Personalizing Education

Teaching diverse learners and students is guaranteed in our profession.  Whether you experience students of a different race or gender or learning preference of ability, teaching them all is still your job.  While it is our responsibility to teach every student, we do not and can not teach every student equally.  This is where the idea of Universal Design for Learning UDL, comes into play.  The idea of UDL is to make sure that each student in your classroom, regardless of abilities and preferences, can learn the information that is required of them.

There are many pros that I can see for educators teaching with UDL in mind.  For example, on the most general level, it requires teachers to personalize education.  Even for the most average of average student who needs no specialized instruction, by having a teacher constantly thinking about diversity in learning, that student will end up getting some kind of specialized or personalized education.

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 On a deeper level, it really plays in favor to those students who do need specialized education.  In my experiences, it is easier to be prepared for diverse learners in your classroom that to try to play catch up.  By keeping the idea that each student will learn differently, either by a unique disability or ability, a teacher can be prepared for what comes his or her way.

An example of a UDL model playing in favor of certain students who need specialized instruction as well as regular general education students would be a student who has a hearing disability.  If a teacher were to assign a video for his or her class to watch, it would behove the teacher as well as the student to add captions so that if the student has a hard time hearing the video, they can still read. This idea of captions, however, can really help students who are struggling with reading.  Captions in a video would work the same way as a read-along device, helping the students hear and read the words at the same time.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Closed_Caption_Demonstration_Still-Felix.png

I cannot find very many cons or downsides to differentiating learning for students.  I think it is a great habit for teachers to get in to because it helps personalize education not only for those who need it, but for everyone.  The only setback I could foresee would be in implementing a UDL with several different students who have disabilities and abilities and it being very time consuming for a teacher.  However, I don't think this should discourage anyone. I think that by considering the possibility of having a student with a unique disability or ability and preparing for that before hand, will help the transition to a real classroom where you have those students.

Beyondwebct.wordpress.com

 

Mixing Realities

http://www.schooltechnology.org/2011/05/01/new-student-technology-photos/

As technology grows, so do our abilities as educators to reach and teach our students.  Through a ton of new interfaces, such as standard QR codes to advanced Leap Frog Tag Readers.  These types of interfaces begin to connect our real physical world to the interactive online one.

My mixing realities between real and fake, students can experience their feelings, thoughts, and activities on a whole new level.  With the ever growing pressures for students and teachers to perform well in the classroom, it may prove to be beneficial for the classroom setting as a whole to break away from physical reality, where consequences matter, into the virtual world where we can suspend the physical consequences for a while.

In many youth, spending time online via social networking sites, live role playing games, or internet usage,  has allowed them to suspend their reality and adopt a new identity for themselves; an alter ego of sorts.  

http://www.operationtrooplift.org/tag/cheats

This new alter ego may become harmful if left to run wild, in which many cases of cyberbullying may appear.  However, this alter ego may prove to be a powerful tool, in which more shy children can be given a stronger voice to their ideas.

http://iphone.appstorm.net/roundups/lifestyle-roundups/100-social-networking-apps-to-feed-your-internet-addiction/

While I have personally never seen nor experienced a successful classroom where their is intermixing of virtual and physical worlds, I plan on incorporating it in my classroom.  I see a lot of potential in giving my students the options to express themselves in another world.  As I see it, many teachers are open to the idea of assigning multiple options for a project, ex: a powerpoint, a speech, an art exhibit, etc.  It makes sense to me that by having the students participate in online worlds as an option for a project/homework/free time, just as those other options are there.

Gamers are the new Students

   Video games are another new media in which teachers are now experiencing at their disposal to reach out and educate their students.  I think using all sorts of things that children are interested in, whether gaming, music, sports, etc and using that information to better educate children is a great idea.  This trick in teaching is not new.  I can remember in my schooling where the teacher went to extra lengths to incorporate the things that we, her students, were interested in.  The new media, or thing a lot of students are interested in, is video games.

   Gaming, while it intrigues me, is not really my thing.  I have played a variety of video games throughout my childhood and adult life to know that I'm not very good at them.  I have a hard time focusing a lot of my time and focus at any given part of the day to play.  While I know this about myself, I do think I will try to use video games in my classroom.  The way I reason it is I don't like all the things that I know my students will like, but I still try to appeal to them through that source.



