EDLD+5364+-+Teaching+with+Technology

=Week 3= Through the readings and videos for this week, we delved into UDL Principles and implementing these principles into the classroom. We were able to look at a number of different scenarios where the principles have been used in classrooms. To me, one quote really stood out from Web 2.0, New Tools, New Schools was "You will notice that there are not a lot of examples as of yet in which an entire school system has reconceptualized itself to incorporate technology in order to promote an environment that supports, sustains, and even requires a pedagogical approach that includes inquiry, creativity, and full integration of technology." (Solomon and Schrum, 2007) This quote for me gives voice to the problem that all schools face. There is a plethora of great technology available, but how do you fund it? How do you systematically change how the school works? While research shows the importance of differentiation and using technology, that does not take away the practical problems of implementation. Even without the benefit of an education degree, I can see the benefit of UDL. Everyone learns in different manners. Some students can learn at a conceptual level while others are hands-on learners. In these days of inclusion classrooms and diversified learners, teachers cannot simply teach using one technique. Students need exposure to the information in multiple formats to process the lesson in a way that is meaningful to them. = = =Week 2= The readings and video of week 2 continued the discussion of how students learn. While I agree with the points that students learn differently and need to be taught in a manner that works for each individual student, I think it missed the obvious questions. With the lack of funding every school faces, how does an administration employ enough faculty and staff to provide such individualized instruction? How does a teacher with 20+ students (at the very least) develop multiple sets of lesson plans for these learners?

I completely agree that teachers need to switch the focus of their classrooms away from the lecture, drill-and-grill variety. Students need to be given the opportunity to explore topics on their own and to actively interact with other students to discuss, debate and digest the information being presented. There are a number of different low-cost to free technologies available to teachers to use. In my district, we have started testing a Moodle server to allow individual classrooms to have blogs, online discussions and to share documents. But the difficulty we have faced is teacher buy-in. There are concerns about what students might post and how they would moderate it all.

Through all of this, the key is to intelligently integrate technology into lessons. Technology has been shown to improve student learning, especially for lower-income students. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all application of technology in a classroom. Each district, campus and teacher must find the correct balance with available technologies to meet their students needs.

=**Week 1**=

Week 1 of EDLD 5364 has presented several interesting learning theories, constructivism, connectionism and the cyborg theory, as well as how technology can influence and improve learning. Constructivism is based on the idea that learners relate new information to those things they already know. If they are unable to make a connection between what they already know and the new information, then it is rejected and forgotton. Connectionism takes on the idea that humans need not only their personal knowledge, but that they build upon this knowledge in part due to interactions with other humans and with technology, such as databases. Finally, the Cyborg Theory stresses the idea that humans and machines will eventually become one, creating a sort of super-human who can relate on new levels to the world and machines around them.

Personally, I relate to the constructivism theory. In my studies, I have always found that I learn better in hands-on environments and by learning not theories of how things work, but by being shown physically how and why something works. According to constructivists, "Knowledge is constructed in multiple ways, through a variety of tools, resources, experiences, and contexts" (Connecting Student Learning, 1999). While all three theories include the use of technology, I think the constructivist theory lends itself well to integrating technology in the classroom. As I work to support teachers in the integration of technology, I try to remind them to let the students use the technology. Many times, teachers are afraid to give the technology to the students, worrying they will break something. I always say "let them break it". The trick is to make them fix it then. They will learn more about the technology working through their problems than if the teacher or tech fixes everything. Connectivism looks to the information that technology can provide us as individuals. I found the Cyborg Theory a bit unnerving. For me, I have serious ethical and moral issues with the idea of creating a type of super-race through the use of technology. The idea of the cyborg makes me think that just because we can do something, doesn't mean we should.