Reflections of EDLD 5364

During my course in EDLD 5364 Teaching with Technology I produced a campus professional development activity, a wiki-based study group with 3 teachers, led and supported while analyzing data related to student learning. In the culmination project we created a lesson using Universal Design for Learning through the CAST Lesson Builder site, created a sample electronic book and shared with my  team members. Lastly, we reflected on our electronic book, lesson, and teach experience.

I create lessons on a daily basis for the teachers on my campus. It was difficult at first to utilize the UDL(CAST, 2005) since it is redundant in the lesson fields. I appreciated how it helped me to ensure I was specific in wording. I am appreciative of the lesson rubric or I would have forgotten to include the three networks. If the UDL wants those networks addressed, as it discusses on the CAST site, the UDL needs to have the networks listed on the actual lesson creation tool.

My team decided to pool our UDL lessons to help with the group lesson. Since I was the team leader, I assigned different TEKS for each member to utilize for their lessons. A couple of my team members did not recognize the importance, at first, of finding the necessary TEKS to cover first. I think they preferred creating a lesson then finding the TEKS that happened to teach. As an integration specialist on my campus, I know that starting with the objective is essential to successful implementation of technology. The team members appreciated that as a focus.

While working on the e-book using the BookBuilder (CAST, 2006), I enjoyed seeing the different layouts and finding the one that would benefit the book I wrote. The aesthetics of the book will benefit students who are visual learners including our deaf student. I appreciated having a glossary tool for important words and the "coaches" who read orally specific parts. Reading aloud specific areas is an excellent way to reach auditory learners which includes our student who is blind. Having an e-book that is rich in graphics helps our visual learners, also.

 I can see utilizing the book builder to have students create tutorials for each other. If there is an area where several students feel especially comfortable, they can create the e-book for that lesson/concept. This would be a great way for the students to take ownership of their learning, take pride in their learning, and also help the teacher generate a repertoire of resources. An example book builder may be found at

http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view.php?op=share&book=b065ea18db72f123da77be4a83b2b705&sid=3990.

 Teaching with Technology is a course that has brought together several concepts that we have covered in other courses such as curriculum, assessment, design, and multimedia, to name a few. Working together was an excellent experience; we each had our own expertise in technology and teaching. We stretched each other in a lot of new ideas to ponder and implement as we created a solution for the project scenario.  James Paul Gee said in the video Grading with Games, “Next will be schooling that will address the ability to solve problems, but not just to solve problems, but to be able to do it collaboratively, so that you can work in a group where the group is smarter than the smartest person in the group” (Edutopia, nd). Our group functioned in this manner and it was very beneficial for us as a learners.  

Our course assignment was to help a teacher develop student-centered lessons using appropriate technology and meeting the needs of each of the 30 students in her class, including a blind student and a hearing impaired student.  The assignment also included creating professional development for the teacher. As we developed the strategies to solve this scenario we were also meeting several of the ISTE standards such as applying technology to maximize student learning and to implement effective assessment and evaluation strategies, as well as to model the use of technology in professional practice.  Developing the solution for the assignment allowed us to explore different kinds of technology activities that would allow students to showcase what they’ve learned.  It also afforded the opportunity to explore the best ways to assess student learning.  As Solomon and Schrum (2007) point out, “it makes much more sense to have ongoing assessment . . . known as ‘formative evaluation’” (p. 169).  We tried to incorporate this kind of assessment into our lesson strategies.

Our team worked very effectively together. We were able to share what we already know and gain new knowledge together. There was no question of the dedication of my team-mates to learning and completing the assignment accurately and on time. Learning to collaborate not just face-to-face, but long distance is a great learning experience. We worked with several ways to communicate over the Internet. This gives use the experience and knowledge we need to teach others how to use the Web 2.0 technologies in the real world. This is not just for the teachers, but also for the students. We want them to leave school knowing how to apply all that they have experienced to their lives in the outside world. If we can’t help them make that connection, we have failed them. Our team utilized a Google Site (Knight, Odom, & Wade, 2011). One team member posted to the site to ensure cohesion through the site. I created all the Google Docs to use within the group to post to the Google Site.

Educators need to find innovative ways to evaluate students. Rubrics are an excellent way to support a grading system in a way that enables students to understand the scoring. With our UDL we created several rubrics: rubrics for the daily lessons, for the presentation, and another for the group participants to grade their group’s ability to work together. The purpose for rubrics is to help students understand the criteria as pertaining to an objective seen as important. Although rubrics can be subjective, it aids the teacher with grading. Multiple assessments are an effective way for educators to ensure the content is curriculum based. "Most traditional assessments are detached from instruction and practice" (Rose & Meyer, 2002, ch. 7.4). Rubrics help to create a positive atmosphere in the classroom if utilized correctly.

Students will understand the grading system and will help students have a positive emotional and social connection with the class when rubrics are utilized. As Linda Darling-Hammond stated, the best teachers are “emotionally intelligent" (Edutopia.org, 2007). We need to ensure we have a positive atmosphere for not only the children but for ourselves as educators. Social and emotional learning in school is important so that school is not just cognitive. This type of learning is more than just getting along and social skills. This concept of social learning also enables teachers to support themselves as social and emotional learners. During this technology course with Lamar, we have built a group where these concepts were key to our group dynamics. We utilized Skype, chat, telephone, e-mail, and Google Docs to stay connected with each other.

References

CAST. (2005). CAST UDL lesson builder. Retrieved from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

CAST . (2006). CAST UDL book builder. Retrieved from http://bookbuilder.cast.org/

Edutopia.org (nd). Big thinkers: James Paul Gee on grading with games.  Retrieved on  Mar. 19, 2011 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-james-gee-video.
Solomon, G., and Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Eugene, OR:  International Society for Technology in Education.

Edutopia.org (December 10, 2007). The Collaborative classroom: An interview with Linda Darling-Hammond. Filmed at CASEL forum in New York City. Retrieved on Mar. 15, 2011 from http://www.edutopia.org/linda-darling-hammond-sel-video

Knight, L, Odom, P, & Wade, K. (2011, February 22). Project technology tools. Retrieved from http://sites.google.com/site/projecttechnologytools/home

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Chapter 7. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology Web site.  Retrieved March 16, 2011, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/

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