Learning Management Systems

Please view the below link to listen to my learning management systems presentation developed through VoiceThread.

You may have to copy and paste the URL, as I was having some trouble with my service today. Sorry.


http://voicethread.com/share/1880298/

Final Reflection

Step 1:
In reflection of my personal GAME plan, I believe that the process of creating goals, following through with actions, monitoring those actions, and evaluating the outcomes has been very beneficial for my early success. Many of my GAME plan goals have been set in motion but through the process that Dr. Cennamo described early in this classroom I have had to redirect my actions within a few goals in order to accomplish those goals. Taking the appropriate steps to accomplish these goals within my GAME plan has actually caused an increase in motivation within myself and also my students. Student success rate has already seemed to slightly increase and also the interaction with my colleagues has done the same.

Step 2:
Along with the planning and reflection of my GAME plan, I have been fortunate that I have also gained knowledge that can be applied directly to my current teaching position. The actual strategy of the GAME plan will be applied to my special education students and their personal IEP goals. This strategy will be a great way to reflect and evaluate their present goals and levels of interaction with those goals. Also, I the course interaction with blogging and digital storytelling will be another approach that I hope to implement into my classroom. With the technology that my district offers and that I have in my classroom, I believe both of these will be easily integrated and provide initiative to student involvement.

Step 3:
In regards to this course, there are many items that I have taken away to improve the atmosphere and success of my special education students. The idea of problem based learning has intrigued me so much that I have begun the implementation of preparing my students and myself with the basic change in structure. I am slowly becoming the "guide on the side". I am reinforcing to myself that the gains in student motivation, learning, and collaboration will out weigh the issues such as; a messy, noisy room, grouping problems, and assessing changes. Using technological implements like my classroom blog, moodle, skypee, etc... will allow me to get reflection and also allow the students to engage with experts outside of the content area. Besides these changes in the learning strategies in my classroom, I have already encouraged "thinking outside the box" to my students more than ever. Technology tools, like virtual field trips, have caused my students to truly engage themselves and push their own expectations. I hope with these new strategies that I can create an innovative, creative, and confident learner.

Overall, I have been very pleased with the knowledge I have obtained through this class. My goal is that I continue to challenge myself and my students with the guide of my GAME plan.

Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

After viewing the The NETS-T and the NETS-S present standards, it seems that they align perfectly with one another. For example standard 1(Creativity and Innovation) of the NETS-S directly aligns with the NETS-T standard 1 (Inspiring Student Learning and Creativity) by focusing on the continuous drive to instill and promote creativity in student learning and production. This comes as no surprise, realizing that the standards align, because having goals that go in opposite directions goes against the rules of developing a strong GAME plan. Now how does these standards set forth by the NETS-S coincide with the goals in my personal GAME plan?
Well I was pleasantly relieved to realize that my goals mainly focused on improving student efficiency in many of the NETS-S areas. The biggest way that I see myself assuring that my students are continually improving their integration of technological skills and raising their expectations, is that I am using many approaches from my colleagues. For example, as the school year is on the downhill side, the plan for next year is the main focus. Last evening I had a discussion about a new intervention that a couple teachers from my high school are trying to implement. The program is called S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Environment, & Math). The program is the new differentiated instruction that intertwines traditional skills, 21st century learner skills, career skills, and community integration all in one flexible classroom that is cross curricular. The idea hits on many of the same principals that we, as Walden students, have been taught in our focus area. The best thing about this is that they are accepting a wide range of students (regular mixed with special education). Being able to begin the process of integrating a few special education students into this program will allow all of the NETS-S standards to be met and possibly be the beginning of a new way of educating our students.
Overall, me keeping focused on my GAME plan will directly effect the outcome of my students meeting the NETS-S standards due to the fact that my plan is directly related to both the NETS-T and the NETS-S.

International Society for Technology In Education (ISTE). (2007). www.iste.org/standards . NETS-S and NET-T Standards for learning.

