EDUC 6715: New and Emerging Technologies-Final Blog Posting

As this course as well as the completion of my second Master’s Degree ends, one quote by Ben Sweetland has resided with me throughout this entire program and summarizes the knowledge that I have obtained. He stated that, "We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own. Indeed, my path has been lit and I am taking everything that I have learned and utilizing many tools in my classroom to brighten every student’s life that I meet.

Learning that “an emerging technology has the potential to help us complete tasks faster and better, do something that we could not do before, and push us to a new level of technological use,” has changed my outlook on teaching (Walden University, 2009). This course has shown me that “the use of technology in teaching and learning is transforming instructional practices in 21st century schools,” (Walden University, 2009). In my endeavors to implement my learning activity and grant proposal, minor adjustments will need to be made to ensure all logistics are taken care of. This proposal has great potential and will be an asset to my school as well as others.

Overall, this course has taught me so much that I am now implementing into my classes today. Utilizing emerging tools such as online learning modules like Moodle, wikis, virtual field trips, and online textbooks provides students with a high quality technology rich educational experience, ability to develop critical thinking skills, ability to build global awareness, ability to gain 21st century skills, and the ability to have access to teachers anytime, (Young, Birtolo, & McElman, 2009). In addition, it has brought new ideas and ways of presenting information to my students that indeed reaches all learning styles.

In the closing of this degree, I can say that I have tremendously enjoyed learning from all of my professors and colleagues and can summarize only by saying, “technology continues to profoundly affect the way we work, collaborate, communicate, and succeed. Information technologies affect how people work, play, learn, socialize, and collaborate,” (Johnson, Levine, Smith, & Smythe, 2009). It is increasingly a means for empowering students, a method for communication and socializing and a transparent part of their lives, (2009). Technology is the way of the world. It has changed the way we think, process information, present information, changed the way we live, and most important... help develop self-directed, life long learners.

Thank you!

Resources:

Johnson, L., Levine, A., Smith, R., & Smythe, T. (2009). The 2009 Horizon Report: K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.

Young, J., Birtolo, P., & McElman, R. (2009). Virtual success: Transforming education through online learning. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(5), 12-17.

Walden University. Course Home Page. New and Emerging Technologies.
Retrieved February 25, 2010 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com.

EDUC 6715: New and Emerging Technologies

Hi Everyone,

This week in my EDUC 6715 class, we had to create a presentation on Online Learning in K-12 Schools. Attached is the link to the presentation.

http://www.slideshare.net/bradleyfj/educ-6715-app4-bradley-f-3580323

Have a great week!

-Farena

EDUC 6714: Reaching and Engaging All Learners Through Technology: Week 8 Reflection Blog

Throughout this entire course, this quote has stayed with me. Reflecting on the Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction, I am a firm believer that “The goal of education is not simply the mastery of knowledge; it is the mastery of learning. Education should help turn novice learners into expert learners-individuals who know how to learn, want to learn, and who in their own highly individual ways, are well prepared for a lifetime of learning,” (www.udlcenter.org). In preparing students for a lifetime of learning, we have learned that we have to reach each student. In doing so, this course has provided a vast variety of resources through our Differentiation Station Social Network that will allow us to open the minds of every eager learner.

Collaboration is an essential tool for educators. Working together during this course, sharing ideas and resources, we were all able to learn from each other. My group was phenomenal! Resources varied from strategies, icebreakers, to tutorials, technology integration, etc. Each provided a gateway to the three principles of UDL, the “what of learning, the how of learning, and the why of learning,” www.udlcenter.org. These resources are used daily in my class to aid in differentiating instruction. This course has taught me that differentiating instruction embraces student diversity and encourages the modification of instruction to support students’ needs, (Walden University, 2009). A teacher’s response is shaped by mindset and guided by general principles. It allows teachers to differentiate content, process, product, affect, and learning environment according to students readiness, interests, and learning styles, (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010)

This course has also taught me that, “our understanding of learning and teaching is constantly reshaped by theory, applied research, and changing media. As our knowledge grows, we know that students do not have one kind of intelligence or one way of learning…they have many,” (Rose & Meyer, 2002). Utilizing surveys, profiles, and evaluations, I am able to design lessons where each child can be successful. I have learned that when students are self-directed and highly motivated, they retain information well and apply it in all aspects of their educational career. Throughout this course, I have monitored and adjusted my teaching, delivery, as well as assessments. In allowing students to present in different ways how they are learning, has increased test scores, student’s motivation level, as well as change my classroom environment. I am grateful for this course as well as the opportunity to see the “other” side of my students, and “I love it!”

In conclusion, I feel as though this class has indeed allowed me to reach and engage all of my learners through UDL, DI, and technology. It has taught me that the overall goal for any teacher is to reach every student they teach. Creating a life-long learner is the key to success, therefore implementing everything I have learned in this course indeed “builds maximum flexibility into my curriculum and provides all of my students the maximum opportunity to learn,” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

Best Wishes To All!

-Farena

Resources:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Reaching and engaging all learners through technology. Baltimore: Author.

