EDLD 5364 Week Five Reflection

This week has been one of the worst weeks I have experienced from a personal perspective.  I wish that I worked in a supportive atmosphere with administrators who cared about my ideas.  With that said, I can say the the videos this week have been especially inspiring.  Even in an unsupportive environment I am hopeful to have my students working in groups solving problems in my morning enrichment ELA class.  So far my plan is to have my students read a book of their choice and creative multimedia book reports.  i am hoping that they will open their minds to the possibilities through this assignment.

After watching the videos, especially the Big Thinkers video with Sasha Barab (Edutopia, nd), I really began to think.  He talks about engaging student in technological media that inspires the students to think and write persuasively about whether or not a character should be allowed to pursue a particular path.  He also talks about fan fiction about their favorite characters in literature, which gave me the idea for my follow up multimedia group assignment after the book report.  I plan to have students work in small groups to develop a character or choose one from literature and then develop a story-line or scenario for that character.

I have to give it more thought but they might choose a character from one genre and combine it with a setting from another genre and then figure out how that character will interact in that situation.  Maybe I could use Twain's Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court as an introduction.

Another option could be that each person on the team could develop ideas for a different aspect of the story before the team even talks to each other.  I could divide the class up into groups.  Group one would develop main characters, group two would develop supporting characters, group three develops the time and setting, and group four would develop basic ideas and problems that could take place in the story.  Once those groups finish at least one person from each of those four groups would come together form the groups that would figure out how to put it all together and what media they will use to create their solutions.

Whether or not I will be allowed to make this happen remains to be seen, but it could be a lot of fun.  That video really got me thinking.


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

EDLD 5364 Week Four Reflection

I was having trouble with focus this week.  I enjoyed the videos and the readings, but thought the McREL report was dry.  Ironically that is probably the most relevant reading as I move forward in my research project.  I read it again and will read it again.  To my surprise it was much more interesting the second time around.  I think I really hated looking at all of the charts so I am ignoring them now and the content is by far easier to digest.

Granger et al. (2002) found that “supportive relationships among teachers, a commitment to pedagogically sound implementation of new technologies, and principals who encourage teachers to engage in their own learning” (p. 2) were factors that led to innovative teaching in the classroom. It is important, therefore, to design technology professional development in ways that provide opportunities for teachers to work and reflect together ( pp. 1–2). (Pitler, 2005, p2)

Although I don't have the luxury of face time with the teachers I am working with them on a discussion board to try to offer them time to reflect together on their efforts to implement technology in their classrooms.  Also, I am providing them with resources for self guided professional development.  This program I am implementing is mandatory.  However, with the expectation that teachers will begin with varying levels of comfort with technology having the resources that I have put together for them will allow them to choose what they need when they need it and then talk to me and the other teachers.

They also have the ability to ask questions and let me know what they need that has not already been provided for them.  I have set up a forum for that and will continue to set up forums for various discussions on different topics.

Now that I have read this article I have learned that I need to add a group reflection forum as well.  Even though I have already made my surveys, this article gives me the surveys that McREL (2005) used so I can go back and tweak mine if necessary.

I am glad that I read this article again,because there is a wealth of information in it that I can definitely use in my own research.  I also plan to read the chapters in the books again because I know they have relevance for me as well.

I cannot pin-point the source of the struggles of my brain this week but I was having such difficulty comprehending what I was reading.  Maybe it was left over anxiety of week three or work issues, but this course could not have been planned better for me in both content and in timing if I have made the schedule myself.

This course has been difficult work but very appropriate and informative.  I always like a good challenge.

Pitler, H. (2005). McRel technology initiative: The development of a technology intervention  program final report (Contract Number ED-01-CO-0006). Aurora, CO: Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED486685) Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED486685&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED486685

EDLD 5364 Week Three Reflection

This week has been extremely intense for me.  I don't think I did anything in any order and felt quite out of sorts the whole time.  There was just so much to do and I was feeling very clueless on so many levels.  I finally have made sense of things now.

