EDLD+5364+Teaching+with+Technology+Final+Reflection

Throughout EDLD 5364 Teaching with Technology, the goal was not only to be able to lesson plan and implement technology use within classrooms, but to also discover the outside parameters it takes to correctly connect technology to the students. In order to fully connect the content to the students there were three learning networks that must be tapped in order to fully reach all levels of learning within the classroom. The three networks are Recognition, which lets the students know what is being taught, the strategic network, which is the process or how the content will be presented to the students, and lastly is the affective network, which is the why the content is important. These three networks are to be incorporated into the lessons, that can be built with a new tool; the UDL lesson plan template. The UDL lesson plan allows teachers to take all strategies and content and incorporate it onto a plan. This way the networks and content are laid out in such a manner that it would be an effective lesson that will reach all learners within a classroom. Within the lesson-planning phase, the technology tools were incorporated to make the lessons more effective and instant gratifying for not only the students, but also the teacher. The lesson plan template was also used not only for planning a lesson, but to form a unit or program that was being used to solve an issue/problem that had to be solved within classrooms. It allowed for collaboration and the formation of solutions and professional development techniques for the instructors. The collaboration with the group to solve a solution allowed for the use of new and past web 2.0 tools that can be beneficial to learners, such as low achieving, GT, deaf and blind. One such tool used was the e-book from the CAST: center for applies special technology. This new tool allows teachers to create tools and to incorporate help coaches, multiple languages and content to be read to students. Such a tool is not only important to the lesson, but also the assessment portion of the content. It is stated “students also might benefit from the computer-based format by virtue of the reading it offers, their own preference for working with computers, or other factors.”(Rose & Meyer 2002) The issue that many students are not assessed correctly, because the students cannot focus on the skills being tested. This is due to the fact the skills were not reached because of the frustration of reading the problems. Therefore, tests given on computers where problems can be read to students help pacify the situation and help students focus on the certain skills that the teacher is trying to teach. Lastly, the strategy of “reinforcing effort” (Pitler 2007) and reflecting on ones work is vital to embracing the never-ending cycle teachers have to go through in order to improve in their field. The teacher must first be able to push the students to understand that their efforts within the classroom pays off whether it’s by the students keeping up with their own grades or just the use of a computer program that instantly shows the students the progress on a computer screen. Lastly the ability of a teacher to reflect on the process and see whether changes need to be made to better the program is vital. The teacher must always self evaluate in order to grow and must be willing to let others evaluate, whether it is in person or in a survey. The teacher must be able to grow in or to succeed; because technology is not stagnating, it is constantly growing and changing, so as educators we must progress also. Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using technology with classroom instruction that works.// Alexandria Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Devlopement ===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 October 5, 2009, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/ ===