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 21st
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.
