This week was quite exhausting, probably the most exhausting since the very first class. Our group completed our Action Plan, and individually we created e-books, and a lesson plan aimed at our target groups using the UDL method, in addition to various readings and reflections. It makes me kind of tired just listing all of those items. I learned all about the three different brain networks, but more importantly I learned what methods and strategies work the best for each one. (Rose & Myer, 2002) The e-book was a lot of fun to create, although it was very time consuming. It is also one of those things that you can edit and re-edit continuously. I kept finding things to change in the text or the layout. I would like to go back later and record my voice reading the story; this week I simply did not have the time. I think a human voice reading the story would be more compelling than a computer voice to students.
My two favorite books each week continue to be our class textbooks, Web 2.0: new tools, new schools (Solomon & Schrum, 2007) and Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). Both books are filled with examples of software and applications for planning technology integration in classroom instruction. The Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) textbook even goes so far as to list actual websites. The four planning questions listed and expounded upon in this text are invaluable assistance when planning for technology integration.
Completing our Action Plan did not take as long as to finish as the individual lesson did. We had most of it fleshed out already, and with the whole group contributing, it goes so much faster. Our group elected to design a 5th grade level Reading unit, with cross-curricular connections to Social Studies, since Tim and I both teach it. The background topic of the Reading Unit was World War II. Tim chose to target hearing impaired students, and Allicia’s choice was to design for the multilevel learners. My target group was comprised of the gifted and talented students in the classroom. I deliberately made my e-book a bit more challenging than the average 5th grade reader, and designed the learning activities, the independent practice, and the culminating activities all on an accelerated level. My group members continue to inspire me; I could not pick a better group of people with which to work.
References:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Rose, D. & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Chapter 6. Retrieved on March 16, 2012, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/
Solomon, G., and Schrum, L. (2007).Web 2.0: new tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
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