Revising My GAME Plan

Based on the small strides within my personal GAME plan and also the knowledge that I have gained through this Master's course I have began to understand that technology, even though I thought I knew it's opportunities, provides an limitless boundary in regards to resources. Dr. Tomlinson, in this week's learning resources explains the many opportunities that technology provides to our students through social networking sites like NING, Wiggio, Moodle, and Micro Blogging (Laureate 2009). She also explains the wide range of pros and cons that come hand in hand with these social networking opportunities. How does this relate to my GAME plan? Well, I had thought that I was making pretty good strides with achieving the goals of my GAME plan but after further reflection I realize that I have only made small steps. This realization has come at a opportune time because it allows me to change focus in certain areas to make further improvements. For example, I have and am currently engaged with my colleagues in a few professional development sessions to become trained in a new software that our district has adopted to promote parent/teacher communication. This falls right in line with the NETS-T indicator #5: Engage and Professional Growth in Leadership (ISTE 2008). With this training in the new software I plan on approaching those colleagues who didn't attend to help promote the positives of the program.
Additionally, personally I have implemented a few technological advances into my classroom on several occasions but hope to slightly change direction with my goal to ease our way into social networking as a classroom. I hope that this lives up to everything that Dr. Tomlinson states as positives; easier management, exposure to culture, expand learning, students teaching students, etc.... (Laureate 2009). I feel that if I can implement this efficiently and appropriately my students will be able to benefit both academically and socially.
Overall, I didn't plan on successfully accomplishing my goals of my GAME plan by the end of this course, but I understood that it is a marathon and not a sprint. The steady learning by both my students and I of what integration and methods are right for our learning will prove to be the answer in the long run. Following the outline of the GAME (Goals, Action, Monitor, Evaluate) will ensure a successful run at my goals.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713 Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. [DVD]. Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking and Online Collaboration Part I & II. Dr. Tomlinson.

ISTE International Society for Technology. (2008). www.iste.org (NETS-S and Performance Indicators.

Evaluating My GAME Plan

Well, since a week has past I have managed to make some steady progress toward achieving my goals within my GAME plan. My accomplishing of the goals of integrating technology more often and reaching a higher learner within my students have had substantial progress. Each day I have integrated technology, somehow, within my daily lesson plans. This integration becomes more easily done in my classroom due to the fact that the structure is based on an online learning classroom. So far we, as a class, have implemented an online text reading software that will allow students of a lower reading level to put on a set of headsets and listen to the text provided by the online classroom. This software, which was provided by OPERA, was free and has, in a short time, made some student's level of learning increase.
In the past few weeks of both reviewing my GAME plan and also working through our weekly learning resources I have began to realize that no set teaching method will be suffice on a day to day basis. As I discovered this week problem based learning provides many positive features to the classroom. Dr. Ertmer in her video presentation made me realize that using problem based learning along with technology can make assessing, recording, developing collaboration skills, and teach students work through multi-step problems that involve multiple tasks easier for both of us in the classroom (Laureate 2009).
Synthesizing what I have learned about my GAME plan with what I have learned in regards to problem based learning is my next step. The question arises about, "how do I implement problem based learning into my classroom structure?" I believe if I can do this effectively then many of my GAME plan goals will become reality. Problem based learning will allow me more time to offer direct instruction in certain areas and also more reflective time with the students.
Finding a way to implement problem based learning into my classroom, efficiently, may take some time, but after successfully doing many skills, benchmarks, standards will be met by my students. I envision trying to slowly implement more problem based learning projects into my class to accomplish my goals, achieve student success, implement more technology, and provide a break in the typical routine.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713 Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. [DVD]. Spotlight on Technology: Problem Based Learning Part I & II. Dr. Peggy Ertmer.

