EDCI5825 Final post

Responses to Week 6 Questions.

1. At the beginning of the semester, I had no familiarity with instructional technology.  My comfort level with technology was also low.  I would say that I had a steep learning curve over the course of the semester, as the course helped me achieve a level of comfort with several important technologies:  the smart board, the wiki and i-movie.  In particular, the wiki was the most user friendly tool and the most useful in terms of what I would use in my teaching practice.  I see the wiki as a place to gather useful resources and information and present it in a format with which students can interact.

2. Because all of this technology was completely new to me,  my learning with them was necessarily experimental.  I feel that some of my products are works in progress and will continue to improve.  The instructor did a good job of showing models of the different kinds of things we created so that the standard of work was high.

3. I definitely feel that I am comfortable moving forward in using the Smart Board, the wiki, and i-movie.  In fact, this was one of the greatest benefits of the class for me: improving my comfort level with these technologies.

Using Google reader to read classmates blogs

As I read through my classmates blogs, I was impressed by the level of work that has been undertaken by all of us over the past six weeks.  Many of my classmates are quite versant in technology and have been a great help to me over the past six weeks.  Google reader is a great tool that allowed me to go through a number of blog posts and pick out ones that seemed relevant to me.

For example, I noticed that Emily also liked the "Knowing Poe" website as much as I did so I browsed around some of the other websites she mentioned and added some of her suggestions as additional teacher resources to my wiki.  I also liked a website that Barb mentioned, "Dr. Math" as it has on-line descriptions of how to solve specific math problems at all ages and stages.  This could be a very helpful resource for a special education teacher.

One thing in particular I noticed about myself as I went through these blogs is the usefulness of my wiki as an organizing tool for many of the resources and ideas I have developed over the past six weeks and would like to use as a teacher.  After going through my classmates blogs, I think I would like to create another wiki, or perhaps expand the same one beyond language arts, to include math pages and perhaps learning skills pages.  It seems like a great way to build a personal resource bank for my use as a special education teacher.

Week 5 Technology class web resources for the classroom

The first website I would consider using in my classroom is Project Gutenberg.  Because I plan on specializing in language arts as a special education teacher, this website could be particularly helpful in opening up to students different ways of reading.  This project makes digital and audio books available for free and many of the classic books are available here.  Since it is web based, I could teach a lesson on accessing web based literature in alternative formats.  I could show students how to download books both from the library and from Project Gutenberg.  Since most students have ipods, they could download books and listen to them this way as an alternative to print.

The next website I would definitely use with middle and high school students is the "Knowing Poe" site.  This is one of the best language arts resources I have ever seen on line.  It provides access to a primary source (Poe's literature) with a great interactive function that teaches annotation and allows students to easily interact with the text in a fun way. As icing on the cake, the text is also available in audio format.  The whole thing is very user friendly and visually pleasing.  This is a great model use of technology and I would like to see it available for a variety of literary texts.  (Knowing Poe, 2002)

References

Maryland Public Television. (2002). Knowing Poe: The literature, life and times of Edgar Allen Poe. In thinkport.org. Retrieved June 28, 2002, from  http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/writer/telltaleheart_play.asp

Week 5 T2P

If a student is given a percentage of the classroom time to devote to self-directed activities, then the student will be intrinsically motivated and will develop creative learning activities because when a student is given freedom, her autonomy is enhanced, and autonomy is an essential component of intrinsic motivation.  As Daniel Pink points out, intrinsic motivation is made up of three components: autonomy, mastery, and purpose.  This is consistent with Dece and Ryan's theory of self-determination whose elements are autonomy, competence and relatedness.  When a teacher allows a student to spend a significant amount of time in self-directed activities, she is respecting and honoring that student's autonomy.  When a student experiences autonomy or freedom in this way, her intrinsic motivation is "jump start" -ed.

Moral implications:

When a teacher makes a choice to honor the autonomy of a student, she is affirming that student's intrinsic value as a human being.  I believe this is a fundamental right of students and children and a corresponding responsibility of teachers.  Moreover, teachers have a responsibility to foster the creativity of children as future citizens and problem solvers.  Every time a teacher promotes autonomy in the classroom, she enhances the creative thinking of those in whose hands our future rests.  Every time she quelches autonomy, she enhances narrow-minded and rigid thinking.

