Week 2 Learning Reflection

This wee the lessons were to get us thinking of each student as an individual and how to actively engage and educate them.  The students may have a handicap, learning disability or be GT, but each will learn differently and require lessons that work with them.  Technology allows teachers to do this by taking advantage of different instructional methods at one time. According to Pitler (2007) It all starts with the planning of the lesson, the first question a teachers needs to ask is: What knowledge and skills do I want my students to have at the end of this lesson or unit?  This will allow the teacher to set the direction of learning for the student. It is recommended by Pitler (2007) to set learning objectives that are specific but flexible, allow students flexibility in personalizing the learning objectives or goals, communicate the learning objectives or goals to students and parents and contract with student to attain specific learning objectives or goals.  For today's students technology is a given in their everyday life so to use it in class is a must in my opinion. When planning and following the guidelines set forth technology will have to be a part of the lessons. It will allow the teacher to use the Universal Design for Learners allowing for multiple means of gaining knowledge, tapping into the student engagement to gain the knowledge and demonstrating the acquisition of that knowledge.  Each child no matter who they are learn differently and the UDL uses the power and flexibility of technology to design lessons to meet each students individual needs.

Also addressed this week was computers and self-esteem, and how they relate to students.  Studies have shown that as student work and engage with computers in learning their self-esteem is built up allowing them more confidence in completing goals.  Students of today identify with the technology and expect to use it all times.  An example would be a phone directory, we as adults grew up looking up a phone number in a thick and heavy book, while the students we teach grab their smart phones and find the number, address and even the directions with a few clicks. They are confident in their abilities to use the resources available, so to effectively engage them we should be working to build on what they know. Page (2002) suggest that such computer environments, after aiding the knowledge gain of the participants involved, encouraged lifelong learning habits and increase commitment for further learning, or learning to  learn. A goal set by all educators.

Lessonbuilder.cast.org (nd). The Brain Research. Retrieved from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/window.php?src=videos