Monitoring Your GAME Plan Action

Over the past week of carrying out my GAME plan and developing ideas along with this week's learning resources, I feel that I have a good plan in place. On the other hand, I feel that in order to achieve my goals aligning with student creativity and innovation I must do a better job in assessing students in the classroom to monitor, evaluate, and provide feedback in order to reach high levels of learning. Now, in doing this, I understand that technology provides many avenues when assessing students through forced-choice, open-ended response, performance-based, or project-based methods. Dr. John Ross supports this idea but also throws out caution that when using technology assistance, alongside with assessment methods, an educator must be careful that the technology assistance doesn't perform the objective that is desired to be evaluated (Laureate 2009).
How does this relate to my GAME plan and it's progress? In order for me to succeed in my goal areas of increasing graduation rates among credit deficient special ed. students, promoting a creative/innovative thinking in the classroom, and more efficiently relating information to parents I must use a wide variety of assessments to better my knowledge of my student's capabilities, my teaching areas of weakness, and areas of needed improvement in certain subjects.
Along with choosing the correct style and method of assessment to fit the needed area to evaluate I must also improve on implementing technology along with the assessment. For example, I would like to explore more performance based assessments that I can use digital videoing to record, document, and provide feedback of positives and negatives. My thoughts with this are that in creating these video files I will be able to build a case for my second goal of promoting a life skills course into our district's curriculum. I envision role plays of real life situations documented through this style that are produced by my students so district administration can view the diverse levels of basic social skills.
Overall, I believe I am on track and performing many details of my GAME plan efficiently but I also believe that there are minor details that need to be fulfilled. Fulfilling these minor details, which are truly most important, will help build the structure of the plan stronger and faster. We all just need to keep plugging along to achieve our goals and promote higher education.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Assessing Student Learning. Dr. John Ross.

Carrying Out My GAME Plan

Just as any coach, teacher, or mentor will tell you, "No GAME plan is successful without the proper structure, understanding, and dedication to your goals." In review of my personal GAME plan I see array of goals that are focused on my students, parents, classroom structure, and personal accomplishments. With this range of goals a focused attack will need to be put in place to see results. Dr. Cennamo refers to this development stage of the GAME plan as the "action" or "how to" part of achieving the goals (Laureate 2009).
In order to accomplish my personal GAME plan goals I will rely on many of my colleagues and the resources that surround me. I am lucky to work in a school district that's main goal is to prepare 21st Century Learners. What makes it even better is that they have the funds to do it. With that said, many professional development sessions are held on implementing technology to instill and promote creativity in the classroom. Also, these sessions are typically directed by my colleagues within the realm of the school district. This makes it possible for me to reconvene with them to discuss any further methods that will help reach my goal. Once these methods are gathered and formulated then it will up to me to implement them into my own classroom to help achieve my goal about increasing the rate of success and graduates that are developed from the online credit recovery program.
On the other hand, in order to reach my expectations I will also have to gather information and present it to our district officials about the need for a life skills class, in the realm of special education. In preparing for this push to implement life skills in our curriculum I will rely on other sources to preassess our students and share the results as a plea to the push. This will require online resources, student backgrounds, and a checklist of needs for the future.
So far my plan has developed faster than expected. The online credit recovery program has increase by a 25% success rate from last year's first semester up to this year's first semester. I have also attended a professional development seminar dealing with motivating the unmotivated student. These steps are small but are the beginning to accomplishing my goals.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. [DVD] Promoting Self-Directed Learning with Technology. Dr. Cennamo.

Personal Game Plan

After reviewing the National Education Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T /2008) provided by the International Society for Technology in Education website I began to feel very confident that my GAME plan was directly in line with some of the standards. The GAME plan that I have created for myself coincides with my personal goals and my current teaching position. In investigating the standards I felt pretty confident that many of my short term and long term goals laid beneath the umbrella of the coverage of the standards.

The three standards that I found most of my goals to be related to were standards number 1, 3, and 4. Standard 1 describes an educators ability/intent to facilitate and inspire student learning. Standard 2 sets for objectives for educators to model digital-age work and learning. While Standard 3 focuses on the continual professional growth and development within educators, themselves. These three standards relate closely to my six goals listed below. With these goals intact I hope that I promote a digital-age classroom that prepares the 21st century learner for their future into the digital society that we all are becoming accompanied to.