A Good Teacher

A good teacher is one who recognizes the gifts of all students, artfully invites students to a practice of inquiry and reflection regardless of their age and regardless of the content, and creates and supports a hospitable environment in which students can grow and learn.

First, a good teacher knows that every student is "gifted" in their own way.  I believe this is fundamental to good teaching.  In other words, there is not a hierarchy of intelligence with some students at the "top" and others relegated to the "bottom."  It is the moral responsibility of the teacher to discover each student as a unique member of a diverse community of learners.

Second, a good teacher is one who helps students arrive at new understandings by asking themselves questions and taking time to reflect on new information and activities.  A good teacher provides the student with experiences and information which lead the student to ask questions which then lead to learning and growth.  I believe that this can be done at any age level and with any content.

Finally, a good teacher creates a culture of hospitality for students to learn and grow.  This means that the learning environment should be without fear, which is not to say without risk taking.  Children can be encouraged to take risks essential to learning if the environment they are in does not promote fear.

My Beliefs

Equality:  every person deserves to be treated as equally valuable to every other person

autonomy:  every person deserves to own their own process of learning

dignity:  every person deserves to be treated as an intelligent, thinking, capable human being

care:  as human beings, we all have a responsibility to care for each other and nurture

fear and anything that creates fear is morally and developmentally damaging and therefore wrong


Practice with T2P statement from week 4

If students are enabled to become teacher/collaborators in the classroom

then their self-determination is promoted

because they will be required to make decisions about the importance of information, they will need to develop competence in the content they are teaching, and they will build relationships with other students.  It is fundamental to this process that students feel safe and comfortable with the task of teaching/collaborating.  Otherwise, the exercise will only create fear and lead to a loss of autonomy.  Therefore, making small groups for teaching experiences, and having the teaching take place in the context of collaborating, as well as ensuring student comfort with the task is absolutely necessary.

evidence Vicki Davis video clip

moral implications I believe that students bring a level of competence to many areas which competence can be tapped for themselves and others in the learning process.  Furthermore, students must feel their autonomy in order to learn because real learning requires that meaningful choice are made by the learner.

  

revised moral implications I believe that students deserve to be treated with dignity simply by virtue of being human.  This means that students have the right to be treated as intelligent and capable beings.  Furthermore, students have the right to own their own learning process.  This is part of their fundamental human right to autonomy.  The right to autonomy is particularly important for children because they are often in a position of relative powerlessness in their relationships.  Adults therefore, have an extra moral responsibility to preserve students' autonomy in their interactions with them. 

Tech Class Blogg for week 4

Please provide specific examples of technology/tools that you would recommend for a student with... (1) a hearing impairment, (2) low-vision, (3) a broken right arm, and (4) autism (non-communicative). The following is a list of technologies that could be useful for students with the disabilities listed. Hearing impaired: Hearing Assistive Technology systems are available which minimize the problems experienced by the hearing impaired including level of volume and background noise. These include a FM system, which is like a miniature radio with one station and one-to-one communicators where the teacher uses a microphone which is connected directly to the student's hearing aid. Low vision: E readers offer a variety of text sizes and several levels of gray which can assist the visually impaired. It also converts text to speech. One problem with e readers is that the menu is difficult to read so the individual is still dependent on help from another person. DAISY (Digitally Accessible Information System) is completely accessible and offers direct  access to specific points in the text. (Wikibooks, 2009) Broken right arm: Speech recognition software converts spoken word to text, a technology which is helpful to the visually impaired as well as for someone with a broken right arm. This avoids the necessity of writing as it converts speech directly to text. One example of this technology is Dragon Naturally Speaking. Autism/non-communicative: Students who cannot verbalize can use voice output communication aids which display a visual representation and are accessible by button. Some examples are Big Mac and Talk pad. In addition, Language Master is a voice output device which uses cards on which can be recorded a short message. Reference Wikibooks, Assistive Technology in Education/DAISY, last updated July 2009. Retrieved at http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/DAISY

Eileen's learning theory spreadsheet

T2P week 4 : an attempt at level 7 RPT

If a teacher expects and encourages students to contribute their ideas through reflection on classroom activities and topics,

then there will be less behavior problems in class 

because students feel that they are essential and valuable to the class and the learning process.

evidence:  Valuable Nel Noddings discusses the process of education as including an interaction in which the teacher "confirms" or affirms and encourages the best in others.

