EDLD+5364

Week One Reflection In Week One readings and videos the focus was on the theories of constructivism, connectivism, and cyborg. The constructivism theory is that we learn by taking in new information and embedding it with information we already have. We can then accept, reject, or change our ideas. The connectivism theory is that learning is done not in the individual mind, but, in the form of networking. The theory claims networking is learning, that learning is distributed across the network. Cyborg is a new field that researches the melding of machine with humans. This is accomplished by implanting micro chips in the human body. Both the constructivism and the connectivism theory play well into the student centered learning model. With student centered learning a learner takes in new information. They then decipherer and decode the information, meshing it with information and data that they already have a clear understanding of. In the student centered model learners then connect with others in a network to distribute knowledge. This week’s readings also touched on differences in the traditional classroom model and the student centered model. The traditional model was the teacher directed learning environment and the new student centered learning model. I see that we as teachers regard the new model with some skepticism. What will others think of our teaching? Will we lose control of the learning environment? According to the research maybe we should relinquish some of the control over the learning environment. We need to allow today’s learners to take ownership of their learning. I am fascinated by the student centered learning and the connectivism theory. As for the cyborg, I find it fascinating and inevitable. The fact that humans can become better by melding machine and humans is definitely in our future. There will be much debate and controversy over these revolutionary ideas. I look forward to learning more about this exciting new field.

Lawrence T. Wetjen EDLD 5364 ET 8038

Post Conference Activity March 4, 2012

I attended the web conference on Sunday March 4, 2012. It had a large number of people attending and the chat dialogue was going extremely fast. I couldn't see the professor participating at times. I would like to have some audio from the professor or the IAs. This would be more helpful than just 50 people typing in a chat.

Lawrence Wetjen EDLD 5364 ET 8038

Week Two reflection This week I learned about the Universal Design for Learning. This follows the Universal design used in architecture and engineering. The premise that design engineered and implemented to help people with disabilities can be beneficial for all. The research indicates that student performance on standardized tests increased when there was a technology enriched learning environment. Research also shows that students concept of self or self-esteem is enhanced in a technology integrated learning environment. I have seen in my professional career the importance of self worth on the performance of a student. Students that are not achieving feel left out, consequently they exhibit behavior that impedes their leaning and the learning of others. The Universal Design for Learning emphasizes three pertinent areas. The first being the diverse needs of learners. We all process information differently and therefore learn differently. We as educators need to find individual learning needs and apply research based methods of teaching to these diverse styles. We then need to find different ways that a student can show his mastery of the material. These could be portfolios, work samples, blogs or wikis, and standardized tests. There are many ways a student can show mastery or proficiency of a skill. The last area was the design of instruction that engages student interest and motivates them to learn. This goes hand in hand with behavior supports. Students learn when interested and are involved in hands on projects. I learned from this week’s readings that through the use of technology we can design instruction to meet individual learning styles and diverse student populations. We can set goals that are attainable and measureable. These goals are to be aligned with current educational standards. We can assess the progress towards these goals by a variety of assessment tools that allow the student to show aptitude and achievement of the material.

Lawrence T. Wetjen EDLD 5364 / ET 8038

= = =Week Three Reflection= ====The most important information I took from the videos and readings was the three networks described in the Universal Design for Learning. The recognition, strategic, and affective networks were difficult at first for me to wrap my mind around. I understand these three networks to be the primary brain networks.==== The recognition network is how we gather facts and process information and data. The strategic network is the actually output of our ideas after we process the information. They gave examples of solving problems and writing essays as the strategic network. The affective network is how the student gets motivated or engaged to learn. Another point to this whole concept is the differentiated learning styles and the different way of expressing mastery of content material. “ Also learning, and transfer of learning, occurs when multiple representations are used, because it allows students to make connections within, as well as between, concepts (CAST.org, 2009).” We must find and offer options to learning as well as assessments to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

CAST.org (2009). Model UDL Lessons. Center for Applied Special Technology. Retrieved on March 14, 2012, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter6_3.cfm

=UDL LESSON and REFLECTION=

Lesson Overview

 * **Title: ** || Plane and Simple ||
 * **Author: ** || Lawrence Wetjen ||
 * **Subject: ** || Math ||
 * =**Grade Level ** : = || Grade 6 ||
 * **Duration: ** || 3 one hour blocks ||
 * **Subject Area: ** || Ordered Pairs ||
 * Unit Description: || Students will learn how to locate points on a coordinate plane using ordered pairs of rational numbers. Students will work collaboratively and individually over three one hour blocks to acquire skills and knowledge, engage in learning activities, and demonstrate knowledge of content. ||
 * Lesson Description for Day: || Locating ordered pairs on coordinate plane ||
 * State Standards:

ISTE || TEKS 6.7.A Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student uses coordinate geometry to identify location in two dimensions. The student is expected to locate and name points on a coordinate plane using ordered pairs of non-negative rational numbers.

