Modules 7 & 8

Of everything you learned, what do you think will have the biggest impact on student learning?

Throughout this course, I feel as though I have acquired a wealth of knowledge to help advance my teaching. I greatly believe self-reflection will have the biggest impact on student learning. Self-reflection is a vital tool not only in the classroom, but throughout the world. With self-reflection, one is forced to take control of their learning. Instead of depending on someone to tell you what you need to do or what you could have done better, self-reflection encourages you to ask yourself those questions. The ability to ask such questions will increase your ability to construct multiple strategies to tackle various problems. As a teacher, we must remember that our students are going to solve problems that we will probably never witness in our lifetime. Therefore, we must equip them with the ability to be active problem solvers. In addition, I do believe the incorporation of the various web tools will greatly assist with developing self-reflection skills. Web tools work to level the playing field for all the players. Those players with weak math, reading, etc. skills are able to compensate with the use of such tools.

Module 6

This module has helped me think about self-directed learners and the role of differentiation in the following ways…

It is no surprise that individuals learn in different ways; therefore, this requires teachers to teach in different ways. Differentiated instruction consists of designing instructional goals and objectives that meets the needs of all students in order for them to use their strengths and interests to build their knowledge and skills. Teachers can differentiate instruction in four different ways:

1. Content-teachers can adjust what students need to learn and how they get that information
2. Process-teachers can recommend different ways of approaching the content.
3. Products-teachers can allow students to rehearse, apply, and extend what they have learned in a multitude of ways.
4. Learning Environment-teachers can create a flexible classroom that facilitates student learning.

It is important for students to learn to be self-directed learners. This is a skill that is needed to be a productive citizen in the 21st century. If students are able to understand the ways in which they learn, they are better able to employ various strategies to meet their goals.

Module 5

This module has helped me think about student-centered assessment in the following ways...

• Students should be active participants in the assessment process.
• Students should be granted opportunities to learn and practice assessment skills, including creating and using project plans, checklists, and rubrics.
• Reflection questions and activities are useful in helping students think about and self-assess their own learning.
• Students should set goals, define tasks, and predict what will be learned.
• Students should identify learning difficulties or challenges and identify strategies to improve such challenges.
• Students need to practice giving and receiving feedback from their peers.

Student-centered learning helps students feel in control of their own learning and see themselves as strong, capable learners.

Module 4

How can technology be used most effectively to support and assess student learning?

Technology can be employed in a variety of ways to support and assess student learning. Students can use technology to present and publish their learning. A variety of tools are available for students to present their findings, including wiki’s, digital storytelling, and blogs. Not only can students present their learning to others using such tools, but they can collaborate with others while continuing to engage in the learning process.

While there are many tools available to support and assess student learning, one must be cautious in selecting the appropriate tools. One should consider the age of the students, the content, the availability of tools, and the intended audience.

Module 3

This module has helped me think about the impact of the Internet on my students' learning in the following ways...

The Internet is an amazing educational tool with limitless options. How else can you take a tour of the Great Wall of China without ever leaving the classroom? So many options are available to reach all students because of the Internet. The Internet is an excellent source for collaborative learning. Students can share their thoughts, ideas, and projects with people from all over the world. In addition, the Internet provides a way to bring family members and community members into the classroom. Most of all, I feel as though the Internet opens a window to students' learning as it helps make learning more fun and more personable.

While I can spend the next four days discussing why the Internet is the greatest teaching tool of all time, I most note some of its negative attributes. There are some dangers associated with the Internet, such as accessing inappropriate or wrong information. We must now teach our students to be aware of such information.

Module 2

This module has helped me think about using standards, CFQs, or formative assessment in the following ways…

First, standards must guide the instruction. West Virginia sets forth specific information all students are required to know and that in which teachers are required to provide instruction. We are extremely fortunate that our state provides numerous, evidenced based instruction guides to help meet the goals of each standard, specifically the Teach21 site.

Secondly, essential questions are very important in engaging students. Essential questions are broad, open-ended questions that address big ideas and enduring concepts. I now know that essential questions should be discipline neutral. For instance, “How can you live in harmony?” can encompass a variety of disciplines and assists with helping students see how the disciplines are interrelated.

Thirdly, unit questions serve to unite the project and the essential questions. Also open ended questions, unit questions help students and teachers see how well they understand the core concepts of a project.

Fourthly, content questions are the fact-based, concrete questions we typically use on assessments. Content questions often consist of identification, definition, and general recall of information. This is the point in which we can choose narrow or specific pieces of information about our topic of study.

Finally, while my county has championed the use of curriculum framing questions, I never truly understood the use and importance until I participated in the module. Such questions help engage student learning and allow students to know what will be expected of them during and after instruction. CFQ’s set the goal of student learning and teacher instruction.

Module 1

This module has made me think about my role as an instructional designer in the following ways...

While reflection is not always the easiest task to engage in, I have realized how important reflection is in the role of designing instruction and learning from instruction. As a designer or a learner, we must take time to reflect on our experiences. We must examine the reasons why something was or was not successful. If we engage in reflection, we have the ability to alter our future behaviors to better benefit all involved.

Reflection is a wonderful tool to help one take charge of their own learning, a 21'st century learning characteristic. It enables you to see what you know and what you need to learn more about. I equate it to looking in a mirror. Reflection enables you to see what is really there and what needs a little work.