GOALS:
1. I hope to promote creative and innovative thinking in my classroom by providing an atmosphere that motivates students with disabilities through the use of technology.
2. In the future I would like to teach a section of "life skills" to my students of special needs through the use of technology. (Example: Virtual Reality/Role Playing)
3. Being a special education teacher, I would like to continue to increase my parent to educator interaction by finding a way to communicate more efficiently through technology to report student progress.
4. I hope to increase the percent the rate of student success in the online credit recovery by the gaining of credits, in which, will cause an increase in our schools graduation percentage.
5. I hope to continue to explore, investigate, and communicate with my peers, colleagues, and mentors to find new strategies and methods through to use of technology to promote student success.
6. Complete the final requirements to gain a Master's in Integrating Technology into the Classroom.

Monitoring these goals should be easily done due to the fact they coincide with my personal goals and career goals already intact. Collecting data on graduation rates, successful gaining of credits for my students, observations of students and the work they accomplish, and tracking parent contact and involvement will all be items that will be included in the evaluation process.

How will I extend my learning? Well, one thing that I would like to continue to do, is sign up for as many professional development seminars, that my district offers. These seminars offered are usually free, innovative, and hands-on. Also, I hope to finish my Master's in Integrating Technology into the Classroom. Finally, I hope to continue to evaluate the data that is collected from my classroom, which is focused on technology, to adjust my teaching style to my student's learning style. Dr. Peggy Ertmer states it best that in order to enrich your content with technology you must be knowledgeable, confident, believe in yourself, and be supportive (Laureate 2009).

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences with Technology Part II. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Peggy Ertmer

Reflection of My Personal Theory of Learning

After a thorough last seven weeks I have discovered that I was not to far off when originally defining my personal theory on learning. Originally I stated that our classrooms, as educators, are filled with students who bring very diverse needs and learning styles into our classroom structure. These learning styles are shaped through the individuals personal and educational experiences. These experiences shape the way the student interacts, learns, and responds to instruction. Dr. Patricia Wolfe describes the sculpture of the brain is constructed through experience (Laureate 2009). This idea of experience sculpting the brain puts a true emphasis on the active learner that Dr. Orey has discussed throughout this course. We, as educators, have a true responsibility within the classroom to use instructional styles that touch, allow, and push all students in the classroom to achieve the high level of learning. This is only done with a balance of instructional strategies focusing on a "active" learner in the classroom.
Creating an "active" learner within the classroom, as I have discovered, is not the only piece of the puzzle when trying to create an effective classroom. Dr. Wolfe states that making the material of instruction meaningful and relatable to the students will increase the achievement of objectives in the classroom (Laureate 2009). With the continuous increase in technology in our classrooms and in the social life of our students an educator must utilize the resources around them. Two technology tools that I hope to incorporate into my classroom is the use of VoiceThread and concept mapping tools. Using VoiceThread within the classroom will allow my students to interactively comment and receive feedback on certain topics that we will explore in my special education behavior management lab. The use of concept mapping tools will allow me to structure new topics or units in the classroom. It will also provide a wonderful outline for guided notes that will allow my special education students to follow any topic while staying on task.
Overall I hope that my classroom, in the future, is guided by the active learner. I would like to rely less on power points, that I have constructed, to guide my lessons and more on my students creation of the power points and presentation to lead the classroom. I have a goal to limit myself to providing the structure and boundaries to projects and my students to the exploration and discovery of learning in the project. In short, I hope to decrease the traditional way of providing instruction to my students by increasing the use of technology in the classroom, through use of previous stated software, and create a more independent learner by allowing my students to experience learning.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Brain Research and Learning [Motion Picture]. [With Dr. Patricia Wolfe]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. United States:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Instructional Theory vs. Learning Theory [Motion Picture]. [With Dr. Michael Orey]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. United States:

VoiceThread URL

Here is the VoiceThread URL:
http://voicethread.com/share/1261769/
Please view and add any comments you would like.
Ty

