Do frequent evaluations of faculty development in technology integration positively impact student learning?

my revised action research plan

Couse Reflection EDLD 5364 - Teaching with Technology

This course made be truly understand the importance of individualized learning, "Learning is internally controlled and mediated. Learners take in information, process it to fit their personal frameworks, and build new understanding. That knowledge construction occurs internally, in the private domain of each individual" (SEDL, 1999). I use differentiated instruction in my lesson plans so I understand that my students learn differently but I can admit that not all of my lessons were centered around my students.  This quote explains why the learning theory constructivism focuses on the learner instead of the teacher. Constructivist teaching practices activate prior knowledge and encourage students to research, interview, and share info. Teachers do not have to provide students all the answers but should provide a structure that encourages exploration.

Before I became overwhelmed with the challenge to center my lessons around all these learning needs, I read where Anne Meyer says that that the Universal Design of Learning (UDL) principles in learning mirror that of UDL principles architecture and product design. Just like curb cuts, speakerphones, and closed caption television accommodate a wide variety of users so should teachers accommodate a wide variety of learners. UDL encouraged me to rethink my instructional objectives and assessments because acknowledging all learning needs is very necessary. I concentrated most of this course on UDL because, for me, it connected neuroscience to the way we learn. The three primary brain networks: recognition, strategic, and affective deal with how the brain gathers, plans/performs, and engages/motivates (respectively) (Rose and Meyer, 2002). UDL supports that learners construct the meaning of the lessons and that teachers support the learners instead of imparting the knowledge. UDL minimizes learning barriers. Its primary principles are to provide multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement to cater to the 3 primary brain networks: recognition, strategic, and affective (respectively) (Rose and Meyer, 2002).

This course was more challenging than the previous concerning my learning experience. As an individual learner, my approach and strategy to completing assignments is to highlight and answer all the assessment questions. I normally reflect upon how the subject matter improves me professionally while achieving the instructional objectives. Since I worked with a group, I mirrored my strategies on my course mates and I assessed my performance based on their feedback. I worked with the same group of colleagues from my previous course so the chemistry was still there but I choose to be less aggressive in advocating my ideas and suggestions for the project. I am learning a great deal about team building and collaboration in this program so I chose to focus on myself as a leader and realized, at times, I can be very opinionated. When we came up with our group UDL lesson subject, I agreed more to keep the peace of the group not really knowing a strategy to complete the assignment. With help from my team leader, I designed a UDL lesson unique to the gifted and talented portion of our classroom set. I don’t know how interaction with colleagues impacted my performance results this course but I have no regrets about the decisions that I made.

As mentioned in my week 5 reflection, the last readings and videos of this course were very enjoyable and I had a few epiphanies. This course gave me accountability as an instructor on how to create change for an effective 21^st century classroom. My previous course left me with the challenge to find a strategy that meets both the needs of the internally driven students and the data driven institutions. This course provided several authentic technological assessments that can motivate the students and comply with state assessment guidelines. For example, English students can listen to a podcast as they would on a state exam. Students can peer-edit different students' works in a shared online space. Teachers can assess using the state writing rubric (Solomon & Schrum,  2007).  Before I designed my UDL lesson, I studied the ISTE.NETS-S Standards to make sure that they were met. I am encouraged by my growth in this program because I designed a project-based lesson plan before I read about the benefits of that instructional strategy from the course readings. I figured what is the most engaging way to ensure that all of my students’ learning needs are met and I decided to introduce the content with various formats so that the students would eventually model them. I am also comforted by the fact that one course answered the question that the previous course posed. Lastly, I am motivated to advocate for teachers and students in the 21^st century classroom the importance of media literacy in shaping the future for our children.  

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 of Applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 1. Retrieved on March 6, 2012, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter1_4.cfm

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, New schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, 168-176  

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, (1999). Learning as a personal event: A brief introduction to Constuctivism. Retrieved on March 1, 2012,  from http://www.sedl.org/pubs/tec26/intro2c.html

EDLD 5364 - Week 5

I would have to say that this week's assigned readings and videos were most enjoyable for me According to Solomon and Schrum (2007), "All schools are driven by requirements to maintain and improve standardized test scores and yet these efforts create a rather interesting conundrum, because frequently the "new school' model and high-stakes testing seem in conflict with each other." Although this quote highlights a recurring challenge in 21st century education, this reading actually provides solutions to this problem with authentic technological assessments.

For example, English students can listen to a podcast as they would on a state exam. Students can peer-edit different students' works in a shared online space. Teachers can assess using the state writing rubric. What I most took from the reading is that educators need to focus just as much on state assessment standards of instructional objectives. Once we understand how the state appraises students' learning, we can adapt those rubrics to lessons integrated with technology to clear the quagmire Solomon and Schrum mentioned. What I most took from a video clip by Sasha Barab from Edutopia.org is that teachers need to advocate for themselves and their students the importance of media literacy in shaping the future for our children. Teachers must advocate to parents and administrators the reality of how we impart knowledge. We don't use the historical facts that we memorized from high school in verbal discourse. We go to our smartphones to get our facts.  So we should integrate media literacy in a manner where we assess our students comprehension based on how they solve meaningful problems instead of how the recite facts and definitions.   

