning. The other half of the purpose, an assessment for learning, was not a part of my curriculum. The summative assessment needed to be preceded by the informative assessment.

Reading Carol Tomlinson’s Learning to Love Assessment gave me insight into the need of consistent informative assessment to guide and direct my instruction as students successfully acquire the skills necessary to achieve important learning targets (Educational Leadership, December, 2007/January, 2008). Informatively, assessment tools for determining diversity in abilities, learning styles, backgrounds and preferences are now a necessary part of my English 10 curriculum as it guides my instruction and strengthens the bond that exists between my students and me. As a diagnostic assessment, informative assessment will provided needed information for me to know the existing skills, abilities and needs necessary to achieve the desired academic targets. The many resources posted in discussions at http://waldenningforfun.ning.com, a collaborative Ning shared by some of my classmates and me, allow me to take the very first step in engaging students in learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Diagnosing diversities among students in interests, learning styles, intelligence preferences and learning profiles can be accomplished by using technology tools given at http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/edres.html, http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxbq11/LSI/LSI.htm, http://surfaquarium.com/MI/inventory.htm and http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory consecutively. The data collected from these technology sources will give me the needed information to plan and implement instruction that engages all of my diverse learners and gives each of them necessary opportunities to meet with learning success.

Because my instruction must be designed to include the options and the flexibility necessary to successfully meet the needs of a diversified classroom, it must address UDL principles of representation, expression and engagement (Howard, 2003) that provides teachers with the flexibility to create user-friendly and engaging learning situations; to reduce curriculum barriers; to increase availability of instructional assistance; to provide students with knowledge, skills and enthusiasm for learning; and to validly assess student learning. Computer technology with its versatility as well as its flexibility offers these provisions. Giving its users the ability to write, paint, draw, calculate and compose music as well as the ability to customize text size or color or font, to highlight, to hear text read aloud, and to look up the meaning of unknown words, technology can support students in accessing, managing, analyzing and sharing information. Using the many resources given at http://www.waldenningforfun.ning.com, various technologies can be used to customize instruction based on my learning from this class. Recognizing and reacting responsively to the individual differences of all of my students, I must incorporate the flexibility of technology into my instruction as I maintain a mindset of intellectual growth through change and risk taking. Coupling current effective teaching strategies, newly learned strategies and the technology resources from my Differentiation Station social network, my instructional time will fulfill the requirements of the standards as well as provide motivating, challenging and meaningful experiences for all students as they not only master the knowledge presented to them but also master learning to become self-directed and self-motivated expert learners.

References:

Center for Applied Special Technology. (2009). UDL guidelines, version 1.0. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.orgaboutudl/udlguidelines.

Howard, J.B. (2003). Universal design for learning: An essential concept for teacher education. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 19(4), 113-118.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Learner Differences. Baltimore: Author.

Tomlinson, C., (2008). Learning to love assessment. Educational Leadership, 65(4), 8-13. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

GAME: SDL Result

To be self-directed in learning is a valuable asset that eliminates any barriers that may be intentionally or unintentionally set to limit attainment of knowledge of any kind. As I reflect on the GAME plan that I developed and followed in Integrating Technology Across the Content Area, I see IT as a strategy of self-directed learning (SDL). The course text defines SDL as the ability to set personal learning goals, take actions to meet those goals, monitor progress toward reaching those goals and evaluate the effectiveness of the learning process and the learning outcomes (Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P., 2009). The components of this definition is the acronym for GAME.

My GAME plan as it relates to the definition of SDL has given me new insight into and about learning. Several months ago when I started my Walden journey, there were many educational issue and tools of which I had no knowledge. When some of these issues or tools were mentioned in discussions, I would always accuse my lack of knowledge to inadequate in service provided by the district. That WAS an excuse - an unacceptable excuse - because nobody is going to teach you everything! As individuals, we must take the initiative to teach ourselves somethings!

My reflection teaches me that there is actually nothing that is acceptable as a reason for my lack of knowledge other that a personal lack of initiative to seat a goal to learn of new strategies being applied in the secondary language arts class/ English. The Web has access to basically anything that anyone wants to learn about, and it comes from multiple sources that that can be validate. All that is needed to profit from the Web's knowledge reservoir is an inquisitive nature coupled with the initiative to pursue the goal.

