EDUC 6714: Course Reflection

As my current course at Walden University, EDUC 6714: Reaching and Engaging All Learners through Technology, draws to a close, I believe it is crucial to reflect upon the learning experiences in which I have engaged throughout the class that will impact my ability to use technology to differentiate instruction for the diverse learners in my classroom. Smith and Throne (2007) emphasized the importance of differentiating content, process, and/or product according to students’ unique readiness levels, interests, and/or learning profiles. According to the insights I have gained in the course, particularly in reference to the principles of Universal Design for Learning (Center for Applied Special Technology, 2009), there are countless forms of digital tools and technologies available for educators to utilize in the quest to implement the curricular flexibility our students need and deserve. Fortunately, as part of my academic journey in this course, I had the opportunity to participate in a Differentiation Station social network with several of my colleagues in which we shared some of the resources we have discovered in our searches for information about differentiation and UDL. What follows is a description of how I plan to use some of the tools recommended by my peers to empower me to adjust my instructional practices relating to the integration of technology as an aid in customizing the learning experiences in which my students engage in my classroom.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing concepts I learned about during the eight weeks of my current course was the importance of differentiating according to students’ learning profiles, particularly their various multiple intelligences (Smith & Throne, 2007). One outstanding way to implement the customization of instruction in this area is by making use of Tic-Tac-Toe choice boards, such as the ones located at https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/edyburn/www/tictactoe.html (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, n.d.). This resource, posted by one of my peers on our social network site, contains numerous choice boards; however, the book report option is the tool that captured my attention the most. I have already utilized this Tic-Tac-Toe board in my classroom within the last two weeks when I gave it to my students as the culminating product for their book projects during their current term. The options on the board, which are varied according to students’ multiple intelligences, can be enhanced through the use of technologies such as video cameras, word processing software, and online comic strip generators. When students’ unique learning profiles are honored, their level of motivation increases. Therefore, by using Tic-Tac-Toe choice boards, such as the ones on the aforementioned site, in combination with supplementary technologies, I can reach and engage all of my diverse learners.

As a reading and language arts teacher, one of the standards I must ensure my students understand relates to poetry and figurative language (Georgia Department of Education, 2005). In the past, I have assessed my students’ understanding of this aspect of the curriculum by requiring them to create poetry books in which they would complete their own pieces and compile them together into books using designer paper and other art supplies. Though this culminating project has always been a success, I have gained the realization throughout my current course that technology can and should be used as a flexible tool that allows students multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement (Center for Applied Special Technology, 2009). Thus, one tool the Differentiation Station social network introduced me to that I would like to immediately implement as part of my poetry unit would be Glogster (2010). Using this website, students can create posters that allow them to express themselves using not only their poetic words, but with images, videos, and music as well. In addition to being a tool of powerful engagement, Glogster would also benefit my students who are strong in the visual, musical, intrapersonal, and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences as well (Smith & Throne, 2007). As a teacher who is striving to utilize technology as a method for customizing instruction for my students, Glogster is certainly a resource I could envision myself using with my students in multiple ways as we work on various aspects of our reading and language arts curriculum.

Though I have worked toward differentiation in the past, the knowledge I have gained in my current course has inspired me to make sure that I have a strong arsenal of tools to use as I endeavor to make immediate adjustments that can help meet my students’ unique learning needs. ClassTools.net (2010) is yet another spectacular resource I discovered on my social network thanks to one of my colleagues. This site contains numerous templates that can be used to differentiate activities according to my students’ readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles (Smith & Throne, 2007). For instance, the interactive hamburger graphic organizer can be incorporated to aid students with organizing their ideas for paragraphs if they are at a lower readiness level or for entire essays if the learners are more advanced. The word generator tool can be used to aid with flexible grouping as well. These are just a few of the many ways I can visualize using the templates available on this resource to assist me as I strive to make quick, yet effective customizations as part of my instructional delivery for and assessment of the diverse students in my classroom.

Reflecting on what I have learned about differentiation and Universal Design for Learning during the last eight weeks, I am appreciative of the amazing insights I have gained from my colleagues through the sharing of resources on our social network. I am looking forward to utilizing these digital tools in the quest to reach and engage each of my unique learners. I am quite confident that the results of using these sources as aids in the differentiation process will be reflected in the success my students experience.

References

Center for Applied Special Technology. (2009). UDL guidelines, version 1.0. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines

ClassTools.net. (2010). Create interactive flash tools/games for education. Retrieved from http://classtools.net/

Georgia Department of Education. (2005). Georgia Performance Standards. Atlanta, GA: Author. Retrieved from https://www.georgiastandards.org/_layouts/GeorgiaStandards/GSOSearch/SearchResults.aspx?op=1&t=Standards&kw=&g=6,7,8&sid=&sn=&ss=GSOSubject&f=&d=

Glogster. (2010). Poster yourself: Text, images, music, and video. Retrieved from http://www.glogster.com

Smith, G., & Throne, S. (2007). Differentiating instruction with technology in K-5 classrooms. Belmont, CA: International Society for Technology in Education. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. (n.d.). Using tic-tac-toe to manage differentiated instruction. Retrieved from https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/edyburn/www/tictactoe.html