Module 6

This module has helped me think about self-directed learners and the role of differentiation in the following ways...

Self-directed learners are able use or create their own methods of learning and acquiring knowledge. In that case, they are able to differentiate their learning themselves, with little intervention or direction from the instructor.

Module 5

This module has helped me think about student-centered assessment in the following ways...

Students need to be and do better when they are involved in the assessment process. Student-centered doesn't mean that students "take over" the assessment, rather they are active participants in it, as opposed to being subjected to assessment. Through rubrics, checklists, and the like, students can see how they are progressing through the assessment, and are given opportunity to correct themselves and seek input from the instructor and/or other students along the way. This avoids, I think, meltdowns, cursings, and probably calls from upset parents ("Johnny didn't know he was failing!!!).

I hope.

Assessment Strategies - Improvement

As a co-teacher, I don't get much opportunity to guide curriculum for the "regular" students. At least I didn't this school year. Hopefully, I will be better able to this coming year. I would like to increase the amount of formative assessments used before and during the courses I work with. This would improve the quality of material presented and the way that it is presented (with tiered groups, etc).

One way to address this, I think, is to work with my teachers and develop pre-unit activities (not tests!) that gauge students' knowledge before the learning begins.

Module 4 Reflection

How can technology be used most effectively to support and assess student learning?

I believe that the way that technology can support and assess learning most effectively is to provide students with another way to access the classroom content. By putting technology in their hands or using the what they already have, we are giving students opportunity to learn while also having fun, holding their attention, and giving them tools that they WILL have to learn and use throughout their life. We're not only educating them with whatever subject we teach, but also educating them for "the real world."

Module 3 Reflection

This module has helped me think about the impact of the Internet on my students' learning in the following ways...

Students today eat, sleep, breathe, and think Internet most (if not all) of their day. Their interaction with the Internet is a tool to be used, not a enemy to be defeated. We should accomodate our teaching styles to the way they think, rather than expecting them to learn the ways that we did. The sites we have learned about today will help me integrate the Internet into the classes I co-teach, by allowing students to respond immediately to class content, as well as places for me to gather information for them to access.

Module 2 Reflection

This module has helped me think about using standards, CFQs, or formative assessment in the following ways...

I am starting to get a better idea of how Essential, Unit, and Content questions can help shape a unit plan. These questions allow us to plan from the small, concrete aspects of a lesson or unit up to the large, abstract aspects. The questions will also help to guide the student's learning and is a "hook" to use to grab their attention (and hopefully hold it).

Module 1 Reflection

This module has made me think about my role as an instructional designer in the following ways...

I think these tools will give us the ability to be student's "portals" into the classroom and education in general. Incorporating technology is important for the students we teach. Nearly all of them have (or are capable of using) phones, iPods, computers, and "smart" phones (which may actually be smarter than I am). Students are connected, and as an "instructional designer" I need to be connected too. I think its easier, and beneficial to all, if we as educators enter their world as opposed to drag them kicking and screaming into ours.