Edutopia.org. (nd). Big Thinkers: Sasha Barab on New-Media Engagement. Retrieved on March 28, 2012 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-sasha-barab-video

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, New schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, 168-176

EDLD 5364 - Week 4

I still continued my research on Universal Design Learning (UDL). According to Rose and Meyer (2002) there are four barriers to accurate assessment: the lack of acknowledgement of individual learning differences, media constraints, lack of appropriate supports, and lack of integration with curriculum. “When we consider individual differences in recognition, strategic, and affective networks, we realize that a common test format and administration method will always favor some students and hurt others.” The quote made me further examine how exactly do educational administrators expect varied learners to pass the same traditional assessment. This stressing desire shows a disconnect between the supporters of extrinsic and intrinsic learning.

Instead of educational leaders pressuring teachers and students to satisfy one traditional measurement, the pressure should be placed on curriculum designers who can incorporate numerous mediums of assessment to measure the progress of ALL students. My coursemate also added that educational leaders should also be pressured to revamp state assessments to accommodate all learning needs, which I agree. We can gain a richer understanding of what students know by assessing content with media. We can also note students’ progress from the students themselves (eportfolios and blogs). No assessment should be used that will intentionally hurt some students. Any student assessment that does not properly measure student’s progress runs the risk of making off-base instructional decisions. (Rose and Meyer 2002). I  feel that I'm on the right track with my UDL lesson plan because I designed a project based lesson based on the primary brain networks that needed multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. This was before I watched a video clip from Edutopia.org. The clips of students' enthusiasm outdoors for science (for example) encourages me that the effort required to build this template lesson plan will  pay off. All teachers want to see is their students having fun learning.
Edutopia.org (nd). project Learning: An Overview. Retrieved March 19, 2012, from http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-overview-video
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 March 19, 2012, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter7_3.cfm

Safirah's UDL Lesson Plan

CAST’s UDL LESSON BUILDER

Lesson Overview

Title:	Savings and Loans (Day 1)
Author:	Safirah Ibenana
Subject:	Personal Finances
Grade Level(s):	6-8
Duration:	(3) 45 min periods
Subject Area:	Economics - Personal Finances - Savings and Loans
Unit Description:	This unit is designed as a UDL approach to support student understanding of the various banking processes and their personal finances. Students experience first-hand each step in the savings and loan process through simulation of role play. A personal digital story gives students the opportunity to create their character, design the banking process and its outcome. Blogging allows student to reflect upon the questions they had throughout the lessons and how they arrived to the answers. Students will be required to comment on each other’s blog to promote positive feedback. Exploring personal finances through demonstration is also a way to enable students to become more aware of the finances of their household. By providing various project formats for students to undertake, their chosen format will engage them to explore what they “want to know” from the unit so they will arrive at an understanding of the banking process inductively.
Lesson Description for Day:	Students will explore the process of lending and borrowing through multiple formats of representation.  They will dialogue with partners about the understanding of the process and chose a format to demonstrate their understanding for the following lesson.
State Standards:	Chapter 118. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits  (19) Personal financial literacy: The student applies critical thinking skills to analyze the costs and benefits of personal financial decisions.  Chapter 127 (6) The student demonstrates an understanding of personal financial management.  The student is expected to (A) Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different types of banking services.

Goals

Unit Goals:	Unit goals: Students will gain an understanding of the process of checking and savings bank accounts. Students will gain independence in making bank deposits and withdrawals (loans). Students will become aware that savings accrue interest because banks borrow their funds for loans
Lesson Goals:	Students will understand that savings account earns them money when they don't withdraw. Students will understand that they have to pay back more money than they borrow. Students will understand that banks loan at a higher interest rate than the rate of holding in order to make money.

Methods

Anticipatory Set:	(5 min) Teacher will activate students' prior knowledge of the process of checking, savings, and loans with a K-W-L chart. She then will provide worksheet to be answered throughout the lesson.
Introduce and Model New Knowledge:	(15 min) Teacher will model different scenarios of the process of deposits and "approved" loans with multiple formats: A) Teacher will show a digital personal story of how someone earned interest on her savings and how someone payed back more on his savings. B) Teacher will share blog with students on the scenarios from digital story to raise awareness on the process of how banks profit from interest rates. C)Teacher will role play with 4 students to demonstrate the process of checking, savings, and loans. Teacher will play cashier/branch associate as each student approaches with their scenario described in an envelope.   Reference: http://www.philadelphiafed.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/PurposesandFunctionsGrades6-8.pdf
Provide Guided Practice:	(15 min)  Teacher and students will discuss answer sheet and resolve any misunderstandings about lesson goals. Teacher will provide podcast (ebook) for blogging and digital story.
Provide Independent Practice:	Throughout introduction, students will independently answer the worksheet and complete the "L" column of their chart. At the end of lesson, students will decide project format to undertake from: digital story, blogging, or role play. Project will mirror teacher's demonstrations in introduction. The following lessons will be independent practice as students prepare and present their projects.

