Blog Responses

I responded to the following blogs:

Module 1

• Martha
• Tracy

Module 2

• Michelle
• Tawana

Module 3

• Yolanda
• Rashida

Module 4

• Shirley
•  Dwanell

Module 5

• Vida
• Jennifer

Module 6

• Heather
• Tiffany

Module 6: Learning in a Digital World

Through my experiences in this course, I have obtained additional ideas and resources to support my opinion that the teacher is responsible for creating an engaging learning environment no matter the student population. My ultimate goal, as I have previously stated, is to provide my students with the opportunity to receive an education that is worth possessing. To do this, there is no one size fits all, no solution to a basic problem. Students must receive the resources to prepare for success in the 21^st century or in simpler terms, “the digital age.”

Differentiation of instruction is inevitable. Students deserve the opportunity to access course content in a manner that allows them to utilize their learning styles to meet learning goals. If I am to provide quality instruction to my students, I must differentiate ways of reaching these students to convey the importance of the topics presented in my units of study and what I know is critical to success in the “real-world.” Additionally, if I am to cater to students in the digital learning environment, I must instill the importance of independent learning. Although I, as the educator, play a vital role in the learning process, I am not the sole keeper of knowledge. Through the use of instructional technology, students are able to share their own knowledge and personal experiences with one another via the internet and a plethora of digital resources. Teachers must learn to adopt their practices to these needs in order to produce effective members of our society.

 Karl Kapp (2007) stated in his blog post, “What we need to is take the best from each philosophy and use it wisely to create solid educational experiences for our learners.” Kapp brings to light the most important aspect of instructing learners – the learner. Individual learners are just that - - individuals. No two students will ever possess the same exact characteristics (prior knowledge, learning styles, parental support, social skills, etc.). With this in mind, I realize the imperative nature of taking the initiative to cater to the individual needs of my students by offering a plethora of avenues for students to take in order to get to the ultimate destination – - mastery.

Module 5: New Technologies

In my personal endeavors, I am slightly addicted to staying connected utilizing social networking. I have brought my love for the ease of use and instant connection utilizing websites like Facebook into my own classroom practices. I have created a Facebook page, classroom website, class wiki, a variety of webquests using www.weebly.com, and established a “safe” online learning environment for my students using www.gaggle.net.  

After using Gaggle with my Advanced Reading class, I realized just how “neat” it would be if other teachers would begin to use this resource with their students. I sent out an email informing teachers about the resource while also offering my time to discuss any ideas, need for support, and/or opportunities for collaboration. When I met with teachers during planning time, I was met with great enthusiasm and what I assumed was the beginning of something great. However, as time progressed, there were only three teachers at my school who responded to let me know they would like access to the school account to gain access to their own personal teacher accounts.

After considering Keller’s ideas for motivating learners, I realize I gained the teacher’s attention and conveyed the relevance to their teaching strategies; however, I failed to build their confidence or generate satisfaction (Driscoll, 2005). So now, I am faced with the question: What can I do to motivate the teachers on my staff? Like most schools, our staff’s ability to use technology falls varies among individuals. We have the novice users who do as little as possible, while also we have a few technology gurus who are highly confident in their use of technology as instructional tool. As I noted, I gained the staff’s attention and conveyed the instructional implications of utilizing Gaggle resources; however, I did not consider offering any type of training or hands-on experience to develop confidence in utilizing the tool. Additionally, I could provide teachers with online resources to show how other teachers have utilized this excellent learning resource.

To address the lack of interest and implementation, I could create opportunities for teachers to utilize the platform to discuss and introduce important administrative rules, ideas, and future plans. For example, instead of using basic email and PLC meetings to discuss information, teachers could access Gaggle to discuss ideas. I am currently planning a dance for the upcoming school term. Gaggle could be used to share ideas, sign up for various duties relating to the dance, etc. This activity will build confidence by providing teachers with opportunities to use the platform in a non-threatening way. As the teachers utilize the resource, they will see the use of Gaggle is not only worthwhile but also engaging and relevant to today’s learners’ interests.

Reference:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.