Reflection
As this class draws to a close, I am finding myself doubly excited. I have learned so many things through my coursework at Walden that I would not have learned elsewhere. I have learned to effectively use technology within my classroom to promote differentiated learning and universal design for learning. Several lesson plans written for the course have already been put into my curriculum. Students are eagerly waiting to try their hand at podcasts and digital storytelling. Throughout the rest of this school year, my students will expect to be using technology as much as they possibly can.
Most importantly, I feel that I am ready to take on any future challenges with bravado. Currently a fellow teacher and I wrote grants to receive Kindles for our classrooms. Our grants were accepted and we will be the first in the district to have access to this kind of technology and make it available to our students. We have already been told by our administration that many other educators will be watching our every move. Essentially, we will be leading the way and setting an example for what is to come. Normally, I would be a little intimidated by this huge exploit, but with everything that I have learned I am confident that we will prevail.
One last bit of new technology that I hope to utilize with better performance is the learning profiles we used during week two. It is absolutely important to learn about your students so as to effectively teach them. Bray, Brown, and Green (2004) state that “the more you understand about your students, the easier it will be for you to provide instruction that will enable your students to be successful” (p. 31). I have already had students perform learning style and multiple intelligence tests, but have not done my part to use them effectively.
While not everything attempted has been perfect, I have the confidence to use new technologies to enhance the learning of my students. I look forward to many years of challenging myself using technology along with differentiated instruction and universal design for learning.
References
Bray, M., Brown, A., & Green, T. (2004). Technology and the Diverse Learner: A Guide to Classroom Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