This is a very difficult reflection to write because my mind has been all over the place with so much to do this week.  However there is so much that I can really relate to in the learning this week.  I have been able to find things in this learning that I do really well as well as being able to find things that I know I can improve upon.

For instance, in chapter 6 of Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age, Rose and Meyer (2002) list four strategies that support recognition learning.  I know that I have been exceptional at providing examples as it has always been my mantra to say "If you can't provided a vast array of examples, then it is better to show none at all."  The purpose of examples is that students will understand key concepts in many contexts and that there are many ways to solve a problem.  To show only one example might give the impression that there is only one way to solve the problem therefore, it is better to show none and allow the imagination of the student to roam freely.  This something that I do very well.  Whereas, I can provide a variety of media in the traditional sense, but I do need to improve on the use of technological media.  I am making strides in this regard but I need better access in my classroom and better strategies for including technologies.

Chapter 6 (Rose and Meyer, 2002) was jam packed with information that forces teachers to reflect upon their practices.  Maybe that is some of the reason for feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Supporting strategic learning is something that I am getting better and better at as the years progress.  I suppose I should feel good that I am not one of the teachers who burn out after so many years of teaching.  As I become better in my own use of technology, I become better at using flexible models and multiple formats for supporting learning.  I have really great ideas that I want to implement and in some ways I really don't want to leave teaching for administration before I get to implement them.  However, if I can spread the word to other teachers then maybe the impact will be greater.

With the key components that support the three UDL networks, I am beginning to think that my idea of providing our fictional teacher with and at a glance booklet or brochure that can be used as a reminder is a pretty good idea until she has reached the point of internalizing the information.  I'm thinking I might make one for myself.

As stressed as I have been this week the information has been really valuable.  I am glad that this week is over so that I can take the time to really appreciate what I have learned.  I know that UDL can complement the LFS strategies that we use in my school district.

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 for Applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/

EDLD 5364 - Week Three UDL Lesson

Lesson Overview

Title:	The Renaissance Art of the Renaissance Man
Author:	Nancy Petrella
Subject:	Art History
Grade Level(s):	9-12
Duration:	12 Days
Subject Area:	Renaissance Art: Leonardo DaVinci
Unit Description:	The exploration and analysis of DaVinci’s art and its impact on the Renaissance and influence on the modern era.
Lesson One Description for Days: 1 and 2	Virtual museum tours exploring DaVinci’s works of art.  Students make sketches and/or written observations or audio recorded observations while closely studying maestro’s works.
Lesson Two Description for Days: 3 and 4	Webquest exploring scholarly writing and video documentaries about DaVinci.
Lesson Three Description for Days: 5 through 10	Students do their own analysis, draw conclusions and create their final product in their chosen method and medium/media.
State Standards:	Delaware Visual Arts Standards Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas 3.1 Identify subject matter, symbols and ideas in works of art 3.3 Evaluate the sources for content to validate the manner in which subject matter, symbols and ideas are used in works of art 3.5 Describe and differentiate the origins of specific subject matter, symbols and ideas in works of art 3.6 Analyze how the use of subject matter, symbols and ideas are used in works of art Standard 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures 4.1 Identify historical and cultural characteristics of works of art                  4.2 Describe how the arts and artists influence each other across history and cultures 4.3 Compare the purpose of works of art and design in history and cultures 4.4 Speculate on how history and culture give meaning to a work of art 4.5 Describe and differentiate the roles of artists in society across history and cultures 4.6 Describe how history and cultures influence the visual arts 4.7 Describe how the visual arts influence history and cultures Standard 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others 5.2 Identify ways the visual arts are used as communication 5.3 Describe personal responses to selected works of art 5.4 Analyze works of art to speculate why they were created 5.5 Evaluate the artist's intent and effectiveness in communicating ideas and emotions in works of art 5.6 Apply visual arts vocabulary when reflecting upon and assessing works of art 5.7 Describe how a work of art can convey a voice of one or a voice of many Standard 6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines 6.2 Compare the use of technology, media and processes of the visual arts with other disciplines 6.4 Describe how learning in the visual arts helps develop essential skills for life and the workplace

