Multiple Means of Action and Expression provides studentswith multiple ways to show their understanding of the content(e.g., giving them a digital media choice board)
When students are able to express their learning in their own unique way, they may feel more empowered to enage in the learning. They will be able to create a learning environment tailored to their learning thus leading to intrinsic motivation. This type of learning and expression of academics is Gardner's Multiple Intelligence.
When designing instruction, the universal design for learningframework (Center for Applied Special Technology [CAST], 2020) canserve as a guide to support the development of accessible andmeaningful technology-rich learning experiences.
This critical design is needed as more unique learners are in general education classrooms with and without specialized plans. Some teachers are at a loss with how to support different learners and trying different strategies can become tasking. With Universal Design for Learning, teachers can get the support they need for the student's needs while still understanding to create an inclusive classroom.
ow to design accessible andinclusive learning environments with technology.
I am having an enjoyable time learning all the new technology skills. These skills are/will be very useful in the long run. One of the newest technologies I have encountered is ChatGPT. This is very helpful for both the students' learning objectives and my professional growth .ChatGPT allows for teachers to take the guesswork out of differentiating the lesson.
As educators, we must strive to create fully accessible learningenvironments for our students. This requires designing inclusivelearning environments and evaluating the accessibility of digital toolsand apps before using them in the classroom to ensure all learnershave the same opportunities to access and engage with coursecontent
This is a very important aspect of teaching. Students learn differently and academics needs to adjust to student learning. Consider the unique learners with IEP- they will need additional support whether it is advance or just adjusted. The goal is to support all learners in their academic comfort zone.
personalize our services,” and “provide and improve our advertisingservices, ad targeting, and ad measurement” (para. 20). Additionally,the privacy policy indicates that Snapchat may share your datawith other Snapchatters, business partners, the general public,affiliates, and third parties.
This is not only done with Snapchat but with Google searches as well. This alarms me as I want to protect the students but I also have to be aware of what social media platforms they are using to engage others. We will need to continue to vet these websites as I previously mentioned. Once we as educators send our emails, we get all kinds of different information that we did not initially request. This is the same as the student's information- so they can received personalized services. Again this sounds very predatory to me.
Many tools used in the classroom, such as Canva, agraphic illustrator tool, or Wakelet, a digital curation app, require youto register for an account to use the tool. When you register for anaccount, you are usually asked to share personally identifiableinformation, like your name, email address, age, and/or gender. Youwill also be asked to review and accept the end-user licenseagreement or terms of service, which may involve giving away evenmore data, such as your IP address, device information, browserinformation, geolocation, and Internet browsing data.
This holds so true. I have not read an end-user license agreement or terms of service agreement that I could immediately understand. Sometimes we just click and go. We have now open up a world of access that allows our every log in to be timestamped and coded. We have allowed students and educators to be in a space where they may not understand the depth of their interactions with the world. As they log into their computers at home, or at the library, this information is shared with the world. As educators, we get random emails that are not related to initial reason for providing that information. We have an over-abundant amount of emails from the website that could lead to spam/junk/phishing.
the companies, collectively, gather everything frombasic demographic information—entered automatically when astudent enrolls in school
This is a very scary thing. My thoughts immediately go to predators lurking on these dark websites, waiting for students to become vulnerable. Although there are vigilant teachers and seemingly vigilant technology departments, the rate of internet expansion can be difficult to maintain. I would be interested to see how this information can be securely maintained. Is this information shared based on the different platforms used by the school (which can be too many)? Can the companies be vetted before allowing this level of access to student information? How can we protect our students as digital immigrants?
they are tracking and sharing your data
We should all be aware that there is very limited privacy in the world today. Even in our homes, we have technology such as cameras and shared locations that track our every move. While we attempt to not be tracked, something as simple and looking up a particular topic leads us to unwanted ads and information that originally was "just a search". Also, all of the cookie settings gives the world permission to know what we like and what we don't like.
They break down complex problems into smaller tasks,analyze and identify patterns in data, draw connections to similarproblems, and use algorithmic thinking to design technology-basedsolutions
I am very impressed with the way digital natives can interpret the information and make it work for them. I regularly allow my students to explain their thoughts so I can see how they worked out the process. This skill is helpful in Math and complex or advanced task. This skill is transferable to real world where they will have to interpret information, breakdown it down and solve using technology.
They acquire knowledge andskills by communicating with peers, engaging in group activities, andsharing their thoughts and getting feedback.
This is a really hot topic since students are still working on social skills that maybe missing. How an adult communicates with students is imperative to building relationships. This communication is then played out in social settings. Students learn how to communicate and create an inclusive classroom environment by observing the educator. In peer groups, educators can listen to the conversation and correct any misunderstanding. Students are able to practice speaking and listening while still in a learning environment. This is also important when communicating virtually. Students are able to learn conversational etiquette while speaking to others from around the world.