  

   One of my favorite modified video game lesson that I have read was done by a guy named Mr. Todd Nesloney.  He took the popular app, Angry Birds, and turned it into a real life game about geometry and physics.  The students created 3D figures of the "birds" and the "pigs" and set up their own levels to try and beat the pigs.

   This type of "gaming" in the classroom, as well as tangible board-like games, are ways that I think I can handle.  I'm not sure I'm quite as prepared to enter into the World of Warcraft interface, I'll stick to baby steps.

"Simple" Machines

Teachers have begun to struggle with how to introduce technology appropriately into their classrooms without overwhelming themselves or their students. (as I mentioned in my iPad incident a few posts back)  However, the answer to this question may not be as hard as it seems.  To be honest, until a few weeks ago, the thought of integrating technology APPROPRIATELY seemed very daunting.  But it doesn't have to be.  What about teaching our students with projects based on "simple" technology.  What I consider to be simple technology would be a piece of technology that has been around for a while and has become familiar to us.

 A camera or standard video camera are two very "simple" technology tools that most everyone is familiar with.  Now, yes, there are some very complicated and expensive devices that fall under the digital camera and camcorder category, but we'll stick to the basics.

Recently I have watched some of the most interesting and creative class projects come to life via video. When I say video, however, I don't just mean moving pictures.  Some of the projects that I watched were just voice overs of a slide show of pictures as opposed to actual video.

Video courtesy of SchoolTube
This is an example of a video production solely put on by students.

Video courtesy of SchoolTube
This is another example of a video put on by students, however this video only uses pictures/video without student faces.

I believe this may be the easiest way to incorporate higher thinking, such as creativity, with technology.  Have your students create videos based on their own videos or pictures or through animation sites.  The technology is so broad that almost any topic can be transformed to a video presentation as opposed to the boring book report.

I cannot wait to implement video based projects in my classroom.  I plan on doing everything I can with videos, from critiquing already made videos to the creation of their own.  I think that by teaching the kids with the aid of technology such as videos, it teaches them to not only be critical of the videos that they watch on their own time, but also teaches them the hard work and thoughtful planning that goes on when trying to create their own video.

Technology Bandwagon?

Should teachers jump on the technology bandwagon and launch themselves into the online world? 

YES! There are so many benefits for teachers working with their classrooms and students online, via social networking sites like Twitter and Edmodo or through a simple online class website.  Some teachers use the excuse of using Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Moodle or Blackboard,  is their "online presence".  However, these systems cannot be accessed by the general public nor can they have personal information added about the teacher or class.  LMS seem very robotic and automated to the students and parents viewing them, lessening the connection that they have with the site and the person behind the site.  A teacher website can change some of these things and might even be easier to operate and manage than some of the LMS.

Pros of a Teacher Website:

Good Teacher Website Curtsey of dfulford.weebly.com

• An easy way to be able to still "teach" out of your classroom.  By posting homework, review sheets,  or external links, students and parents who need the extra help to understand, have access to this information at all hours of the day.
• Helps with the "What did I miss?" If teachers are posting daily assignments and topics, this can greatly help a student who has missed a day or two in the classroom.
• Your website goes farther than your classroom.  Not only can you share your ideas with other educators as you post to your class website, but if you are a new teacher, a class website is a good way to make a good impression on a perspective school.
• It connects you to your parents.  While some parents are very active in their child's schooling, some cannot find the time or means to get to the school and meet you during school hours.  By having an online website, connecting with these parents gets easier.  While these parents aren't physically meeting you, they feel as if they are meeting you through an online interface, building connections, trust, and a support system online.
• It's becoming easier.  With website generators such as Weebly and Google Sites, creating and maintaining a website is becoming easier and easier.

Cons of a Teacher Website:

• It's not a catch all.  Some teachers may view the website as another way to teach remedial students; while it can be a helpful tool it cannot replace the teacher themselves.  Don't get too carried away in the capabilities that the website may have on your students.
• Not everyone has Internet.  I would be wary of only posting assignments or homework to a class website as not everyone has Internet access to gain access to these assignments.  A class website shouldn't hurt a child's success.



