Reflection: week 8

Reflection

Although the concepts of Universal Design and Differentiated Learning are not new to me, the way my Walden classmates and I have worked to modify lessons to incorporate technology forced me to look at my prior understanding and expand my knowledge especially when it comes to integrating technology for use in modifying lessons.

The course began with the concept of learning your student’s likes, dislikes, and learning styles. By using on-line surveys such as,

http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htmhttp://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm , early on in the school year helps teachers and parents find the student’s learning style. These surveys are a wonderful resource for teachers whose main goal is to individualize lessons for their students and for parents who are participants in the child’s learning. Once we understand our student’s learning styles, their likes, and any modifications that must be made to materials then we can begin with the adaption of our lessons.

The use of technology and assistive tools help our students reach their potential. Websites such as http://www.cyberbee.com/intclass.html offers curriculum and project ideas and offers many resources which help educators integrate technology into the classroom. On line activities help with practice and repetition to help reinforce learning, and tools such as Microsoft Accessibility help students with special needs with tools such as narrators and magnifying text.

The most immediate adjustments that I will be making with regards to technology integration is the way I will use the on line resources we as a class have researched and discussed. I especially want to continue working with resources which help students with physical difficulties manipulate the materials in order to understand the materials themselves. I plan to incorporate the use of Microsoft Accessibility tools and websites such as Readability (http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability/) which help students control the materials and help with learning.

References

1. Learning Styles inventory, http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm. Retrieved October,2010

2. Adventures of Cyberbee, http://www.cyberbee.com/intclass.html Retrieved October 2010

3. Readability, http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability/ Retrieved October 2010