Assessment

Formative/Ongoing Assessment:	Teacher will engage in group discussions as students fill out answer sheet to prompt students for insight and understanding of the various bank processes.
Summative /End Of Lesson Assessment:	"Exit ticket" - Name one item that you placed in the "Learn" column of your chart?

Materials

Desktop or laptop

Projector or SmartBoard

Windows Movie Maker: podcast and personal digital story

Blogger.com: podcast(e-book) and student Gmail accounts

Envelopes and play money

Worksheets (for name tags, deposit/loan records, borrower cards, and lesson review)

Paper clips (for name tags)

CAST2006 Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org

UDL's primary principles are to provide multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement to cater to the 3 primary brain networks: recognition, strategic, and affective (respectively). The multiple formats of instruction cater to the recognition network. The students choice in selecting the format of their project caters to the strategic network. The students' demonstration of their projects cater to the affective network. I will customize the requirements of each project according to the learning needs of the student. 

EDLD 5364 Week 3

My course readings for this week explored the Universal Design of Learning (UDL) a bit further. According to CAST (2009), "teaching methods that support diverse recognition networks provide multiple examples, provide multiple media and formats, highlight critical features, and support background context." Multiple means of representation is a primary principle of UDL that caters to the recognition network of the brain. The recognition network gathers facts and deals with the "what" of learning. I thought about this quote as I constructed my UDL lesson plan because these methods could also be used to show evidence of student learning. 

Edutopia.org provides "digital youth portraits" that follows a typical American teen all day: at school, at home, and on the road. I was so impressed by the technological savvyness of these boys. Mastering technology is second nature to them. So many thoughts were racing through my mind viewing the profiles of these teenage boys. As I saw one complete multiple assignments and socialize with his friends at one sitting at his laptop, I wondered if I could catch up to the digital natives. I was extremely relieved to see how forgiving these boys are of the adults around them. I chuckled when one suggested he would help his neighbors put together personalized digital albums as his summer job. It reminded me not to be afraid to ask for my students' input and help when I design tech savvy lesson plans.

Since teachers are more of a facilitator of student learning, we can teach by modeling. For example if I use a digital story teller to introduce content, I can have students use digital story telling as their final project. Since multiple means of engagement support the affective network of the brain, I chose three different formats to introduce my UDL lesson: digital story teller, blogging, and roleplay. After students demonstrate comprehension of content, I expect them to choose from one of the formats to undertake a project (final assessment). I can customize each format depending oN the learning needs of the students.  I believe the option from varied formats will encourage intrinsic learning. After viewing the digital youth portraits, I am confident that my gifted and talented students will be extremely helpful to their classmates (and me) throughout their learning process. 

Cast.org (2009). Model UDL lessons. Center for Applied Special Technology. Retrieved on March 16, 2012 from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter6_2.cfm

Edutopia.org (nd). Digital Youth Portrait - Cameron. Retrieved on March 16, 2012 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-profile-cameron-video

Edutopia.org (nd). Digital Youth Portrait - Cameron. Retrieved on March 16, 2012 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-profile-luis-video

EDLD 5364 Week 2

My course readings for this week explored the Universal Design of Learning (UDL). According to David Rose, neuroscience shows each brain processes information differently. there are 3 primary brain networks. The recognition network gathers facts and deals with the "what" of learning. The strategic network deals with planning and performance and deals with the "how" of learning. The affective network deal with engagement and motivation and deals with the "why" of learning. Anne Meyer says that that the UDL principles in learning mirror that of UDL principles architecture and product design. Just like curb cuts, speakerphones, and closed caption television accomodate a wide variety of users so should teachers accomodate a wide variety of learners. UDL encourages teachers to rethink their instructional objectives and assessments.  

According to Donna Palley (n.d.), "The concept of UDL is the intersection where all our initiatives, integrated units, multi-sensory teaching, multiple intelligence, differentiated instruction, use of computers in schools, performance-based assessments, and others come together." This quote ties together the theories of those who advocate that educators should retreat from the format of a traditional classroom. Universal Design of Learning (UDL) supports that learners construct the meaning of the lessons and that teachers support the learners instead of imparting the knowledge. UDL minimizes learning barriers. Its primary principles are to provide multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement to cater to the 3 primary brain networks: recognition, strategic, and affective (respectively). UDL supports differentiated instruction through the usage of its principles. An educator who utilizes UDL principles customizes learning to reach each student.   