126.12 Computer Literacy C. **//__Knowledge and Skills__//** 1A. Demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of operating systems, software applications, and communication and networking components. 1C. demonstrate the ability to select and use software for a defined task according to quality, appropriateness, effectiveness, and efficiency. 1E. use of technology, terminology appropriate to the task 1F. perform basic software application functions including, but not limited to, opening an application program and creating, modifying, printing, and saving documents. 3B. demonstrate proper etiquette and knowledge of acceptable use while in an individual classroom, lab, or on the internet or intranet. 5A. identify, create, and use files in various formats such as text, bitmapped/vector graphics, image, video, and audio files. 5B. demonstrate the ability to access, operate, and manipulate information from secondary storage and remote devices including CD-ROM/laser discs and on-line catalogs 5C. use on-line help and other documentation. 7F. differentiate between and demonstrate the appropriate use of a variety of graphic tools found in the draw and paint applications. 7G. integrate two or more productivity tools into a document including, but not limited to, tables, charts and graphs, graphics from paint or draw programs, and mail merge. 9B. resolve information conflicts and validate information through research and comparison data. 10E. match the chart style to the data when creating and labeling charts. 11A. publish information in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, printed copy, monitor display, Internet documents, and video. ||
 * Foundations **
 * Information Acquisition **
 * Solving Problems **
 * Communication **

Goals

 * ====**Unit Goals: **==== || ====The student will:====

· learn to identify ordered pairs of rational numbers
Day 2: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Day 3:
 * identify x and y coordinates
 * identify x and y axis
 * identify the four quadrants of a coordinate plane
 * understand the purpose and function of a coordinate plane ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Lesson Goals: ** || <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Day 1:
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">The purpose and function of a coordinate plane
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Identify the x and y axis
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Identify the x and y coordinates
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">The purpose and function of a coordinate plane
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Identify the x and y axis
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Identify the x and y coordinates
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Identify the four quadrants of the coordinate plane
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">The purpose and function of a coordinate plane
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Identify the x and y axis
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Identify the x and y coordinates
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Identify the four quadrants of the coordinate plane ||

Methods

 * ====**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Anticipatory Set: **====

Day 1: Warm up. and Daily Transparency. Lesson Presentation CD-ROM 6-6 Day 2: Warm up and Daily Transparency. Lesson Presentation CD-ROM 6-6 Day 3: Warm up and Daily transparency Lesson Presentation CD-ROM 6-6
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">RECOGNITION NETWORK ** || ====Students should have knowledge of rational numbers. Knowledge of positive and negative numbers. Review positive and negative numbers on the number line.====

||
 * ====**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Introduce and Model New Knowledge: **====


 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">RECOGNITION NETWORK ** || ====Introduce new material with CD ROM and textbook. Facilitate discussion on how coordinate planes and plotting points are used in our everyday life.====

--Lesson 6-6 Reading Strategies on coordinate planes
--Vocabulary introduction

||
 * ====**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Provide Guided Practice: **====

--Guided practice 6-6 A Worksheet --Log on to Study Island for coordinate plane activity. --Teacher woll use automated response system clickers to assess knowledge unit lesson, Teacher will ask questions from textbook, CD ROM presentation and class discussion.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">STRATEGIC NETWORK ** || Complete worksheets individually before getting in groups to discuss and check day’s lesson and practice.

||
 * ====**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Provide Independent Practice: **====

Problem solving worksheets 6-6 A and B. Log onto Study Island or Kahn Academy for learning activity. Group activity of 4. Play coordinate battleship.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">AFFECTIVE NETWORK ** || ====Students will complete Guided Practice worksheets 6-6,====

||

Assessment
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">--Weekly progress monitoring with Study Island and Accelerated Math. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">--Daily discussions and quizzes using automated response system. || <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Accelerated Math assessment <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Oral presentation of journal entries from unit. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Formative/Ongoing Assessment: ** || <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">--Correction of worksheets and daily journal entries.
 * **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Summative/End Of Lesson Assessment: ** || <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Study Island assessment