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice
With the vast improving technologies in the classroom there is no question that social learning, collaborative learning, and connectivism go hand in hand. The classroom these days seem to be constructed of allowing students to derive to their own conclusions by independent completion of tasks. Allowing students to cooperate together in some manageable group allows, not only the educator to deliver more direct instruction, but also develops multiple life skill traits and content knowledge at the same time of interaction for students. As an educator’s main goal is to prepare students for future success in the real world, cooperative learning strategies help prepare students for the fast-paced, virtual workplace that they will encounter (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007).
The instructional strategies discussed in this week’s learning resources can be directly beneficial in the proper structure of this style of learning within the classroom. Technology can play a unique and vital role in cooperative learning by giving structure to groups and allowing students to communicate without being face to face (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). In my special education classroom I tend to use cooperative learning quite often, but it is more in the traditional way rather than what I have discovered through this week’s learning resources. My classroom has used such multimedia tools to complete research for projects, development of power points, and organization of rubrics or group responsibilities. One collaborative project, using multimedia tools that I would like to complete in my classroom is the creating of a video. I understand that the preparation, up-front, has to be adequate. I believe that allowing my special education students to use visual displays and their own verbal input in the video, instead of written input, to direct the task would allow them to be more accommodated. This type of social learning project would not only develop responsibility skills within the group but also develop leadership skills, keep an active learner, and improve interpersonal skills.
The final collaborative technological tool that I would like to incorporate into my classroom that directly relates to the social learning theory is the use of key pals. Keypals is a way, similar to e-mail, for students to communicate in other cities, states and even countries (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). Many of students would benefit from this strategy of learning due to the fact that it would broaden the perspective of others and challenge them to learn (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). I believe that this style of project would be one that would motivate my special education students to push themselves to learn. It also would hide some of their physical disabilities, that some other students cannot get past, to create a more comfortable atmosphere. This strategy allows the cooperating students to not only develop proper internet communication skills but also learn content in a different way or style from a distant student trying to achieve the same objective.
Overall technology can be adapted in many ways to fit into the collaborative, social style of learning. This style of learning seems to be the most needed during this day in age where employees are expected to be able to work cooperatively, even if they never see there peers face to face. Educators are responsible for developing this “etiquette” in our students so their future has the opportunity to become successful.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Constructivism in Practice

Blog Post: Constructivism in Practice
The key component to constructionism/constructivism is an actively engaged learner. This approach to learning focuses solely on the individual learner building their own meaning on an individual topic (Laureate 2009). With the strategies discussed in this week’s learning resources I have drawn my own conclusion that they can be directly related to constructionism/constructivism’s learning style. Generating and testing hypotheses allow students to develop their own conclusions by building off of content knowledge, vocabulary, and facts (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). Developing these conclusions is done many times by the trial and error method, in which directly relates to Dr. Orey’s vision of what constructionism involves. Allowing students to perform tasks to create their own conclusions or develop their own meaning of a topic through first hand experience seems to be such an efficient way of learning.
With today’s fluent technology base that our students come into the classroom with, educators are able open the classroom, more often, to this style of learning. Instructional strategies such as generating and testing hypotheses becomes effective because the students are able to teach themselves. Educators are responsible for setting the structure and boundaries of testing the hypotheses and with today’s speedy technological software (spreadsheets, data collection tools, and other web resources) students are able to spend more time interpreting the data rather than gathering the data (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). This interpretation, spoken of earlier, is exactly what constructivism entitles. The interpretation allows students to create their own developments of the topic and proves or disproves their prior beliefs.
Keeping students engaged, creative, and building information creates a positive classroom environment and often leads to a boost of self-esteem in the students along with the educator (Laureate 2009). Boosting self-esteem, especially in special education, can be such a positive attribute to instill in the students. Having first hand experience in their own learning allows student to gain confidence in their learning style, which, in return also may boost their learning. Educators that provide a positive, interactive, engaged classroom will also watch students develop educationally and this may all be provided by the proper use of constructivism/constructionism.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction,