National Center On Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved January 18, 2010 from
http://www.udlcenter.org.

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/

Walden University. Course Home Page. Reaching and Engaging All Learners Through
Technology. Retrieved January 4, 2010 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com.

EDUC 6714-Reaching and Engaging All Learners

Application 4:

UDL: Sharing Ideas, Building Resources,

For this application, we had to create a multimedia presentation on the Universal Design for Learning. Attached is the link to that presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/bradleyfj/app4-bradley-f

Hope you enjoy and learn something that you could implement into your classes.

-Farena

EDUC 6713 Week 8-Final Blog Post Reflection

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."

-Ben Sweetland

The above quote by Ben Sweetland describes what has transpired throughout this course. I have learned new ways on how technology can “increase student engagement, maximize the impact of a learning activity, and provide opportunities for students to apply the content they are learning in authentic ways,” (Walden University, 2009). Reflecting on the implementation of the GAME Plan, I have learned that as a teacher it is very important for us as well as teach our students how to set goals, take action to meet those goals, monitor progress toward achieving goals, and evaluating whether the goals were achieved and extend our learning to new situations, (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010).

My GAME Plan goal throughout this course was to implement new digital tools into the classroom to further engage my students in their learning. In addition, increase my knowledge of technological advances in order to better serve my students. Reflecting on my plan, I have learned that, “one of the biggest factors in providing access to learning resources in a way that is sensitive to the individual and cultural needs of our students. We have to ensure that all students, whatever their backgrounds or abilities, have equitable opportunities to use all of the technology resources available in an interactive classroom with an atmosphere that respects students and provides ample opportunities for students to build on and extend their knowledge and skills,” (Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer, 2010).

In following my GAME plan, collaborating with my school’s technology specialist, I have learned so much. Technology is ever changing and the fast pace world we live in today, we have to continuously find new ways to engage our students. Attending conferences, workshops, and collaborating with colleagues are indeed great ways to learn new ideas. One key aspect in all that I have learned is that implementing new tools do take time. Being a related arts teacher, having the constant class interruption, schedule changes, assemblies, etc., it takes students longer to grasp new concepts because they are not used daily.

This plan has had a great impact on how my instructional practices are now being taught. Immediate adjustments I would make would be to implement the use of the GAME lesson plan template daily when creating my lessons. I found that the plans we created throughout this course using the template, set the pace for a smooth transition from one point to the next. I know I will continue to collaborate with colleagues as well as business teachers in my district. Hargis and Wilcox stated in this course that when one collaborates, you “learn more, retain it more and are more satisfied with the experience,” (2008). In addition, you enhance your learning. Enhancing my learning as well as my students is indeed the overall goal for me as a teacher.

Technology integration is vitally important in teaching our students the skills needed to be life long learners. It also supports the development of creative and critical thinking skills, (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b). In being a life long learner, students become creative thinkers and are self-directed to learn their content plus more. Creative thinkers are those who are “confident, motivated, persistent, open-minded, as well as flexible,” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b). Overall, this course has been indeed a true learning experience that I will take throughout my entire teaching career. I believe that I have truly become a self-directed life-long learner who is committed to ensuring my students’ success.

Thank You!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Resources:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Hargis, J., & Wilcox, S.M. (2008, October). Ubiquitous, free, and efficient online collaboration tools for teaching and learning. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 9(4), 9-17.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating Technology Across
the Content Areas. Baltimore: Author.

Walden University. Course Home Page. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Retrieved November 16m 2009 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com.

EDUC 6713-Week 7-Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

As teachers, our overall goal is to, “ensure that our students know and understand the content that we teach. However the world in which we live demands individuals to be self-directed, creative, critical thinkers, able to extend learning, solve problems, and adapt to new situations efficiently and effectively,” (Walden University, 2009). We have learned throughout this course that the GAME plan enables us to customize our approach to learning tasks, develop relevant skills that are important and prepares us as well as our students for life long learning, (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010).

In implementing the GAME plan process with my students, I can teach them how to set goals, take action to meet those goals, monitor their progress toward achieving goals, and evaluating whether their goals were achieved through a series of lessons, (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010). The National Educational Technology Standards requires students to learn the following:

· Creativity and Innovation
· Communication and Collaboration
· Research and Information Fluency
· Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
· Digital Citizenship
· Technology Operations and Concepts
-www.iste.org

In order to develop proficiency in my students, as a teacher I will implement lessons incorporating digital tools such as Internet Explorer, PowerPoint, Excel Spreadsheets, MS Publisher, etc. in order to bring about self-directed learning. We have learned that self-directed learning an “increase in knowledge, skills, accomplishment, or personal development that an individual selects and brings about by his/her own efforts using any method,” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010). Through incorporating real life, assignments in class that is of interest to my students will allow them to be motivated and eager to be creative, communicate, collaborate, and be successful in applying the lessons that are being taught to them. Developing a life long learner is a process, in which I am committed to continue to achieve with my students.

Resources:

Walden University. (2009). Integrating Technology Across the Content Area Course homepage. Retrieved November 9, 2009.

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning