EDLD 5368 week 5 reflection

As the technology coordinator for Ann Parish Elementary School the need for differentiated instruction is quite prevalent. Students come from a variety of backgrounds and readiness levels. Each child has different interests, background knowledge and learning styles. To Achieving the goal of differentiated instruction can be readily achieved if educators know how to design and implement online learning. Differentiated instruction enables students of differing abilities to learn within the same class. Online classes provide the opportunity to maximize each student's growth and individual success by meeting the needs of the students on an individual basis. An online curriculum approach, increases flexibility in teaching and decrease the barriers that might exist. In this time of economic hardship within the school system, an online curriculum gives students access to materials which might otherwise be limited.

The course which has been designed is geared towards students in grades K-1-2. Is is not intended as a stand alone course, but rather a supplement to what is happening in the classroom. The targeted areas of measurement and probability were chosen based on the students poor performance in these areas on standardized MAP tests. MAP tested are offered three times a year. The first round of MAP testing begins within the first month of school. After achieving a student performance baseline during this first round of tests, I plan to begin using my online course with all grade levels. The focus will remain on the two areas of math which show the lowest levels of performance. This will vary from grade to grade. Once a baseline is established, I will take these weak areas and make them a part of my personal development plan. The goal for yearly growth is 14 points. I believe that by implementing the course material that I have selected, the yearly growth rate will be achieved.

Although the focus of this particular course has been on my K-1-2 students, I am seeing a definite role for this course for staff development. I would like to teach my teachers in a way that they feel comfortable learning. For some staff members this will require starting with the very basic foundations of keyboarding and technology terminology. Other staff members are more developed and could serve as teachers and co-curriculum designers. I would to assist my teachers so that they are more comfortable using technology. If they feel comfortable with the skill they are more likely to work to infuse it in their lessons. Using technology would reduce the amount of paper usage at our site. Students would become better prepared for the future. In addition to saving resources such as paper and ink, we would also save our most valuable resource, time. Teachers are overwhelmed with the requirements of their position. The infusion of technology would reduce the amount of time spent on creating lessons, preparing lessons and creating printed documents.

I am currently working on my second online Masters degree program. I have several friends that are working on programs through different universities. Each program is very different. Some still require the use of hard bound text books, while others use online library's. Some courses require a number of group projects while others require individual projects or papers. The cost of programs vary dramatically. I am curious as to what causes online courses to vary in price so much. Overhead costs for site maintenance and instructors would probably be the key factors. The quality of education does not really seem to be the primary consideration. The current program that I am in is much more inclusive than my last program, but the cost of the other program was at least three times as much as this program!

My goals for the new found knowledge I have gained from this course is to keep expanding upon it during the summer months as I prepare for the next semester. I would like to have a plan in place that would from the beginning of the year to assist the students with their educational needs. I hope to use my online course as part of my internship. I will be incorporating the Schoology site into my field based experience. Each year, district employees create a plan for personal development. Through Schoology and the use of my online class, I believe that I can make a difference in the lives of the children at my school as well as the staff members that I work with. It is my goal to bring each of my staff members onto the same playing field so that the instruction in the classrooms in equitable for all students.

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An introduction to the challenges faced by New Mexico schools and a recommendation to adopt and adapt Texas standards.

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Adopt and Adapt- the need for technology in the classroom

The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020, establishes a shared vision of teaching and learning, and the processes for improved student achievement, through the application and integration of technology. This plan serves as a model for other states as they move forward in the implementation of 21st century learning standards. The key features of the plan include long-range vision, reasons necessitating a change in the current system, a description of 21st century Learners, and a vision for teachers, administrators, professional development and infrastructure within our schools and community.

When comparing the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology with the activities that I currently see in my own school district, the area that seems most in need of improvement is that of Professional Development. Our staff members need to be more comfortable with technology in order to begin the process of infusing it in the classrooms. Professional development is oftentimes faced with hesitancy though, with the question being asked, “Do really need to learn to do this if we aren’t going to use it?” The answer to this is undoubtedly, ‘Yes’. We need to learn it, we need to infuse it and as educators, need to be held accountable for its use.

The key to success in education is that students are fully engaged in their learning processes. The infusion of technology in the classroom allows students from all backgrounds and experiences to benefit from global learning, virtual geographical exploration, collaboration with peers, online resources and helps to lay a foundation for a stronger future workforce. Special needs students can benefit from customized computer access devices, specialized software and communication aids. The use of technology in the classroom assures equity within school districts, by factoring out a schools economic statistics, size or geographic location.

Ongoing, job-embedded professional development must be provided to assure mastery of the districts technology standards. Professional learning should include new ways to teach that lead to improvements in student academic achievement. It should use instructional strategies that reflect current research, modern contexts to engage students in learning, and classroom assessments that effectively measure what students are learning. This learning should emphasize technology infusion that helps educators visualize, internalize and create technology-enhanced learning environments. Professional development must ensure that all educators understand the importance of learning about educational technology and the many possibilities of its use. The role of professional development is to teach teachers how to transform their teaching and acquire the new pedagogical and technology skills they must have.

References

Armstrong D., & Warlick, D. (2004) The New Literacy: The 3R’s evolve into the 4E’s. Technology and Learning, 25, 20-28

Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020. http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/technology/etac/LRPToct06.pdf