Essential (Piaget schemas adaptation and assimilation; Vygotsky scaffolding; "priming the pump"; neurological piece; emotional piece)

moral implications I believe that teachers have a responsibility to affirm their students as valuable beings, as a strictly moral matter. Moreover, school is not useful unless students are assisted in making meaningful connections to their experience and knowledge which is relevant to their lives.

T2P (2)

If students are enabled to become teacher/collaborators in the classroom

then their self-determination is promoted

because they will be required to make decisions about the importance of information, they will need to develop competence in the content they are teaching, and they will build relationships with other students.  It is fundamental to this process that students feel safe and comfortable with the task of teaching/collaborating.  Otherwise, the exercise will only create fear and lead to a loss of autonomy.  Therefore, making small groups for teaching experiences, and having the teaching take place in the context of collaborating, as well as ensuring student comfort with the task is absolutely necessary.

evidence Vicki Davis video clip

moral implications I believe that students bring a level of competence to many areas which competence can be tapped for themselves and others in the learning process.  Furthermore, students must feel their autonomy in order to learn because real learning requires that meaningful choice are made by the learner.

If students are given ample support from the teacher and from other students,


then they will produce high quality work


because their needs for safety, respect and connection are met.  This allows them to work in an environment free from fear which creates the greatest potential for learning.

In today's class, I experienced a shift from stress and anxiety at the beginning of class to comfort, ease and interest at the end of the class.  I attribute this to both the provision of adequate amounts of time to complete tasks, as well as the time spent as a group reviewing the pedagogical taxonomy and taking the time to work within it.

In my classroom, I will strive to be attuned to the students' needs for structural support, such as modeling as well as adequate amounts of supervised and supported time to complete tasks.  As another professor said, "teaching is not telling."  Teaching involves a variety of activities performed together and individually that create new experiences and knowledge for the student.

moral implications Students have the right to be free from fear when they are learning, which is not to say free of risk.  Teachers must create classroom cultures which allow students to feel safe enough in a learning environment to take risks necessary to learning.

Eileen's learning theory spread sheet

Tech Class Week 3 wikis

I really like the collaborative aspect of the wiki, as it allows learners to "build connections, demonstrate relationships, and in general develop understanding about complex issues." (Shrum and Levin, 2009, p. 50) I think this could be a really good way to involve students and the experiences and knowledge they bring to the learning experience.  Because of the democratic feel of a wiki, which is created by the fact that anyone can edit it, I think students might feel more encouraged to offer their ideas there.  The central concept of a wiki is that everyone is an expert, or, conversely, that there are no experts.  For students who are not comfortable speaking out in class in front of a group, a wiki is a good way for them to offer ideas in a low stress environment.

One example of a participatory project in my content area (Special Ed/ English secondary) would be to post quotes from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with modern day translation on the Wiki and then asks students to comment on the quotes, perhaps relating the plot and feelings of the characters to their own experience. There might be a way to incorporate text reader and speak to write software that would help students who have difficulty reading and writing.

The second thing that interested me about the assignments was the site on bullying that had an audio component to it.  The audio component sounded like a text reading program.  For children in special education, it would be very useful to have both text reading software and software that converts speech to text.  (Vanessa, can you recommend any easy to access (i.e. free) and easy to use software that does either or both of these things?)

Reference:

Shrum, L. and Levin, B., Leading 21st Century Schools, International Society for Technology in Education, 2009.