and technology. Baltimore: Author

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Blog Post: Relationship of Instructional Strategies with the Cognitive Learning Theory
When thinking of Dr. Orey’s description of the Cognitive Learning Theory I seem to sum it up as a way to trigger students memories to retrieve already learned data through the use of auditory and visual learning methods. Conducting instruction in a way that students can relate to the materials introduced to something in their own life allows students to create a file, of some sort, that when that object of their own life is remembered, so is the content. Dr. Orey states that it is like a network and each idea is related or connected to other ideas (Laureate 2009). The instructional strategies presented in this week’s reading resources align perfectly with Dr. Orey’s description of the Cognitive Learning Theory.
The use of cues, questions, and advanced organizers seem to provide a well rounded structure for students to create a foundation of knowledge that they may use to retrieve, use, or organize data. All three of the strategies to promote learning touch base with Dr. Orey’s Cognitive Learning Theory by providing a well balanced use of auditory and visual learning components. Technology is readily available in these strategies also by allowing teachers and students to use a variety of technology tools to create visually appealing organizers (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). The use of cues, questions, and advanced organizers seem to have a way to reinforce learning and keep the task manageable to students, in which, Dr. Orey says is one of the key components to success with this theory. For example, the use of multimedia tools allow educators to make a topic more relatable to students, which in return allows the students to make more connections in their own “network”.
The summarizing and note taking instructional strategy focuses on improving student’s ability to put new information into their own words (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). This instructional strategy also relates to the Cognitive Learning Theory by allowing students to input extraneous information into their “network” in their own way, so it may be retrieved later down the road. It seems that a lot of the Cognitive Learning Theory is built upon how students organize information and this instructional strategy aids in the structure that it is organized in. For example, note taking has many different looks, as to how it is presented in the classroom, but it may use the presence of text along with pictographs that produce a strong impact on students (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). When note taking is presented in this form is goes along with Paivios’s Dual Coding Hypothesis, where students are believed to learn better with the aid of images instead of just text. Note taking and summarization go hand in hand with the Cognitive Learning Theory due to the fact that they allow students to store information in their own words and when presented correctly, images aid text so students can label the topic in their “network”.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction,

and technology. Baltimore: Author

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Instructional Strategies Correlation with Behaviorist Learning Theory

Blog Post: Instructional Strategies Correlation with Behaviorist Theory
Both instructional strategies discussed in this week’s learning resources seem to line up accordingly to the behaviorist learning theory. As Dr. Orey stated, in his brief presentation, that operant conditioning, or the use of reinforcements and punishments, is the most powerful way of reaching academic goals when delivering instruction through the behaviorist learning theory, it directly relates to this week’s instructional strategies of reinforcing effort and homework/practice. One of our goals as educators is to prepare our students for a successful transition into the real world. I have always been taught that hard work, which directly relates to effort, is the key to success. Educators must influence and model great effort for students to realize its importance. When intended effort is exhibited by our students it needs prompt reinforcement to show its importance in both the classroom and real life situations. Teachers need to explicitly teach students the importance of effort and have students keep track of their own effort (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). Collecting data is easily conducted in this day and age where teachers can integrate technology into the classroom, by using spreadsheets software and data collection tools to aide students in the direct feedback of their given effort.
Even the use of homework or additional practice of a specific skill taught in the classroom directly aligns with the behaviorist learning theory. Whether you would like to call it punishment or not is up to you. Just don’t ask our students; but the repetition of this certain task or skill allows our students learn and make correlations on their own by independently finding ways to successfully complete the given task. The use of homework, although wonderful for students to get extra work in a certain area can also cause some students to become frustrated with a task when it is complicated in their own eyes. This is why it is imperative that educators leave time during class for students to increase their conceptual understanding of the skills and practices (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). With the instantaneous ability to communicate and retrieve data through technology educators are able to expand their boundaries with creativeness to motivate students to complete the additional practice or homework. The repetitious reinforcements and punishments that students receive through completion or non-completion of doing homework actually correlates with the previous instructional strategy of reinforcing effort. The tracking of data on both instructional strategies can prove to be a worthy eye opener for many students to show the direct relationship of their effort to the current academic grade.

