EDLD+5364+Activity+Reflection


 * Course Embedded Assignments**

//As a campus professional development activity: //
 * 1) // Create a wiki-based study group with 3-5 teachers, leading and supporting, who analyze data related to student learning, //
 * 2) //Create a lesson using Universal Design for Learning at the CAST Lesson Builder http://lessonbuilder.cast.org, //
 * 3) //Create a sample electronic book to share with your learning team members. //
 * 4) //Add a team reflection to your Google site about the process of creating an electronic book. Share a blog/wiki reference document/site. //

**Reflection**

**Self-Assessment**

The challenge for this course focused around using technology as an instructional tool. We were required to work in a group to solve a scenario given to us regarding helping a teacher design a lesson plan, which incorporated the use of technology, and that met the needs of diverse learners in the classroom. Throughout the solution process, we had to consider both the diversity of learn styles and abilities of the students and the teacher's level of technology skills and knowledge.

With regards to the students, I was fascinated to learn about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) through our readings and the http://cast.org website. UDL considers how students learn using three, recognition, strategic and affective, networks (Rose, D., & Meyer, A., 2002). Being able to use the UDL framework to analyze the individual strengths and weaknesses of their students and to understand the students' unique differences, the teacher would be able to easily individualize instruction so each student, regardless of socioeconomic status or learning/physical disability. The biggest challenge I faced was writing the UDL lesson, since I had not written a detailed lesson plan for quite a while. I understood the construction of the lesson; however, I had to shift my paradigm to include the idea of UDL into the lesson plan. I worked on my individual UDL lesson using [|LessonBuilder]. As I constructed the lesson, it was important to consider and choose those activities that fell into one of the networks of learning. Technology became an important consideration in this process, as it gave flexibility in: the presentation of the information; students' ability to use it for learning and problem-solving; and engagement of students in the learning process.

**Learn as a Learner**

The construction of UDL lessons and eBook, created with [|BookBuilder,] reinforced my basic understanding that all students could learn with the appropriate scaffolds and supports; however, the process presented a different perspective to what that meant. I thought that all assignments would need to be completed at different levels. Through my work with UDL and eBook, I realized that it is not only the assessment that needed to meet the needs of the students but how the information was presented and the students ability to interact with the information was just as important. It was addressing all three learning networks that support student success in the classroom.

Along with considering technology rich activities that would support and engage all students in the class, we had to determine what professional development the teacher, who had very basic skills in technology, would need to implement the activities. We used the method expressed by Mary Burns (2002) when delivering technology professional development to teachers, "focus not on proficiency but rather on comfort, embedding the technology within the curriculum activity and stressing the cultivation of a minimum set of technology skills -- just enough to create the product" (p. 298). By sticking with technology that did not require a large learning curve, the professional development for the teacher would require a limited amount of time to master the skills needed. We included professional development that could be delivered, as the teacher needed it, through the use of short, focused videos. For the activities that required the teacher to have more in-depth training, we planned for face-to-face training that would take place two weeks prior to using it in the classroom. This gave the teacher adequate time to learn and practice the skills, before presenting the activity to the students.

Pitler's (2007) statement that technology plays a "vital role in cooperative learning by facilitating collaboration, providing structure for group tasks, and allowing members to communicate even if they are not working face to face" was key for us to successfully complete this assignment (p. 140). Throughout the process of solving this scenario, we used many of the technology options that would be included in the solution. Each member of the group came to the table with a variety of experiences, knowledge, skills and perspectives. Setting up a team [|Google site] was a unique way for us to communicate and share ideas. We each contributed to the solution of the problem through designing our individual UDL lessons, eBooks and learning activities. Our learning activities incorporated the use of blogs, wikis, Glogster, and GoAnimate. The final solution was a Glog, which required the group of 8th grade students to explore [|“Natural Events That Impact the Earth's Surface.”]

**Life Long Learning Skills**

As the weeks of this course passed, I began to look at the new knowledge I had acquired and how I could help our teachers incorporate it into their learning. My plan is have a two-prong attack. The first is to provide technology training to those teachers who are exploring new ways to present information to students or technology rich activities for students to complete, to show their knowledge. The second prong would be to go through the backdoor and work with the students themselves. Many teachers leave their presentation assignments open for students to choose the method for presenting their learning. I have begun working with some of these students showing them some Web 2.0 tools they can use for their projects. It is my hope that when the teachers begin to see these Web 2.0 tools being used by students, they would become interested in including the tools in their lessons.

Burns, M. (2002). //From Compliance to commitment: Technology as a catalyst for communities of learning//. Phi Delta Kappan, 84(4), 295 -303

Cast.org (2009). //Cast UDL book builder//. Center for Applied Special Technology. Retrieved on October 5, 2009, from http://bookbuilder.cast.org

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Cast.org (2009). //Model ULD Lessons//. Center for Applied Special Technology. Retrieved on October 5, 2009, from http://udlselfcheck.cast.org

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using technology with classroom instruction that works//. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Introduction, 139-154.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">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 & 7. Retrieved on October 5, 2009, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/