When reflecting back on this course, I am amazed by how much I have learned in such a short time. For starters, I love FileZilla. I find it great that I can add everything to the internet in one easy step. FileZilla has been very easy to learn and navigate. Seeing my files online is a great feeling and a great way to connect with other teachers.
UDL has also made an impact on how I view teaching. I see UDL as a great tool to guide me to further success in teaching. In the activity in which we altered our lesson plans to fit UDL, I realized how much UDL makes teaching easier and more meaningful. Yes, I said easier! I truly feel that applying UDL principals will make teaching easier in the long run because we will be ahead of problems.
Wikis are amazing! Through one of the labs, I was able to create a Wiki and design it to fit the needs of my current job! I have been using it everyday and the feedback from my staff is excellent. They even asked for a training on how to use the Wiki better!
Webquests are another amazing tool I now have at my disposal! Webquests are something that I plan on making part of my teaching routine. I think teaching students the importance of using technology and showing them how to navigate technology is a powerful tool! I discovered some really interactive and educational Webquests this semesters and I look forward to making my own.
As this course comes to an end, I reflect on the goals I made for myself. I am happy to say that I certainly challenged myself. I met the goals I set, even when it was a challenge to get there. I struggled with the web page learning to navigate the process, but I now feel much more confident in the area. Now being done, I set new goals for myself. One major goal is for me to continue keeping up on the technologies I am learning about. I also want to make my own Webquest. I feel that this is a goal that will be great not only for me but also my students. Another goal is set is for me to really apply UDL to my teaching. I feel that using the UDL framework will truly help me be a better teacher. I know that UDL will challenge me and I look forward to that opportunity.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Genre Investigation
Genre Investigation
Check out the Stand-Alone presentation I made. This is a great way to review genres and story elements!
Check out the Stand-Alone presentation I made. This is a great way to review genres and story elements!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Online Teaching
In 2006, the Michigan Department of Education created guidelines for what online learning and teaching looks like. In addition to these guidelines, they created a Companion Document that helps teachers figure out how to meet these guidelines.
I started college in 2006, and in all my education classes, I never heard about these guidelines. Now seeing how helpful the companion document is, I feel it would be really helpful for students to see and use as a resource. The document does a great job of identifying online learning tools and evaluates them for how they can help your online learning experience.
One of the technologies that document presents is the online portfolio. Now, I have my own teaching online portfolio, but I never thought of using it in the classroom. I love this idea because I see it as a great way for students to evaluate their growth throughout the year and throughout their K - 12 education. My students loved showing off their work and I feel this is a great way for them to do so (and it may save paper).
The portfolio could be modified to fit all subjects. I can see the argument that this would not be effective for elementary students. However, I think the portfolio will be a great way for students to learn about technology. For example, start with a simple layout that students can follow easily and scaffold and evolve the process throughout the year.
Scaffolding will be key to having portfolios work. Students need to see how to upload documents, how to pick what they want to show and how to evaluate their work. However, if done right, this process will become second nature by the end of the year. Modifications may be made for students as well. Some students may depend on the teacher or another student to upload documents.
While I see the online portfolios as a great tool, I also see they could be a challenge. For one, it will take effort from the teacher to get students started, especially if they start at a young age. Another drawback would be getting other teachers on board. This could be a great tool is students used it throughout their school experience but it takes all teachers to be on board.
I started college in 2006, and in all my education classes, I never heard about these guidelines. Now seeing how helpful the companion document is, I feel it would be really helpful for students to see and use as a resource. The document does a great job of identifying online learning tools and evaluates them for how they can help your online learning experience.
One of the technologies that document presents is the online portfolio. Now, I have my own teaching online portfolio, but I never thought of using it in the classroom. I love this idea because I see it as a great way for students to evaluate their growth throughout the year and throughout their K - 12 education. My students loved showing off their work and I feel this is a great way for them to do so (and it may save paper).
The portfolio could be modified to fit all subjects. I can see the argument that this would not be effective for elementary students. However, I think the portfolio will be a great way for students to learn about technology. For example, start with a simple layout that students can follow easily and scaffold and evolve the process throughout the year.
Scaffolding will be key to having portfolios work. Students need to see how to upload documents, how to pick what they want to show and how to evaluate their work. However, if done right, this process will become second nature by the end of the year. Modifications may be made for students as well. Some students may depend on the teacher or another student to upload documents.
While I see the online portfolios as a great tool, I also see they could be a challenge. For one, it will take effort from the teacher to get students started, especially if they start at a young age. Another drawback would be getting other teachers on board. This could be a great tool is students used it throughout their school experience but it takes all teachers to be on board.
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