Learning Theory Week 3 T2P

This week, I reflected about the relevance of behaviorism in teaching practice.  I feel a little more open to behaviorist theory when I notice, for example, that as I struggle to get used to the new mouse pad of the mac, I have "learned" to use the mouse pad effectively through the immediate reinforcement of getting the result I wanted.   In any case,  I do think that behaviorism has a role to play in helping students as a group create the classroom habits that allow us to work together as a group.

I also would like to think about incorporating a "meta" reflection with students in special education.  I think that understanding how the brain works can be particularly helpful for students in special education, as they can understand their own thinking.  They can also be helped to understand that some teaching methods may work better for them than others.  As a special education teacher, an important role I have is to help students understand themselves as learners.

I also would like to incorporate the RRSQCC into my teaching.  I like that it has elements both of reflection and memory (the first R) as well as elements of constructivism (the 2 C's).  This seems like a good tool to use to encourage students to offer their opinions and connect to the material, thus creating the kind of classroom environment I was envisioning in my T2P statement.



Response to comments:
T2P Statement relating to the value of freedom and classroom management

If I as a teacher lead a discussion with my students about respecting the value of each student's ideas, and facilitate a group discussion about norms of behavior such as hand raising and listening when someone else is talking, and provide positive reinforcement when such norms are met, then a culture of freedom and fearless learning is promoted.

T2P Week 3

Gina,

Would it be okay if I submitted this to you by midnight tomorrow (Tues June 14)?  I still have to work to do for Dr. Zack's class tonight (it's 11:00 p.m. now) and I want to take the time to read the taxonomy of pedagogy before doing my T2P.

Eileen McCarthy

p.s.  I wasn't sure of the best way to reach you to make this request but I figured you would find it here.  Is there a better way to contact you for this kind of thing?

Learning Theories Week 3 LT1

1.  What are the two main elements of Skinner's Behavioral Learning Theory?

I agree that this is a level one question in Bloom's taxonomy because it asks to identify an idea.

The two main elements of Skinner's Behavioral Learning Theory are stimulus response and reinforcement.

5.  Kruse writes: "when discussing learning, we must realize that the process is the same, but the learner is different."  What do you believe Kruse means by this?

At first, this question strikes me as  a level 2 because it asks to define meaning.  But the addition of "what do you believe" makes it more like a level 4 (infer).

I think Kruse means to say that rather than say that people learn in different ways, (i.e., the process is the same), we just need to know that each learner comes to the process at a different point in it.

5. Construct a lesson plan that uses scaffolded instruction as defined by Vygotsky.

I am not sure if this is a level 5 or more of a level 3, applying the scaffolding idea.

Outline of a lesson plan of setting the table for my six year old daughter with a cognitive disability:

Students prior knowledge:

Cannot count but can name off people in family

Goals:

set plates and silverware in correct spot on table and in the right amount

Plan:

Set out placemats on the table so she knows where to place plates and then remove placemats after she gets used to the places.

Help her take plates out of cupboard using names of family members, one for each member.  Show her where they go on the table.

Help her take silverware out of draw, one fork for each family member, one knife for each family member and show her where they go on the table.

Demonstrate counting as a substitute for naming family members.  Show counting on fingers up to five.  Count together until she can count on her own.

Gradually remove assistance for taking out silverware and plates as she understands how to do it on her own.

Response to comments:

Sarah's ZPD in this case include the area between putting all the plates in a pile on the table (which she can do independently) and putting them in specific places around the table (which she can do with help). it also includes the area between putting a bunch of silverware on the table and putting the correct amount on the table.  One way to assist her in this ZPD would be to incorporate social learning.   That is, she could set the table with one of her siblings, who could sing a song about five pieces of silverware or sing a song with the names of the family.  We could make this song part of our family life at other times thereby adding to the social reinforcement of the learning.

student teaching placement and technology

My student teaching placement uses smart board extensively in teaching the Read 180 reading program.  There are no lessons I can prepare as the program is carefully scripted and prepared already.