Goals

Unit Goals:	Analyzing and evaluating art and artist in relation to time and place, and in the context of the contemporary and modern.
Lesson One Goals:	Extending observational, and analytical skills.
Lesson Two Goals:	Extending analytical skills.
Lesson Three Goals:	Extending analytical skills, writing and speaking using correct grammar and punctuation.  Developing individual ideas and voice.

Methods

Anticipatory Set: (1 class period)	Watch (with captions)/listen/discuss clips of a video overview of Renaissance Art and use UDL book I made for learning to look at and analyze art. http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view.php?op=view&book=65174&page=1
Introduce and Model New Knowledge: (1 class period)	Using a smartboard, students will create a KWL to discuss what they know about DaVinci and his art. Using a smartboard teacher and students will model expectations for museum tours and webquests.
Provide Guided Practice:	Students follow the rubric for creating sketches and writing /talking about observations/analyses of DaVinci’s art. Students follow the guidelines for the webquests for museum tours and scholarly information about Leonardo’s life, art, and era.
Provide Independent Practice:	Students choose their medium/media and create a product of their analysis of the work of DaVinci including their own conclusions about his impact on his contemporary and our modern society.

Assessment

Formative/Ongoing Assessment:	Teacher will walk around and monitor progress. Teacher will conference with individual students Students will summarize their progress/what they learned each day on an exit ticket Students will create an e-portfolio and upload their daily sketches/writing/podcasts.
Summative/End Of Lesson Assessment:	Rubric Feedback from the students E-portfolio with sketches, written and verbal observations End product

Materials

Computers, SMARTboard

assistive listening device, Interpreter (if necessary), closed captioning, speech to text software, text to speech software, microphone, headphone, digital voice recorder (handheld)

video software, graphics software, virtual environment software or website

Internet, wiki, YouTube, museum sites, various other art/ art history sites for research, various graphic organizer for students to choose from

Any other materials students might need for creating product, paper pencils, colored pencils, paint etc.

UDL Book Builder Reflection

UDL Book Builder is one of the most fabulous tools I have ever encountered and worked with during my time in education.  I might feel this way because I am a total bibliophile, but everyone might feel the same way once they give it a try.  It took me quite a while to build my book but the potential impact for learning is worth the additional effort.  I have already recommended this tool to my colleagues at Meredith Middle.  Also, I teach an enrichment class in ELA and I would love to have my students work with this book building tool as well.  If not, then I will be creating books for that class as well as my art classes on various topics.  This is the kind of tool that can go a long way as the "hook" that grabs and engages students at the beginning of every unit or possibly even every lesson.  i say this because the potential exists for great diversity so the books do not have to be the same type or format every time. Don't forget to look for and click on the little coaches at the bottom of each page. 

EDLD 5364 - Week Three UDL Reflection

I used the UDL Curriculum Self-Check to guide me in my reflection. Considering how difficult this week has been using it as a reflection tool was extremely helpful. I used it to assess my daily teaching practices along with the UDL lesson I made for this course. On a daily basis I work with LFS. This is mandated by the district I work in. I find LFS to be very easy. It is way easier than the way that I used to write lessons. LFS is not so different from UDL. I find that the two complement each other. I also like the tools and tool kits provided by both methods. LFS has a toolbox that teachers in my district have access to for planning and creating things like unit/lesson plans, graphic organizers, and learning maps. UDL does some of the same things but offers some other unique things especially the book builder which I absolutely adore.  I have enjoyed learning about UDL and what it offers to students and teachers.  I am glad that I will be able to use it in conjunction with my LFS strategies.  The strategies and flexibility of both methods really complement each other.