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 of Applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 1. Retrieved on March 6, 20112, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter1_4.cfm 

EDLD 5364 Week 1

This course requires that I work in a group to design a lesson that incorporates technology to engage a diverse class of 30 students. I look forward to the challenge because several of my coursemates and I have discussed how technology helps to keep our students engaged to achieve lesson objectives. One video that captured my attention was about constructivism by John Abbot. He encouraged me to activate prior knowledge of students because you shouldn't teach from scratch. Students should have an established foundation of the concept before instruction begins. I like how he explained that students will all take different things from his lectures because their foundations are different.

One reading that grabbed me was written by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. According to SEDL (1999), "Learning is internally controlled and mediated. Learners take in information, process it to fit their personal frameworks, and build new understanding. That knowledge construction occurs internally, in the private domain of each individual." This quote explains why the learning theory constructivism focuses on the learner instead of the teacher. Constructivist teaching practices activate prior knowledge, question skillfully, monitor student discussions, and encourage students to research, interview, and share info. Teachers do not have to provide students all the answers but should provide a structure that encourages exploration. Activating prior knowledge establishes student interest, which is the foundation of what they are learning.

Technology supports constructivist teaching practices and student learning because it can create a thematic curriculum and encourage social interaction. Students can use technology to gather information for research and network with peers and experts in the content area of their lesson. Students can also present their findings through web tools and electronic reflective journaling. Although the state measures student academic progress extrinsically, teachers should not be discouraged to use intrinsic lesson plans. I am optimistic that student engagement will yield high test scores.

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, (1999). Learning as a personal event: A brief introduction to Constuctivism. Retrieved on October 4, 2009 from http://www.sedl.org/pubs/tec26/intro2c.html

Course Reflection EDLD 5366 - Digital Graphics and Web Design

According to Barrett (2005), the major challenge of establishing an effective electronic portfolio is finding a strategy that meets both the needs of the students and the institutions. (p.9) I knew that portfolios are used to engage students and support deeper learning but I neglected the needs of the institutions. I feverishly looked through Barrett’s article for the ultimate solution to creating an eportfolio that satisfies the assessment needs of institutions. I then found that there are two different assessment needs. According to Barrett (2005), there is a difference between the use of portfolios in high stakes assessment of learning and the use of portfolios in the assessment for learning. (p.16). I am definitely an advocate for the use of portfolios in the assessment for learning that foster motivation and engagement of students because it warrants deeper reflection upon the assignments with more of a formative approach and less of a summative. Although I appreciate the ability to distinguish assessment needs I wish Barrett’s article pushed a little further to provide a decisive guide on how to satisfy the more common high stakes assessments of learning with portfolios that do not compromise students’ intrinsic motivation and authenticity.    

My approach and strategy to completing assignments is to highlight the assessment questions. No matter how much additional information I may add, I must cover all of the assessment needs. I normally reflect upon how the subject matter improves me profesionally while achieving the instructional objectives. Interaction with colleagues improved my performance results because our web conferences and discussion forums personalized connections within the group that motivated me to perform more tasks than I would normally complete if done alone.   

 I understand the importance of professional reflection as a learner but to positively impact my future learning I have to allot more time for professional reflection. I occasionally jotted questions and answers throughout my course and conferences to reflect upon but I believe I need to strive to daily answer (no matter how small) those open ended action research questions I prepare. This attitude will propel my students to become more driven to own their learning process. According to (Gerstein, 2011), the only way teachers can promote reflection among their students is to engage in daily professional reflection themselves. I know the benefits from peer collaboration and peer review so my past peer interactions encourage me to seek peer review onmn how I respond to the issues and challenges I will face as a learner. I see myself investigating how to boost intrinsic motivation among peers to master technology integration in the classroom as well how to reduce the inequitable access to technology among schools in my school district.

I would encourage my colleagues to initially implement the use of websites like “Blogger.com” and “Wikispaces” into the classroom first as introductory technological applications to integrate into their curriculum. Depending on technological access, students can blog daily or once a week. With RSS feeders, teachers can utilize their students’ thoughts as warm up questions or discussion points to exploit the tool beyond online journaling. As students master more technological applications, they can always upload these products on to their blog. I would stress the importance of peer feedback in the comment section of the blogs. Students can use Wikispaces to creatively breakdown concepts that may normally bore them in a textbook. For example, a high school science group could create a website about the human body. Each page of the website could explain an organ system. Teachers can archive these sites for future students as engaging visual aids.     

Barrett, H. (2005). Retrieved from https://lamar.epiclms.net/Learn/Player.aspx?enrollmentid=2410328

Gerstein, J. (2011). Retrieved from http://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/where-is-reflection-in-the-learning-process/