Constructivism refers to learning that occurs by creating meaningfrom experience.
Most experiences are connected to emotions. We remember learning that made us feel a certain way. We remember the experience of the 'lightbulb' moment. Students can recall information based the excitement or frustration of learning. We have to create the experiences and connection to real world. We then have to allocate time for the learner to showcase their learned experiences.
Theories provide a basis to understand how people learn and away to explain, describe, analyze and predict learning. In thatsense, a theory helps us make more informed decisionsaround the design, development and delivery of learning
This is the greatest way to reach the learner where she/ he is. As an educator of unique learners, I have to be aware of my learner’s language and connection to the academics. If I do not understand their thinking, I will have a hard time reaching them. The theories help connect with the learners in a variety of ways using multiple methods.
However, combing through all of the results from a single search canbe overwhelming. There is also the risk of finding yourself deep downthe rabbit hole of interesting results and forgetting what you initiallyset out to find
This is definitely a concern with educational tools. Educators are provided lots to digital tools to use but are tasked with finding the ones that work for the students. Differentiated instruction always leads to trying to understand how each student learns and the benefits of one program over another. This would be critical as teachers would need to use their downtime to "play" with the technology in order to understand the students use.
Students use Wakelet to curate“wakes” - collections of news articles, blog posts, videos,podcasts, and other online resources - to draw connectionsbetween current issues and class topics.
I would like to try this on my older students. This would be great way to support collaboration. I am intrigued about how they would work together on this topic and how would they actively discuss this in class. Allowing students to complete a project would be an amazing way to get students to share thoughts and ideas outside of Google.
eed technology-rich learning experiences thatcan prepare them “for work and life in this uncertain future
This is such an interesting statement about the need for technology-rich experiences. Just recently, there were concerns with technology where cell phone data was completely shut off. This meant that we had to use our memory to complete simple task such as driving around the city without GPS or completing assignments using paperback books. With this information in mind, we still need to work with student to increase their awareness of alternative means while improving their skillset of using technology. We have to make sure they understand the importance of both hardcopies and technology. Both are skills that are transferable.
use technology for self-directed learning (e.g., setting andachieving their personal learning goals
This statement is so true. Students are now using technology to support their understanding of the lessons. The only downside of this would be the use of multiple technologies- tablet, laptop, cell phone, etc. Students may not understand the mechanics of one versus the other along with the importance of testing versus games. For example, Texas is moving to online state-wide testing. However, some students do not understand that there are games to enhance learning and then there is assessment to determine the learning. The teacher has to be extra vigilant in explaining the difference. That would also be a conversation about the setting and the personal goals. Increased student awareness of the different purposes.
English language learners (ELL) and multilingual studentscan benefit from tools that feature translation support
This tool is excellent not only ELL but for users trying to practice a new language. I can see how bilingual courses would allow students to translate information so students can see the information in real time.
Collaboration
Such as with this social annotations experience, we can collaborate our thoughts and ideas in one space. This helps clear up any misconceptions with the support of multiple users. This is a great tool for peer support.
Step-by-step tutoring
This is the exact type of instructions I need with visuals. I need to saw my students share each part should look like and allow them to have a reference point. The same for me.
it did not go as planned...The students had no idea how touse the tool.
I absolutely know this feeling. Sometimes I really think I understand the process only to completely forget it. I reached my level of frustration with a few digital programs. I have learned to step away, get a fresh mind, and return.
Students cultivate digitallyenhanced personal learning networks and seek feedback to improvetheir knowledge and skills.
I am so eager to put this in practice. I would love to be strategic about empowering my students to think critically beyond games and more on an academic level. I would welcome the idea of them creating games that support their own knowledge and skills with application to real-world learning. I may consider how we would design such a program at the school and move their future-focused mindset.
amplify learning” and to “support students as theybecome agentic, future-focused and adaptable” (p. 2).
I like the idea of a future-focused learner who is adaptable. I often wonder how we create that environment with the pressured curriculum in place that does not allow for forward thinking from our younger scholars.
students need technology-rich learning experiences thatcan prepare them “for work and life in this uncertain future
As I read this information, I think students need some basic background information to get to this level of understanding. Although schools will amplify the learning, student who only navigate computers through games and testing often miss the depth of learning. They are not able to future-focused until they understand the history and mechanic of technology. It is important to address that background knowledge before leaping into future thinking. To immediately go into future thinking without context would be a disservice to the student.
how do you find theright tool to create a learning experience that will help yourstudents successfully achieve the lesson or unit learning objectives
I often feel like there are too many tools and resources with the expectation that teachers use them all. I have found that some of them are not easily understood or they do not connection with the lesson at this time. Some resources support the academic gaming for fun but does not account for student's testing. Also the selection of the learning outcomes can be a daunting if you are not sure what you want the students to complete.