Looking back on the assignments the work called
for both individual and groups efforts in EDLD 5364 Teaching with Technology.
This class has given me a better understanding of the different types of
learners that walk through the door of my classroom every day. Planning as a team at first was a challenge,
being that we are scattered throughout the state, we decided to set up a Google
chat and Skype session once a week to discuss the team solutions for the
scenario. This was a new experience for me, but it turned out to be a very
effective means of communicating with each other. This process mirrored in many
ways on how the corporate world communicates. In addition, this kind of
cooperative group learning enhanced my knowledge subject matter as well as the
implementation of some new technologies. I was able to “make sense of, or
construct new meaning for, new knowledge by interacting with others” (Pitler,
2007. p. 139).
Creating my own individual UDL lesson and a separate group plan helped me add a new tool to my teacher toolbox. Even though UDL was new to me, I drew upon my prior knowledge of constructing a lesson then combining it with old lesson plans methods to better aide all student’s needs which encompass the diverse learners in the class. The CAST website was a great source to accomplish this task. I used the CAST UDL lesson builder to “create and adapt lessons that increase access and participation in the general education curriculum for all students” (CAST). When I created my UDL lesson I took into consideration my teams’ scenario solution. Our brainstorming sessions, ideas, roles and responsibilities helped me complete my role in the UDL lesson and allowed me to complement my work with the unit of study that we created. While creating my part of the lesson for this course I used technology to solve problems that I encountered in the course assignments, just as I will have my own students do.
I am a visual learner; the eBook assignment
was straightforward but challenging and engaging. I was “using the technology
to learn how to use the technology” (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p. 111). As simple as creating an eBook seems, it can
become an engaging lesson for my students as well as a new skill for them to
learn. It is a task that can be completed by both mainstream and diverse
learners. The eBooks are definitely a technology feature that I can apply to my
seventh grade health classroom in the future.
The cooperative learning group that we were asked to create for and be a part of gave me a different outlook and trust in team members that I did not have before. The interaction that occurred with the team members allowed me to share my classroom experiences with the group and apply how those experiences might help solve the scenario. The same was true with the other members of the team. We all teach different subjects and grade levels. Some group members had more experience working with special needs students than I did. My cooperative learning experience has impacted my future learning by teaching me the need to listen, respect, and achieve with others in order to gain the effectiveness that group collaborations can bring to a project.
My growth both as a learner and educator through these assignments will allow me to introduce new strategies to both my colleagues and students. My performances on the group project and individual project can be attributed to the effectiveness of the cooperative learning group. As a lifelong learner, it is important to find more technology applications that are age and ability appropriate for the learners no matter their abilities. Integrating technology into curriculum is needed in order to keep and maintain student’s engagement in learning in order to bring about greater student achievement.
Meyer, A. (2009, August 24). Cast udl lesson builder. Retrieved from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/
Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0 new tools, new schools. International Society for Technology in the Classroom. p. 168.
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