Assignment Week Two – Part One EDLD 5364

EDLD 5364 Teaching with Technology

This week, the focus was on tech strategies that positively impact students in their learning, their data collecting and their communication and organization. Dr. Mason’s lectures covered the highlights of the research of John Schacter and Michael Page. She also discussed Universal Design for Learning developed by Richard Jackson. This learning theory is based on the Universal Design architectural principal (create buildings that can be accessed by all). When applied to a classroom lesson, the lesson and the knowledge to be gained, becomes accessible to all students, regardless of ability.

The Center for Applied Special Technology, or CAST, is a nonprofit group which promotes the UDL design in education. It’s premise is based on the new brain research that holds “more recent theories, such as Multiple Intelligences theory, are consistent with what we are now discovering about the learning brain-namely that students do not have one global learning capacity, but many multifaceted learning capabilities, and that a disability or challenge in one area may be countered by extraordinary ability in another” (Rose & Meyer, 2002) The CAST research believes that there are three networks that work within the brain: the recognition networks – the “what” of learning, the strategic networks – the “how” of learning, and the affective networks – the “why” of learning. By recognizing that each brain is different and learns differently, teachers can create lessons that allow students several access points to the knowledge and/or skill that they need to acquire.

In John Schacter’s 1999 report on the correlation of technology use on student achievement, the author writes of various studies done and research compiled through meta-analysis to validate the results. Some of the conclusions reached in this study included: students learn more in less time when given access to technology, students’ attitudes improved toward learning and positive achievement gains were made, simulations and higher order thinking software (HOTS) helped improve the math scores of eighth graders, and “Although the relative disadvantage of girls is a regularity in the technology literature, girls and boys did not differ in achievement, access, or use of computers” (p. 6).

This week’s readings concluded with a chapter on helping students to understand and create their own objectives for learning. “Setting goals or objectives is a skill that successful people have mastered to help them realize both short-term and long-term accomplishments” (Pitler, 2007, p. 17). Word processing applications are useful for creating KWHL charts and learning contracts for students. Organizing and brainstorming software help students both to organize their thoughts for an essay and to organize their learning in a unit. Data Collections tools allow teachers to do quick online learning assessments and to also survey student interests as to match the lessons planned with the learning objectives their students would like to achieve. Rubrics are also a helpful tool with allowing students to clearly understand the expectations for a classroom assignment. My favorite rubric I recently saw came home with my high school junior courtesy his physics teacher. In the portion of the rubric that said zero points would be given, comments included “I cannot tell if you did this for my class or social studies” and “Looks like your little brother did it while eating Cocoa Puffs” (Anderson, 2011). Pitler’s chapter concludes with the mention of both blogs and email as ways for teachers to help students set and achieve objectives through active communication.

Anderson, S. (2011) Thermodynamics lab. Personal communication.

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. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Retrieved February 24, 2011 online at the Center for Applied Special Technology web site, http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/.

Schacter, J. (1999). The impact of education technology on student achievement: What the most current research has to say. Santa Monica, CA: Milken Exchange on Education Technology. Retrieved from http://www.mff.org/pubs/ME161.pdf.

ELCC Standards: 2.2 & 2.3

Technology Facilitator Standards: II.A. , II.B., II.E., III. B., III. E., V.C., V.D., VI.B. & VIII.A.

TExES Standards: Competencies 2, 5, & 6.