Frangiska

March 4, 2012 Frangiska Lewis

Awesome!

Question: //At the core of UDL is the premise that often the curriculum // //(materials, methods, goals, assessments) that we are assigned to teach is disabled (and disabling!). It is not flexible; it often poses barriers, and consequently prevents rather than supports optimal learning experiences. Do you agree or disagree with this view? Why or why not? //

I agree 100% that the daily learning experience for our students is full of barriers. Here is a brief list of barriers that come to mind:
 * Materials that do not fit the learning style or reading level of the student
 * Teaching methods that ignore the learning style of the student but keep the teacher happy in his/her comfort zone ( lecture, lecture, lecture)
 * Assessments that strictly rely on memorization or repetition of the curriculum
 * Lessons that are not carefully planned and lack differentiation
 * Lessons that are not take “student-centered”.

March 17, 2012 If UDL was a DRINK, what woudl it be?

Koolaid because everybody loves it, it is cheap and colorful. It comes in multiple flavors and varieties. There is something for everybody, Kids love it and have experienced it no matter what the socioeconomic background. Sarah and Frangiska

Appetizer
UDL Goal setting I read about the need to set clear goals in designing UDL learning opportunities for students. I specifically focused on analyzing goals using the UDL lens. Standards guide us in setting goals. Using the framework of the three brain networks helps us analyze the main focus of the standard and what is its purpose. There are three types of goals we can set: UDL provides a tool that scaffolds goal setting based on the specific standard and benchmark. This is a great methodology to make all standards accessible by all students and to identify which part of the standard must remain the same for all learners and which part of the standards can be modified.
 * Recognition goals are related to content
 * Strategic goals focus on skills and specific processes
 * Affective goals focus on value or emotional outcomes

Entrée
I checked a cool site call Flat Classroom. The site encourages teachers to participate in global projects and to open their windows to the world. It promotes global literacy and collaboration and effective use of technology to teach. The site is designed around the book //Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds: Move to Global Collaboration One Step at a Time.// This sounds like a large global network of teachers who collaborate on projects and promote global awareness. A great site for all teachers. Plan to promote it with the IB teachers.

Dessert
I checked out the following cool resources: Principle 3: aMap site: Offer the platform for students to debate issues. Questions are posted such as “Are boys better than girls?” On a screen, just like a prezi, students are given one pro and one con statement and the student needs to write a response. Excellent site for reluctant writers and debaters. Principle 1: Khan Academy: This site contains over 3,000 videos and practice exercises on various content areas. The site started as a math site. The goal of this site is to provide tutorials for students who need help with homework or want to work at their own pace at home. Principle 2: EDU 2.0 : This is a site used by schools to place courses and syllabi on line. Learning can therefore occur wherever the student is located. Matt Bergman’s blog is such a rich resource. I plan to use it often and will recommend it to all the teachers with whom I work.

Sunday, March 18, 2012


 * __ Reflection #4 __**

// What barriers are inherent in traditional assessments? What are the challenges in offering varied options for assessment? //

// The first barrier is the definition most teachers give to the word assessment. Here are few ways we can help students and remove the barriers of assessment: //


 * // Assessment should strictly reflect the way students demonstrate understanding. Students should therefore be able to express their understanding and knowledge the best way possible for their needs. They can express it through art, oral presentations, written essays, or face to face interaction with the teacher. There is not “one way fits all” approach when you see assessment this way. //


 * **//Assessment should be the resource of guidance for planning and delivering instruction. When teachers come to this realization, a lot of the barriers surrounding assessment are lifted. Teachers pre-assess and use the data to pace and organize instruction. //**


 * **//Barriers will also be lifted, when assessment becomes always transparent from the beginning. By that I mean that once a new unit is introduced, teacher and students should discuss how it will assessed. Only when assessment becomes part of the planning (Backward Mapping) from the beginning and the students know from the beginning, a lot of the barriers will be lifted. Instruction will then guide students to success since they already know what they need to do to demonstrate understanding. //**
 * **//A major barrier to the multiple forms of assessment is time. A teacher needs time to prepare multiple forms of assessment and time to students to execute the assessment tasks. This is when technology comes into play to make life easier. //**

IT IS NOT O.K. Given the role technologies play in our life today, children should be educated with the advantages technologies have to offer. If teachers refuse to use technologies, they should be released of their duties. That is how strongly I feel about technology in the classroom.
 * __Reflection #5 __**
 * //Given the realities of our modern age and the demands of our children’s future, is it really okay to allow teachers to choose whether or not they incorporate modern technologies into their instruction? //**

//Reading. Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants // [|//Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants//] // (course binder, tab 3) //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">1. According to Marc Prensky, define the term, “Digital Native.” //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">Digital Natives are students in grades Kdg through college that have grown using technology. //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">2. What does it mean to have a “digital immigrant accent”? <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">If you are not a digital native, you are a digital immigrant. Digital immigrants attempt to use technology like the natives, but since our brains are not wired the same way, we are not as intuitive using the technology as the natives. We therefore act as immigrants with an accent and we try to adapt to the world of technology.3. Identify **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">one **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;"> reason why Digital Natives have no patience for lectures or step-by-step logic. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">Because their brains are wired to the fast paced and diverse computer world.4. What is **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">one **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;"> suggestion that Prensky advises Immigrant Teachers to try with their Native Students? <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">One suggestion is for the teachers to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">Another suggestion is to find a way to present the content in a video game format.5. See course binder, tab 3, page 4B. “Learning Preferences of the Digital Generation.”Select **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">one **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;"> entry from each side of the chart. Provide a comment as to whether you agree with the finding or not.
 * 1) **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Digital Learners Prefer learning that is relevant, active, instantly useful, and fun **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 19px;">I agree with the comment above and actually I find it very realistic and necessary. Techers need to make the learning relevant, interactive, useful and fun.


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 19px;">Many Educators Prefer teaching memorization in preparation for standardized tests **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 19px;">It is a fact that even today a large number of educators still believe on memorization. It is against by belief. **//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">Reading**. 60-Second Guide to Digital Classrooms** // [] **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">1. Highlight **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;"> 3 **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">interesting points shared in this article. **
 * 1) **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 19px;">Availability of e books **
 * 2) **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 19px;">Educational tools available for the classroom **
 * 3) **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 19px;">Ibooks cost 80% less than print textbooks. **
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">Reading //**//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">. Need a Cheat Sheet for Social Media? // [|http://www.searchenginejournal.com/need-a-cheat-sheet-for-socal- media/39546/] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">1. Explain in **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">5 – 10 **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;"> sentences. Did the organization of this graphic help you compare and contrast the information, or did the organization confuse you? Why? Why not?

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">I loved the organization of this page and the way it provides you the “proper vocabulary” for each medium. It is an excellence reference tool to teach you all you need to know about each medium. This is an excellent resource for people my age who are not Natives. **//<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">Reading //**//<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">. Ten ways schools are using social media effectively //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">Explain your answer in 5 – 10 sentences. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">One of the ways a school district is utilizing social media in its schools is by using Gaggle.net. Do you think your school system would benefit from having Gaggle? Why? or Why not? //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 20px;">I can see the district adopting Gaggle.net. It appears to offer the security necessary the district and teachers require to use such a social media. Teachers can use it to post work, announcements and to review for tests. Communication with parents and collaboration between teachers can be enhanced. //