Reflection Post for Reaching and Engaging all Learners Through Technology

Summarizing the How on using Resources in the Differentiation Station Social Network
For Teacher Bloggers who are reading this, I want you to know that you can all provide resources for your fellow teachers by sharing and posting on a common teacher site.

The resources that my fellow Walden students have offered me will provide useful information and links for Differentiation and Universal Design Learning. As a connection teacher, I believe it is necessary for me to have an array of resources that branch out into all subjects. Additionally, my GAME plan includes becoming a leader in technology for learning, and the gathered resources from my differentiation station provide me with an advantage because that they come from teachers. Several resources my Ning members provided are as follows: Enhancing learning with education - http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differentiatingstrategies.html This site assists in discovering what a useful tool technology can be in the classroom. It contains areas that each have subcategories that fulfill every teachers searching desire to learn more and apply solid advice for technology usage and differentiating in education. It provides useful links. To make an analogy, this site is like one huge concept map for technology and education geared towards DI.
 
What this lesson has taught me is that every school in America should allow teachers to post sites with short descriptions in a Teacher drive for the faculty to utilize. Additionally, weekly notices should go out to remind teachers to check out. Here are a more sites offered by teachers:
 
The web site http://www.readinga-z.com/videos/index.php could be a Godsend for Reading teachers. Another good site is http://teachers.net/lessons/. Over where there are 400 lessons for teachers to search. This site, http://www.classroom20.com/forum has a long list of articles. The forum is active with teachers looking to collaborate or share with you.

I checked out http://education.jlab.org/reading/index.html and I am immediately passing it on to all science teachers at my school. Jefferson Lab is about Science Education and has teacher recourses, student zone, games and puzzles, and programs and events. Teachers, for the same reason we want our students to have greater access to information, we too need to for the same reasons share with each other.

Adjustments to Make in my Classroom because of this Course
I believe that technology does foster literacy skills necessary for students. Web 2.0 tools allow my students to connect with culture. However, I need to maintain a balance and apply hands on projects. This course has taught me that I can keep harmony in my teaching with technology. Differentiating lessons to meet the needs of my learners becomes customized (UDL) with technology. Adjustments I can make regarding technology use and integration is allowing students to gather more content on the Web 2.0 in preparing for a lesson. If I cannot get them to research all together at school, I must immediately assign research homework and encourage students to send in their opinions, information, or answers on my teacher site. Differentiation means knowing not all students have the Internet at home. I need to allow a week for these students to access information from a library. I must expeditiously prepare links on a page for students to use and allow information to come to them with more ease. Their readiness to learn will be greater if they are more prepared with content.

Reaching and Engaging All Learners Through Technology has taught me that students become my “partners in learning how to work with participatory media tools in the classroom to achieve the best results” (Roland, 2009). Additionally I have learned to allow my students to take on management roles. As they become experts, it allows them to learn more authentically. This will benefit them in the end. Differentiation means also to show respect and lift students up during the learning process.

One of my favorite authors and art education experts is Elliot W. Eisner. Here is something he has to say about diversity and art education. “Among all the fields of study in our schools, the arts are at the forefront in celebration of diversity, individuality, and surprise” (Eisner, 2002). I realize that I diversify probably more then any other teacher in my school. This course has assisted me in improving my methods and practices.

Eisner,E.(2002). The Arts and the Creation of Mind. Harrisonburg, Virginia, Yale University Press.

Roland,C. (2009). Art Education 2.0. Digital Practices in the Classroom. Retrieved April 19,

http://arted20.ning.com/forum/topics/the-art-education-20-manifesto?commentId=670107%3AComment%3A85566