EDLD 5364-Teaching with Technology Week 2 Reflection on Videos & Readings

It is taking a while to get back in the routine of doing schoolwork for myself and work.  I didn’t realize how easy it was to complete the courses over the summer, when I didn’t have any work demands also. 

The videos for this week all came from the website, http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/window.php?src=videos.  There were four topics covered, Diversity of Learners, Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning, The Brain Research, and Principles of Universal Design for Learning.  They gave a brief overview of the three brain styles:  recognition, strategic, and affective to emphasize how every brain processes information differently.  This is why we must use UDL, universal, design learning, when teaching in order to reach all students.  UDL allows us, as teachers, to customize and provide multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement.

I received my book this week also!  I had to play “catch-up” with that and read both last weeks and this week’s readings. 

In Using technology with classroom instruction that works, the authors make the following recommendations for the classroom:

1.      Set learning objectives that are specific but flexible.

2.     Allow students flexibility in personalizing the learning objectives or goals.

3.     Communicate the learning objectives or goals to students and parents.

4.     Contract with students to attain specific learning objectives or goals.

In chapter 1, there are lots of ideas shared for how to set up these learning objectives, such as word processing applications, kidspiration and inspiration, data collections tools, web resources, and communication software.  I liked that the authors showed examples and simple how-to instructions of each one. 

Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning  was the most interesting reading this week.  The section on Learner Diversity and High Standards really applies to teaching today.  It stated that “the challenge posed by greater diversity and greater accountability is to enable students with widely divergent needs, skills, and interests to attain the same high standards.”  (Rose & Meyer, 2002)  Teachers have a heavy load placed on them in order to accomplish this.  We must start incorporating  universal design for learning in order “to understand how students learn and use the technology available in this digital age to provide selected supports where they are needed and position the challenge appropriately for each learner.”  (Rose & Meyer, 2002)

Lessonbuilder.cast.org (nd). The Brain Research. Retrieved from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/window.php?src=videos

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, Chapters 1, 15-38.

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

Schacter, J. (1999). The impact of education technology on student achievement: What the most current research has to say. Santa Monica, CA: Milken Exchange on Education Technology. Retrieved from http://www.mff.org/pubs/ME161.pdf.