Goals
My teaching is all about flexibility.  So I find UDL as a very useful way of thinking and enhancing what I want to achieve in teaching.  While I want my students to achieve great things I want them to do that in their own ways.  The disappointing thing that I have found in teaching is that my students are often very resistant to this.  They just want me to tell them what to do and how to do it.  I say to them that if I do that then they have learned nothing and I am only grading my own work.

I have really worked to have it clear in my mind how the goals would work for individual students and that information would be delivered in various ways for students and I also included various modes in the book that I made. While I know in my mind that there is always differentiation in presenting and working with information; I don't know that it is always clear to everyone else including my students.  I often have to repeat many times they ways in which they have choices in achieving goals.  I honestly do not know if it is me or that they are not listening or want want to believe what I am telling them.  This is an area I need to work on. 

My next steps will be put more thought into my goals and getting students more involved in setting and presenting them so they will take more ownership and have a better idea about what is going on.

Methods

I believe that I access prior knowledge in the anticipatory set but I think that I can do a better job of it in both my UDL lessons and my LFS lessons. I certainly am taking student ability and experiences into consideration.

Critical features is something that I am very good at. I do need to improve on using non-examples to help students understand critical information and key points.

Scaffolding is something else that I am extremely good at. This is something that I help other teachers with this often.

Transfer and retention is something I am good at as well. I always provide multiple supports for student learning.

There is always flexibility for my students in my class. The concern is whether or not students take advantage of it. I think because I teach Art that students simply want to think it is their time to do nothing. There needs to be a change in the system in that regard.

I am happy to see that I am using very sound methods.

I give my students continual feedback but they do not always take advantage of it. It has become so glaringly evident that I have made it a participation grade for my students. Again another issue with the system and perception in relation to Art.

Varying the challenge is easy in Art because the assignments are so open. My Leonardo assignment is not different even thought it is Art History. I will have to admit I do have difficulty in understanding middle school students in this respect. I am much better suited for high school or higher education.

I think external markers are lacking in my lessons, but I am not sure because I do use chinking and therefore they can see progress in that way from step in the process to the next. I don't use a chart for it though but they do have graphic organizers to help them see progress. I am really on the fence about whether what I do in this regard is sufficient.

In the lesson I wrote for this course, choosing learning content is an absolute. It is often true in my middle school lessons.

Materials

In the Leonardo lesson and my daily teaching, students always have choices in which media they will use to produce a product.  I just don't usually have a means for including technology in my real teaching as I do in my fantasy teaching

In the Leonardo lesson as in my teaching there are varying ways to assist hearing and visually impaired students.

Enhancements for language barriers are built into the Leonardo lesson.  I have to work at this in my teaching position.

Graphic organizers and rubrics are always available to my students in the Leonardo lesson they might not be as evident as they are in my actual teaching.

Templates and sentence starters are more evident in my daily teaching for research and art history than they are in the Leonardo lesson.  Hmm that is interesting to find out. However, I do use them in aspects of my teaching whenever they are necessary.

I rate my self in the middle of student ability to access and critically evaluate information on websites.  In real life it is the time factor and my ability to schedule computer time.  In the Leonardo lesson there is time for that but I am nit sure it is evident.

Reflection is something that I expect from my students.  Howevr, this is an area of improvement for me.  I don't think it is absolutely evident in the Leonardo lesson nor do I think that it is always done in my daily teaching.  I need to find better ways of implementing reflection and the courses I am taking are helping me with that.

Materials and media in the Leonardo lesson provide support for individual abilities in learning.  I do this in my teaching position as well.  There are definitely varied levels of challenge because I allow students to make their own accommodations and I help them with that whenever necessary, but I don't know if that is evident.

Lesson content in my regular teaching is always relevant to the lives of my student.  I tried to make this evident in the Leonardo lesson by having students make connections from the Renaissance to modern times. 