Week 2 T2P essay

Areas I want to cover:

1. Classroom management

2. helping students be reflective in the classroom

3. helping students bring creativity to constructing their own knowledge

The first area that I wish to reflect on about this week's class is the area of classroom management.  As a teacher, I would like to explore the idea of "order" as opposed to "control."  I found the readings very provocative because I tend to have a strong reaction against anything that coerces or controls other people.  One of my learning goals is to find a way that is comfortable for me to enable students to be in a respectful relationship with themselves, other students and myself.

I found some inspiration for this in the "science is messy" video because I observed that the teacher was engaging students in a very high level of dialogue.  He didn't merely discuss facts; instead, he inviting students to inquire, reflect, and make their own observations about their learning and about the subject matter they were studying.  I believe that expecting students to have contributions in this way creates an atmosphere of trust and respect and I would envision conducting my classroom with this as a cornerstone.

While I didn't resonate with the first example in the Hansen article, I did take something from the teacher who used hand raising as a rule.  While I tend to recoil from setting up a lot of rules at the beginning of a class, I could envision a basic one like this, involving turn taking, that might be part of setting the initial tone of the class.  I also am learning that some rules might be worth articulating, repeating and affirming early on in the life of the class in order to create order which allows for learning.  Again, for me, it would have to be a very limited number of rules, at least to start, but I am beginning to consider that some initial tone setting might appropriately include rules.

Finally, the most exciting part of the day for me was the re-doing of our concept map about learning.  I personally decided to take some risks, make some choices about what I thought it should look like, let go of external expectations, and let my creativity flow.  When this happens, learning becomes very joyful.  As I teacher, I would like to keep exploring ways to invite students to do the same thing.  That is, to move from a linear, analytical way of thinking, to a non-linear and multisensory thinking.  I believe this can happen through modeling so I hope to use music, video and other media and modalities in my teaching.  I also think that giving students time to create in small groups during class is very empowering of creativity because students can learn from others' ideas as well.

I also think that students experience a greater level of internal knowledge building when they do creative projects such as we did today.  I am learning by doing projects like this that many things that I don't traditionally think of as "knowledge", such as preferences, feelings, wishes, experiences, not only are what make up my knowledge, but without those, my knowledge and understanding can have no connection to me and so disappears after the exam is over.

Week 1 T2P essay for Learning Theories

Today I observed the use of small group work to a great extent.  This allowed me to get to know my fellow students well.  We also spent a lot of time sharing our own experiences in discussing the meanings and content we are studying.  This allowed me to bring myself fully into the classroom as a learner.  As a future teacher, I feel this is one of the most important aspects of teaching:  to invite students to bring themselves wholly into the dialogue.

As a teacher, I would also incorporate the use of "down time" or reflection time.  Very often, students are given a load of information up until the bell at which time they are rushed to another class where more information is throw at them.  Having times of silence during learning can be very powerful.

The other teaching tool I observed today was the concept map.  This is an excellent learning tool for students who are very visual.  It is a good way not only to teach concepts but also to teach students how to organize their own ideas.

Working together in a small group was a good way to practice interpersonal skills and cooperative project development.  As a teacher, I would use this process to help students develop these skills.

"If... . . then. . . . statement:

5. If students feel comfortable and emotionally safe in the learning environment, then learning will flourish because they won't be afraid to make mistakes and take risks which are essential components of learning.

T2P statement for week 2

When thinking about this T2P statement, I would like to try to make hypotheses which address a question I have about "classroom management".  This is an area in which I expect to struggle some as a teacher because I hate the idea of forcing or coercing kids in any way.  But I also want to be able to appropriately lead a class.  With all this in mind, here is my T2P statement.

If a teacher expects and encourages students to contribute their ideas through reflection on classroom activities and topics, then there will be less behavior problems in class because students feel that they are essential and valuable to the class and the learning process.

Science is Messy reflection

This teacher demonstrates his beliefs about how people learn through his use of questions that require students to reflect.   In fact, almost everything he says to the students is in the form of a question.  This suggests that his beliefs about how people learn include:

1. People need to own their own learning.  In other words, it is primarily an internal process.
2. Reflection by students on what they are doing enhances learning.