Materials
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Person Computers with these programs installed: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">SMARTBoard ||
 * **__<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">MODIFICATIONS, ACCOMODATIONS, AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY DEVICES NEEDED FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS. __**
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Screen access software
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Text to speech
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Speech to text
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Braille embosser
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Braille translation software
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Braille keyboards ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Instructional assistant to assist blind and hearing impaired students with accessing curriculum and assistive technology devices.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">ASL interpreter for classroom lectures and group discussion for hearing impaired students. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Math Textbooks ||
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">iPads ||
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Math Manipulatives ||
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Automated Classroom Response System
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Journals ||

UDL Reflection: Being a Special Education Coordinator I am out of practice making lesson plans. I basically use the general education teacher’s lesson plans and make modifications and accommodations to fit the needs of the student. This assignment seemed daunting and proved to be very difficult for me. I am still not sure if this is what was required. Here is my understanding of UDL principles after creating my lesson plan. Three are three brain networks that we all use to learn. The first being recognition, how we process the information. Then the strategic network where we produce output on what we learned. The last being the affective network which is how we keep engaged in the learning process. The development of the lesson took quite some time. I am not from Texas, nor am I a Math teacher. I had to rely on my team members to assist me with accessing TEKS and Math curriculum. I understand the three networks, but, I was having trouble presenting that in the lesson plan template. I did see the significance of detailed planning of lessons. I also like the alternative means of presenting and assessing to meet needs of subgroups.

Lawrence Wetjen EDLD 5364 / ET 8038

e-book link: []e-book Reflection

e-BOOK REFLECTION
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> This week had an assignment of experimenting with Bookbuilder. This website allows you to build an e-book. I found the webpage rather easy to navigate, considering the task that they are accomplishing. I didn’t figure out how to use the coaches and the audio part of the program I will have to save that for a later date when I have time to really play with it. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> My e-book is about my lesson plan “Plane & Simple.” It is a lesson on ordered pairs and the coordinate lane. While the lesson is an extensive unit, this e-book is just my experimentation with that online program. It is a three page book with the basic concepts and description of ordered pairs and coordinate planes. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. I am not sure if I will ever be able to use this tool in my classes However, I would like to see how the audio and coach art work. There are other web tools that I currently use and they work fine. This would have to be time saving or more productive some way for me to change. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lawrence Wetjen <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">EDLD 5364 / ET 8038

=WEEK FOUR REFLECTION=

=** We need to educate our students to meet the challenges they will face in their lives. We need to expose them to social and emotional learning. We need to provide student centered, project based learning in a healthy learning environment. We currently do not have this in many schools. **=
 * This week’s readings and videos made me focus on the way we are teaching and that we must change, the entire model of schools as we know them. We need to go from teacher directed learning to student centered project based learning. Along with that we need to allow assessment to really show us what we want to know. **

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 * We also need to change the way we assess our students. The current model of one size fits all does not work. It does not work with ways we learn or the ways we assess learning. We need to abandon the old school model and allow our students to engage in collaborative and cooperative project based learning experiences. These will be in healthy learning environments conducive to intellectual growth. The result of these learning experiences can be assessed by a demonstration of knowledge and skills in a particular. **
 * Papert, S. (2001, November 1). //Project Based Learning: An Overview//. Retrieved from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-overview-video on March 21, 2012. **


 * __ Week 5 Reflection __**

This week’s Pitler’s reading recommends for classroom practice that we reinforce student effort. We need to explicitly teach students about the importance of effort and have students keep track of their effort and achievement. Technology makes it easier for students and teachers to track the effects of effort and facilitates more immediate feedback. By using spreadsheet software and data collection we are able to track student effort. In the Solomon & Schuster reading they talk about different assessments. The best idea was not to wait until the unit is over to determine how we are doing teaching and learning. In one video I learned that video games are learning and assessment at the same time. We need to be constantly assessing how we are performing and learning. Making students aware of effort in relation to achievement and continuous assessments using a variety of assessment options are the future for education.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology that in the classroom instructions that works. Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: International Societyfor Technology in Education, 168-176. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Edutopia.org (nd). //Big thinker: Paul Gee on grading with games.//

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