Reflection week 8

One of the things that I have learned throughout this program, not just the course is the need for not only using technology within the classroom at a variety of capacities, but also the need for using it in appropriate manners similar to the ways that students will use in the near and distant future. I really like the idea of using Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVE’s) within the classroom, and would like to pursue using them for various activities. Depending on the program, the cost could be minimal and yet the quite valuable to students who can use it effectively.

Not only did I learn about the ideas behind MUVE”s, but I also learned the importance using new technologies to not only help students learn in the classroom today, but also to get them to use technology in hopes to prepare them for using technology for jobs that have yet to be created.

Overall, I have begun to reflect on my current teaching strategies and to try to find new ways to integrate technology. When I look back on all that I have done in the last two years, I realize I use technology more in my classroom than our technology teacher does in his. I do my best to try to get students to use technology and am constantly trying to find ways to use technology in the classroom. For example, I have been, and will continue to push for having email addresses for all of our students. Although the teachers I have been working with and I have been unsuccessful, there is a growing number of us that believe we should be doing more for the students than we do.

In order to make my life easier, I have organized my handouts and some of my notes on my webpage through the school. Students have used them several times, and tell me that I actually need to make them more entertaining with the beginnings. It makes my life a lot easier and I can help students in more ways. I have also posted all of my assignments online for students to download and use, making turning in missing work a great deal easier.

As technology continues to evolve, so do my teaching strategies. I hope that as new technologies continue to emerge, I can keep helping my students become more prepared for their futures while using technology. As I continue to surf some blogs such as technology4teachers, I hope I can learn a great deal about the new and emergent technology to stay more informed.

LMS

The Voicethread below focuses on using LMS within our school, and some possible reasons for it's use. For those who do not know what LMS stands for, they are Learning Management systems, such as Blackboard, Moodle, or RCampus.

http://voicethread.com/share/1021708/

Enjoy!

Reflecting on UDL and DI

As the class winds down, I tried to sit and think about the things I have learned, the ideas I have had, and the concepts we have discussed. Although I have not mastered the ideas of DI and UDL yet, I feel that I have a more in-depth understanding of the methodology of DI. I think what is important to understand is that although the ideas are quite simple to understand, the whole process of differentiation is quite complex. Not only can you differentiate in the areas of process or procedure, but also in the variety of learning styles and other methods based on the population dynamics of the class. I am finding that with my new group of students I just started with, they are completely different than I had expected, which will not allow me to differentiate my lessons using the same plans from last semester.

One of the things that I have already begun to do is stockpile tools for differentiation. As one of my school district's "pioneers" in a differentiation program, I think it would be a valuable idea, so that I can present the information to my colleagues when possible. This is definitely something that I am glad we were able to do through the social networking aspect of this class. By doing this, it has already given me a head start on the organizational aspect.

Another aspect of my instruction that I have begun is to create more podcasts. I started to make these two weeks ago, when I was snowed in at my house. They are short little clips that discuss a topic we discuss in class, and hopefully can be used by my students to help them understand the material in more detail.

I know that the process of learning how to differentiate is a long one, but I think since I'm already started and have a fair amount of resources at my disposal, it is definitely something worth pursuing.