Not a Great Teacher Website Curtsey of 

http://schoolcenter.gcsnc.com/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=1107&

• It does take time.  While the process has become easier, you still have to do the updating and upkeep.  If you don't upkeep your website, there is no point in having one.

Here are some of the most basic pros and cons that I felt were important to consider when creating your online presence through the usage of a class website.  Both of the screenshots of websites prove that both teachers (whose websites I am borrowing) have some-what of an "online presence".  The first screenshot of a website has a picture of the teacher with a caption telling a few interesting things about himself.  Additionally, he has several links on his page that are consistently updated for his classroom.  This is an example of a website that I thought was very helpful; He provided some information about himself as well as key information that parents and students need.  The second website lacked some key information.  It had no picture or personal information on this teacher.  Additionally, the links this teacher did have, weren't very helpful or were blank.  These two screenshots of teacher websites help prove that not only being online is helpful; running an updated and useful website is key.

Wiki Work

   Over the past two weeks I have conducted an experiment to evaluate my experiences with reviewing, editing, and monitoring and Wiki page, a page on Wikipedia.  The page I choose to monitor and edit was on Dame Schools under the username TaceyM.  Overall, the process of editing and monitoring this specific page was rather boring.  I edited the page, which notifies all previous contributors unless otherwise changed, and waited two weeks for nothing to happen.  From speaking with some of my fellow classmates who choose various topics in education, culture, etc., the experience seemed to be fairly similar.  I think to get the full affect of the "collaboration" part of the Wiki, you have to contribute a lot.

Highlighted sections are my changes to the Wiki

  
   In terms of using Wiki pages in the classroom, I think it would have to be saved for only very specific scenarios, much like a GoogleDoc.  However, I feel like by using GoogleDocs, a teacher will be able to see specifically what each student contributed to the work.  In a Wiki document, I'm not sure how well you would be able to get this information.  Additionally, working with the "Wiki Speech"while editing was a bit complicated.  I'm not sure I would have enough time in the classroom to explain all the necessary information needed to properly edit the document while allowing time for students to actually edit.

Do you understand these copyrights as they have been read to you

The C word. The Big Scary C word. COPYRIGHT!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Copyright-uncertain.png

Ever since I was in elementary school, there was a strong emphasis on copyright, copyrighted items, and using copyrights.  But what does it all mean? What makes something copyrighted and why are they copyrighted?  These are questions that still go through my head today as I push my way through the maze of copyrights.

When I was in school, I learned that something was copyrighted if it had the copyright symbol on it.  However, since then, the Copyright Act of 1976 was amended to include any new idea, picture, song, etc.  Basically, as soon as something new is created it is copyrighted with or without the copyright symbol.  The basic goal of this new amendment was to make new items easier to copyright and protect the owner from other people using their work to make money or distribute without permission.  

Based on this definition, you either need to know a lot of people in order to get permission to use their work or produce sub par work as the tools you need, such as music and pictures, are unable to be used.  This is where "Fair Use" fits in.  In the amendment, an exception to the rule, "Fair Use", was implemented as well. The "Fair Use" amendment, however, is not as clear as some would like.  The list of factors that the law states to be used when determining was is fair and what is not is as follows

1. The purpose of character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes 
2. The nature of the copyrighted work
3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work

The law also states that the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.  

This amendment isn't exactly cut and dry.  There are several rules and exceptions to rules that seem to be constantly changing. As a pre-service teacher, protecting my students and the works that they are learning from is my top priority.  However, it seems as if the ever-changing copy-right laws are slowing me down.  On the brighter side, while the copyright laws seem to be always updating, so do the options that educators have for working with copyrighted items.  One of the most influential websites that educators have on hand is Creative Commons. 

http://www.argazkiak.org/photo/creative-commons/

This website is full of "free to use" copyrighted works that students, educators, and the common public can use without worrying about infringing copyright. Several teachers have adapted this website, encouraging their students to either use this  website for all new media or an advanced google search, allowing students to filter their searches to show only free to use images and works.  As I continue school, I will try to keep up with the copyright rules, as of right now though, I think I will follow suit of those educators before me: teaching kids to always cite their work, use media from creative commons, and use advanced google searches.