Reflection

At the beginning of this course I could not have even began to tell you what a blog, wiki, or podcast entitled. With the ongoing struggles and frustrations that I faced exploring all of three of the previously spoken adventures, I began to realize the that the new, fast pace technological advances were extremely handy. The exploration into these technological advances has gained myself confidence in the area of integrating technology beyond what I would have been able to accomplish without the structure of a classroom. The newly gained knowledge will now be incorporated into my special education classroom at a slow pace. The newly gained confidence has allowed me to challenge myself and broaden my horizons through my own personal extravaganzas within the technological realm. I can foresee myself introducing the blogging aspect within my classroom first, so students can discuss the inter workings of the classroom and the topics that it covers.
Integrating the fresh new technology styles that I have learned from this class into my classroom will not only improve my classroom but give me the motivation to expand my knowledge by venturing into the next level of technological advances. It seems that this gain of confidence in technology has given me a high level of motivation to find more ways to improve my classroom and professional development. My hope is that the new tactics that I put in place in my classroom will create a more exciting atmosphere that drives the unmotivated student to become motivated.
As far as goals for the near future, I understand enough about Special Education that I know fluency in areas such as technology has to be achieved through patience. With this said, I hope to put in place a blog site for my special ed. students to discuss daily events. For the first couple months of the upcoming school year, I would like to set time aside once a week to have each student create a post and respond to a post. For a long term goal, I would like to set a up a blog site between my special education student's parents and I. I feel that the creation of this blog site will allow us to communicate better and discuss issues as a group. The only obstacle I can see with this goal is the parents having access to the internet.
Overall, I am very pleased with my level of learning throughout this course. As I have stated earlier the learning that I have accomplished will allow me to make my classroom a more interesting place. I don't believe I would have ventured into technology this far if I hadn't been in contact with this class.

Podcasts URL

Well, here is the latest podcast that I have posted. This explores the digital abilities of my special education resource room History class students. Very interesting. Enjoy!

www.podcastmachine.com/podcasts/5150/episodes/24240

Partnership for 21st Century Learners

After reviewing the website, www.p21.org, I was fairly excited about the future of our educational system. I love the idea of students actually learning real life skills that will prepare them for their future occupation. So many times students ask the question, "When am I ever going to use this?" Well, with the way the website describe the view for the future of education we, as educators, will never have to hear that again.
I thought the website provided plenty of resources to view, from the Ken Kay discussion on the 3R's and the 4C's to the actual projected plan for state curriculum's. I did have some trouble pulling up some of the attachments for some reason, but that is beside the point.
The only concern I had with the site is that I didn't see any topics on Special Education. I just wonder how this new style of education will affect the standards of special ed. If it will at all, but if the 3R's are combined with the 4C's then special ed. students will be able to receive a little bit of both to help prepare them for their future.
Overall not a bad website or outlook on the future. I just have a question about the issue of funding. We have enough trouble now funding our schools and the new system seems like we will try to incorporate a little more into the curriculum. Which is fine but with more means more staff, supplies,and support.

After trial and error with my blog site through this week I believe that I would use a blog site strictly for students to reflect upon course content. Me, being new to the blog scene, I don't believe I would venture into setting up assignments or having students post their work on it, yet. A blog seems to be a great way to prompt others views and to voice personal views to many people at once. A blog would seem to be a good resource to use for maybe classes at the secondary level, like AP students, or highly functional regular education students. Being a special education teacher I think it would be very difficult for me to implement the blog efficiently into my classroom, where students are already faced with many challenges relating to academics.

A little bit about Me

Hello all,
I am a special education teacher at the high school level, who deals mostly with students of the emotionally disturbed label. This can be very exciting:) I work in the city but return home evey night to the country. I live on 6 acres with a 1.5 acre pond with my wife and 4 children. Our children's age's range from 1yr to 6yrs. old. Times never slow down. As for this blog, it is my first time and I hope that I am doing everything correctly. I am trying:)