Regarding how students develop competency in science, he seems to believe the following:

1. There are many ways to make scientific discoveries and therefore, the idea of a scientific "method" should be questioned.
2. Learners should rely on certain common elements of scientific discovery including using evidence and testing theories.
3. Learners need to be willing to "get messy" both literally and figuratively, that is, to deal with complexity in scientific experiementation.
4. Learners need to understand the role of the scientist and be reflective of that role.

LD Online

ldonline

This website is a resource for children with learning disabilities and their families. It contains a number of good resources and advocacy tips and I think it is a good starting point for any research I might want to do in the area of learning disabilities.

Universal Design for Learning

This website offers a comprehensive analytical framework for teaching in a way that reaches the most diverse group of learners in the most effective way. Universal Design for Learning espouses three teaching principles: provide multiple means of representation, provide multiple means of action and expression, and provide multiple means of engagement. I think this will be a great resource for me as a special education teacher when I am thinking about modifying lessons and curricula. I also think it is an analytical framework that will improve education for all students, not just students identified as special ed students.

universal design for learning

from service dog to surfice dog: do I make you proud?

This video is about a dog who was raised to be a service dog but all she ever really wanted to do was surf. The video is a multi-layered, sophisticated and inspiring statement about teaching, learning, and growing. I chose it because it helps me remember that my role as a teacher is to help students become who they want to become and not who I think they should be. It helps me remember the mystery of discovery that goes along with learning. And, as a special education teacher, the piece of the video showing the paraplegic young man learning to walk is a powerful and moving example of the intimate and minute level of support (whether physical or intellectual) that teachers can offer to students in meeting their own goals.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGODurRfVv4

Response to Readings: Internet Workshop, Project, Inquiry and Webquest

Internet Workshop, Internet Project, Internet Inquiry and Webquest are all internet-based teaching tools designed both to enhance teachers' methods and to help students develop technological literacy. In his article, "Internet Workshop: Making Time for Literacy," Donald J. Leu argues that "In this new world, what becomes critical to our students’ literacy future is the ability to identify important problems, gather and critically evaluate relevant information from information networks, use this information to resolve central issues, and then clearly communicate the solution to others." All of these tools address at least one of these skills as well as providing assistance to classroom teachers in presenting information to students.

First, all these tools allow teachers to use the internet to create and implement lessons for students. All four of the tools enable students to gather information in a safe way on the web by allowing teachers to set the parameters of available information. While webquest is often used as an indivdidual learning tool, all the others have an element of cooperation or sharing of information. In Internet Workshop, research is done on the internet and then shared in a workshop format. In Internet Project, the collaboration occurs on line, between classrooms at different locations and even different countries, whereas Internet Inquiry has a more sophisticated level of information gathering and sharing than both of the others. In Internet Inquiry, the phases of the project are more complex, including questioning, searching, analyzing, composing and sharing. These skills directly relate to the technology literacy which Mr. Leu argues for in his article, as mentioned above.

All four of the internet tools help students develop the literacy tools that Mr Leu speaks of in his article. For example, in all four, students develop the ability to gather information by navigating information networks. In addition, Internet Workshop, Internet Project, and Internet Inquiry all allow students to learn how to communicate and cooperate with others. Internet inquiry further allows students to develop skills in identifying important problems and evaluating information sources.

Ultimately, one of the essential skills Leu is concerned with is the ability to acquire new skills required by constantly evolving technologies. As he says, “learning to learn is at the core of the new literacies. It is not just that we want students to know how to read and write; we want them to know how to continuously learn new skills and strategies required by the new technologies of literacy that will regularly emerge.”

Use in the Classroom


I really like the webquest site Journey North as it is a multimedia and interactive presentation which allows students to learn about the earth and to use multiple skills and skill levels.  I would probably use this in my future teaching as on ongoing group project which students could contribute to depending on the particular skills I might be working on with them.  Although the site is overtly science based, it utilizes math and language arts and social studies, thereby being a good integrated website to use for special education.



References:

Leu, D.J., Jr. (2002, February). Internet Workshop: Making time for literacy [Exploring Literacy on the Internet department]. The Reading Teacher, 55(5). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=/electronic/RT/2-

Homeschool theater cooperative