The need to revise a lesson plan by integrating technology should be a regular practice for teachers as advancement of various academic tools occurs at an ever increasing rate. If we do not afford ourselves the opportunity to become exposed to upcoming educational technology tools then we may not only hinder students with different learning styles, we may ultimately hinder our professional development. That is what I learned while creating the digital spread sheet. From past observations, submission rates were high and timely among my students who submitted assignments electronically. This is the electronic medium they spend the most time on, and in which they can easily master proficiency in its various applications.
As teachers a shared philosophy has grown regarding the need to serve as facilitators of learning so that the drive students have will become intrinsic motivation, and for that reason we need to look to the tools that students are intrinsically motivated to use. There are two NETS* T standards that can be applied to the lesson plan I had revised. They are,1) Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity, and the next is 2) Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments.
For the first standard, I found it beneficial to make technology available in my classroom with the intent of promoting collaborative learning, which essentially is student-centered. When students are facilitated with a variety of tools to use for learning they become better at problem-solving, creativity, and better risk-takers at expanding their knowledge. And as they grow with constant feedback and reflection that a teacher regulates, having assessments will reveal the true gauge of the effectiveness of a certain type of technology. As mentioned earlier, students have a natural propensity to master applications in electronic media in a rapid amount of time. If this can translate to learning then it would be beneficial to use these media as methods of assessments. Raised on video games, e-mail, and instant messaging, they see technology as their friend and grasp it much more quickly than previous generations. They are intimately familiar with the Internet, cell phones, MP3 players and all manner of digital media. They use technology for work, for play and to form relationships with people they have never met. “The best thing about this generation is that they know where to get information to solve problems way faster than I do,” says Alec Mackenzie, a member of the Hillsborough Teachers Association. “They answer questions much more quickly; they are curious and they’re smart.” (Posnick-Goodwin, 2010)
To create a challenge for my students I would add into my lesson plan, individual work where the students will focus on a specific topic in a biome and create a graphic organizer about that topic based on data they will have to collect for themselves. Next, they will formulate several questions about the graph, using skills such as inferring, predicting, hypothesizing and concluding, as components of the questions. Once the information is collected, the class will create a student made test on PowerPoint and can be used as a springboard for test reviews, or as the actual test.
Revisions I can make for students with reading disabilities is to expose them more to using the computer to practice analyzing graphs so that they get into the habit of reading deeper into what the labels are conveying.
I enjoyed writing in detail the planning process the most as it lead me to be a little more reflective on the way the lesson was taught in the past by me, with little to no technology, which in turn allowed me to strategize better in incorporating technology into the assignment. I also felt more aware of recognizing the needs of those with learning disabilities, and those who have different learning styles. It ultimately led me to a resolution to encourage students with learning difficulties to use technology for educational purposes. What I liked least about the assignment was that using the ASSURE model at times became redundant in certain areas, especially having to explain selecting methods and then utilizing that method. Overall, I feel I’ve gained a lot by using the ASSURE model. The process was exhaustive, but it is an effective tool on planning and reflecting for the lesson. A teacher can perform the lesson with more confidence and assurance of success from the students.
References:
(2011) International Society of Technology and Education. NETS*T. PDF Retrieved (2012, March 29) from: http://www.iste.org
Posnick, Goodwyn, Sherry (2010, February) California’s Teachers Association. The Most Technologically Advanced Yet… Vol.14 Issue 5. Retrieved (2012, March 29) from: http://www.cta.org .
Monday, 2 April 2012
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Enabling Dreams in Middle School Science
I had set up a lesson plan that required students to find key vocabulary terms, answer questions and draw a diagram of the life of a star. One of my students was using assistive technology by means of a laptop computer. It did take him a while to type out the words, but when it came to drawing the diagrams, that was the quickest part of the assignment he would finish. This student also had a speech impairment, but was of average intelligence, so all I had to do was provide brief guided practice and he was able to work independently. I began to reflect on the amount of time it would take him to do the written part of the assignment, and believed that he would benefit more if he spent more time analyzing the diagram he drew.
I revised my lesson plans to include the drawing of diagrams on paper and in the computer as modifications for students with special needs. Then I could improve my method of assessment by doing a few things like asking questions orally, or uploading the quiz into the laptop for him to complete electronically. That way, the student with difficulty in motor skills can communicate their answers verbally or the student that had access to the computer can be given extended time to complete a quiz at home, or be given a simplified version of the test.