This insight, a product of my GAME plan, will be a guiding light of my instructional practice. Encouraging my students to set goals, I will model as I guide them through the development of their own GAME plan as it relates to English 10. Giving them an opportunity to customize their learning, the GAME plan will enhance their self identity as well as their self-esteem as they drive their GAME plan on to educational turfs that build and promote learning in ways that are prescriptive only to them as the learners.

My GAME plan and many other aspects of this course have made me realize the importance of students sharing their opinions and ideas with an audience other that the teacher. They value their personal thoughts and want others to hear and understand them. Seeking feedback from peers and others of the real-world, students want to collaborate in and beyond the walls of my English 10 class! Monitoring and adjusting my instructional practice, I can implement the blog or the wiki to promote the collaborative process among my students, to illustrate my learning and to meet my technology integration goal. Using the discussing format of these technology tools, students learn to collaborate as they discuss relevant material that supports their understanding.

Bringing the blog to English 10 will be a valuable integration of technology. Fulfilling my goal of technology integration, the use of both the blog and the wiki will inspire my students to think critically and creatively as they synthesize, create and communicate knowledge. With continuous use of both technology tools, students will develop their personal sense of efficacy as we all realize that one of the most necessary realizations of education is the fact that we should ALL HAVE GAME!

Reference:

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integratin for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

GAME Brings Successful Goal!

An analysis and comparison of the National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) and the National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) reveal that they are inter-related. This inter-relationship puts both students and teachers on the court. Although the wording is different, the overall requirements and the objectives are the same. Following are some of the inter-related requirements of both students and teachers based on the Standards:

Both must be creative and innovative.
Both must communicate and collaborate using digital tools and
resources.
Both must create and design using digital tools.
Both must be knowledgeable of the ethical, civil and responsible use
of the Internet.

There is one requirement for teachers that students do not have, the teacher must model the objective being taught. This give the teacher the added responsibility of not only knowing but doing, an enduring learning.

Over the past several weeks, I have progressed in my GAME plan. I have read many sources that can promote my skill and abilities to create learning experiences that integrate digital tools and resources to increase student learning and creativity. I am experiencing both the wiki and the blog as I continue my QUEST. Digital storytelling is being added to my professional technological toolbox as I journey on to total success in learning to use and to model these skills and give my students engaging and enduring learning activities.

As aforementioned, the difference between the NETS-T and the NETS-S standards is that teachers must model the skills, goals, and objectives that they teach. As I reflect on my GAME Plan, I envision it as an instructional tool b which my students can identify Goals plan their Actions for achieving those goals, Monitor their actions for progress and/or alterations and Evaluate their actions to determine success or need for modification. With this strategic GAME play, I can teach and model the need for everyone to be goal-oriented. As goal-oriented students knowledgeable of the standards of which they must become proficient, students can set their GAME plan for each specified goal written in objective form to be covered in my English 10 content area. Giving them GAME allows them to customize their preference in achieving and succeeding as our inter-related QUEST continues.

Beefing-Up the GAME

As I reflect on the types of learning to which students are exposed, I visualize effective learning, learning that has been very informative and engaging to me as a student of Walden and other educational institutions or learning environments. Too often as traditional classroom teachers, we think that real learning has to be found in the confines of a classroom, but that is not the real truth. Learning takes place everywhere, and my most emphatic learning has come from my verbal participation in the learning.

My verbal/written participation in the discussions of the Discussion Boards and commenting on group blogs and wikis has given me insightful knowledge on integrating technology into my English classroom. As I take my GAME Plan further, I want to promote my students learning through the use of these tool. To prepare them for postings by exposing them to knowledge of specific topics, I will implement the NETS-S Research and Information Fluency standard which requires students to conduct Internet searches by collaborating with the librarian, media specialist or teachers of other content areas with the purpose of learning to use the Internet as a source of information that will support the forming of personal opinions and ideas to be shared and analyzed among selected group members.

Equipped with this researched information, students will be competent to participate in online discussions "to help gauge different opinions and reactions to the reading" Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P., 2009). Incorporating Communication and Collaboration with Feedback with Research and Information Fluency, students will then create a class product that indicates the worth of their research. Thus, the NETS-S standard of Communication and Collaboration will be fulfilled.