Assessment

Assessment is always ongoing in the Leonardo lesson and my real teaching.  However, I am not certain that all of my real student know this some like to stay in a fantasy world and at least pretend that they do not get grades in Art.

Assessment is flexible and varied.  I like to make that less evident to students in my classes then I would for parents and administrators, because I don't want students to think that someone has it easier than they do.  On the occasions that it is recognized by students I have a conversation with the students and they do understand that equal and fair are not the same thing.  I just prefer to not have that conversation all the time.

In the Leonardo lesson students choose their mode of assessment.  In real life that sometimes occurs.

EDLD 5364 Week Two Reflection

I have been somewhat preoccupied this week with the death of my uncle and the realization that complete end of an era is upon my extended family.  There are few left who play major adult roles in the memories of my youth.  It is the cycle of life and we all know that it will happen but that knowledge doesn't change the process.

In my preoccupation, I found it difficult to focus.  Although the information from the reading is not new and not difficult to comprehend I find myself having re-watch the short and to the point videos and re-read the assigned text.  Therefore, I will comment on these things in the order I watch or read them while the covered information is fresh in my mind.

UDL is a simple concept.  Accommodations or modification made for a specific need can and do benefit everyone.  Universal Design is applicable to all of society, not only education.  Since we do not live in a one size fits all world, this concept shares its foundation with Constructivism.  I know this is over simplifying as it has taken many years for the the concept and society to evolve to the point of being able to accept and acknowledge that the group dynamics and services needed to change in order to be respectful and inclusive.

While Constructivism is not new, maybe we as a whole society can finally make the most of it through new and constantly evolving technologies. Technologies are changing the way we perceive education.

The readings this week did not really teach anything new except UDL and that isn't new it is just in a different context.  There are so many letters floating around education these days it is sometimes hard to keep them all straight.  LFS, UbD, UDL, what it all means is that we must be open to possibilities and helping all students succeed on their own terms instead of trying to force all students into a one size fits all education.

It seems that UDL will be the catalyst in helping teachers to integrate technology into their curriculum. "Instead of being "just one more thing," the UDL framework provides a way to make various approaches to educational change more feasible by incorporating new insights on learning and new applications of technology.." (Rose & Meyer 2002).  Whether we are working within the framework of LFS, as we do in my district, or some other framework, UDL will act as a complement.

Like Steven Covey and LFS, our reading in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works (Pitler, et al, 2007) reinforces planning with the end in mind, while using technology to allow individualization for all students.

I believe that planning and objects are more to keep the teacher on track than the students.  I still would rather allow students to construct their own learning to their own end.  Let's face it we are not all cut out to be the same thing and while I believe we realize this on the level of accommodations and modifications we still do not want to acknowledge it when it come to student objectives and grading.  

Why can't we change the course of education after elementary school, to placing students into paths that will enable them not only to excel in school but prepare them for life after high school?  I believe that we are going to reach a point when there is just going to be too much information to learn in any given subject that we will have to completely restructure the school day/year as well as what we teach and how we teach it.  I also believe that this is going to lead to greater use of "schools within schools" structure in order to meet not only the needs of diverse learners but overwhelming amounts of information. 

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 for Applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 1. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Chapters 1, 15-38.

EDLD 5364 - Week One Web Conference

The web conference this week was helpful.  There were a lot of problems with blackboard and Ms. Borel put a lot of emphasis on clarifying.

I thought that the discussion board was cluttered and overwhelming so I made my posts and then kind of gave up.  It is good that we will be posting within our IA groups as we did on Epic.

So far I have been able to figure the BB course platform out but I think it is more work to navigate than Epic.  Epic seemed more streamlined to me, but I don't find BB very difficult.  I suppose it will seem more streamlined to me once I get used to it.

Besides clarifying BB, Ms. Borel also gave information on the team website that I did not recall reading, so I am glad that I was on the meeting.  If anyone in the course missed it, and happen to be reading my blog, look at the recording and listen carefully.