Some ideas that I have for activities that promote inclusion with assistive technology is to allow students in the special education program to use computers to increase their desire to learn. These students will be able to do their assignments electronically then will get to play educational games as a reward for completing the assignment. It works as an incentive and as reinforcement for the lesson just taught. Sheryl Burgstahler, Director of DO-IT University of Washington said that, “even if there is a lot of technology available for people with disabilities it isn’t implemented that much in our school systems today.” The reason being is that many people who work with disabilities often aren’t aware of the technology that is available for them, and technology is not always included in the planning process. The steps that I took to allow for revised activities was to salvage working computers from around the school so that my students can have access to technology. I can now also provide those in the SPED program the experience of seeing the advantages of learning by using a computer.
The lesson plan template that has been given to us at the school level has included a section for modifications so that we keep in mind those with special needs. If we want to provide equal learning opportunities to each student, then we need to also determine the best way for the child with special needs to access their information. George Rehmet, a teacher from Redwood Heights Elementary School can say from experience that, “ If we provide them the tools at an early age then they will be better prepared and down the road they can spend their later years focusing on content material in the curriculum,” than trying to figure out how to use such tools. The criteria I would use to assess for the appropriateness of the revised activities for the inclusion of disabled students is to examine their capabilities, learning climate, and the time needed to do an activity. Then we can ask ourselves what can we foresee in their capabilities to help them perform a task? Will it create an inviting atmosphere or an intimidating one in front of other classmates? How much time should they spend on a certain task, and would certain tasks take longer than necessary before learning begins?
As teachers, we have a greater responsibility that would in turn provide us an advantage when finding assistive technology that may be available to our students with special needs. We should be able determine the use of technology based on the level of disability because that may be the tool they can learn from the most. Most of my students in the special education program have learning disabilities which I may have considered less severe disabilities in the past, but after watching the video, I realized that they are the most eligible for assistive technology in the classroom, and would benefit tremendously if using the computer for learning was part of their daily activity.
I revised my lesson plans to include the drawing of diagrams on paper and in the computer as modifications for students with special needs. Then I could improve my method of assessment by doing a few things like asking questions orally, or uploading the quiz into the laptop for him to complete electronically. That way, the student with difficulty in motor skills can communicate their answers verbally or the student that had access to the computer can be given extended time to complete a quiz at home, or be given a simplified version of the test.
Some ideas that I have for activities that promote inclusion with assistive technology is to allow students in the special education program to use computers to increase their desire to learn. These students will be able to do their assignments electronically then will get to play educational games as a reward for completing the assignment. It works as an incentive and as reinforcement for the lesson just taught. Sheryl Burgstahler, Director of DO-IT University of Washington said that, “even if there is a lot of technology available for people with disabilities it isn’t implemented that much in our school systems today.” The reason being is that many people who work with disabilities often aren’t aware of the technology that is available for them, and technology is not always included in the planning process. The steps that I took to allow for revised activities was to salvage working computers from around the school so that my students can have access to technology. I can now also provide those in the SPED program the experience of seeing the advantages of learning by using a computer.
The lesson plan template that has been given to us at the school level has included a section for modifications so that we keep in mind those with special needs. If we want to provide equal learning opportunities to each student, then we need to also determine the best way for the child with special needs to access their information. George Rehmet, a teacher from Redwood Heights Elementary School can say from experience that, “ If we provide them the tools at an early age then they will be better prepared and down the road they can spend their later years focusing on content material in the curriculum,” than trying to figure out how to use such tools. The criteria I would use to assess for the appropriateness of the revised activities for the inclusion of disabled students is to examine their capabilities, learning climate, and the time needed to do an activity. Then we can ask ourselves what can we foresee in their capabilities to help them perform a task? Will it create an inviting atmosphere or an intimidating one in front of other classmates? How much time should they spend on a certain task, and would certain tasks take longer than necessary before learning begins?
As teachers, we have a greater responsibility that would in turn provide us an advantage when finding assistive technology that may be available to our students with special needs. We should be able determine the use of technology based on the level of disability because that may be the tool they can learn from the most. Most of my students in the special education program have learning disabilities which I may have considered less severe disabilities in the past, but after watching the video, I realized that they are the most eligible for assistive technology in the classroom, and would benefit tremendously if using the computer for learning was part of their daily activity.
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