As I implement the Research and Information Fluency and the Communication and Collaboration standards into my Action Plan, I envision it as a time to make connection to my second goal: to learn, support and teach the ethical and respectful use of digital information and technology. With the requirement to conduct Internet searches, students learning and understanding of Internet ethics and safety will be appropriately taught at this point of the GAME. After all, a hands-on-approach makes the learning more enduring because practice, as I have learned, bring greater proficiency.

Reference:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Game Plan Update!

As I reflect on my Game Plan and the impetus to play, I am able to make a connection with this week's readings on Problem-Based Learning. My Game Plan is to integrate technology in my English 10 classroom so that students can have a more engaging and enriching learning experience. They get an opportunity to use research tools to find support for a real-world cause for which they are concerned and make proposals to solve that cause of problem. They also get an opportunity to use spell-checkers in the composing and editing processes.


The score is running in my favor, or my optimism does not permit me to see otherwise. As students are using the Internet, they get an opportunity to connect with real-world experts who will give them the pros and cons to the cause/problem that they have selected. Because the cause is personally selected by the student, he/she will remain actively engaged in it. Both active engagement and connection to real-world experts are components of learning.

After this week's assignment, I can focus on an extension to the assignment that was given. I see the wiki as a possible avenue of collaboration. Earlier, I had focused on the blog as an avenue of collaboration; but, after my second experience with the wiki, I have intentions of learning to become more efficient with its use. My weekly blog posts are making me more efficient with the blog. Becoming more and more efficient with these tools of technology and Web2.0, I will be more capable of modeling for my students the use of these tools in meeting and fulfilling the goals and objectives that they must accomplish to be successful in the classroom and in later life. After all, my experience does become my best teacher!

The Impetus to Play

Examining the action or play necessary to achieve my goal of integrating digital tools and resources into my secondary English curriculum, I have made some accomplishments in making me fully realize and understand the necessity of technology integration at http://www.edutopia.ora/ and in professional development for beginners with technology at http://www.classroom20.com/. Because of the need to prepare students for productivity as future citizens, my progress must be inevitable. The impetus to be successful in achieving my goal must not be deterred because of my neglect or my lack of motivation to be self-directed in my learning.

At this point of the GAME, there are no necessary modifications. Technology integration into the classroom is a critical need and must be vowed as such by all passionate educators. In a society that is totally immersed in technology, we must not only teach but also model the use of these tools that are so commonplace in not only our students' lives, their communities and their homes but also in our own. We live in a highly technological knowledge-based economy, and we must effectively integrate technology to deepen and enhance the learning process. It must support the four components of learning:

Active Engagement,

Participation in Groups,

Frequent Interaction and Feedback

Connection to Real-World Experts.

My inquiry into technology reveals that effective technology integration will not only support the aforementioned components but will also reveal routine and transparent use that supports circular goals. It enables cross curricular and personal connections for and to every student's world. After all, education is not an isolated entity, but a collaborative and cooperative effort.

THE PLAY!

To achieve my goal of integrating digital tools and resources into my high school English curriculum, I have GOT to have a PLAY! I cannot have game if I have no play! I need the knowledge necessary to implement and put in motion the action for reaching my goal.

To gain this knowledge, I have to do an Internet search for resources that can carry me to various Websites that provide professional learning and support, lesson plans and activities. These provisions can be carried out through personal readings, videos and/or virtual experiences. Each avenue will contribute to my professional toolbox of techniques for infusing twenty-first century technologies into my English classroom.

Having taken the step to identify some resourceful Websites with brief overviews of their purposes and content, I have identified the following sites as starters:

• http://www.cast.org/index.html
• http://www.classsroom20.com
• http://www.concord.org
• http://www.edutopia.org/tech-integration
• http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Advocacy/Dons_letter_on_Funding.htm
• http://www.ncte.org
• http://www.teachersdomain.org
• http://www.21stcenturyskills.org
• http://www.thinkfinity.org/home.aspx

In addition to using these sites to gain information, I will use a collaborative learning strategy to gain insight from colleagues on techniques of technology integration that has worked for them. Through collaborative sites like http://www.ning.com and technology blog sites, I can network my way to effective integration of digital tools and resources to promote not only engaging and creative learning experiences but also academic success!