Reflections from Education Technology Grad Class

  Week 5 Blog Post Part 1: Summary of Article In the educational report by Sean J. Smith and Evelyn E. Harvey, the authors point out, even before the pandemic in 2020 that caused all schools go virtual, that online or blended learning had been increasing within the United States. With this increase is a concern about having universal standards that can guide online teaching and learning, especially for students that face learning disabilities. Yet, the authors present various benefits to online or blended learning, such as presenting “content and instruction in various ways,” differentiation for students, teachers having “increased ability to monitor progress,” and students having the flexibility to work at their own pace (2014, p. 223). To examine the topic of online learning and students with disabilities combined with an assessment of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the authors examine and present an assessment of Khan Academy and different elements of that educationa...

     There's a lot that contributes to a person's knowledge construction and learning. Mark Gura explains that there are "necessary elements for a fertile learning environment" (2016, p. 55). He explains that, when used and presented properly, collaborative learning and digital tools has beneficial potential for learning. He explains that using digital tools combined with collaborative learning can create a freeing scenario for students to expand the boundaries of time and space. He also claims that "technology has vastly improved the options and reach available to students" (2016, p. 59). This relates to one of the ISTE standards and is supported by research from "The National Academies Press" presented in How People Learn II: Learners, Contexts, and Cultures (2018) .     One of the ISTE standards, 1.1.b, that falls under "Empowered Learner," states, "Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that sup...

Week 2 Blog: Exploring Authentic Intellectual Work Part 1: Analysis of Authentic Intellectual Work (A.I.W.) I feel like AIW has been wanting I have been wanting to incorporate and explain to other teachers that I have worked with, yet have not been able to put my thoughts and feelings into words. The idea of "authentic" work is closely related to what is known as H.O.T.S. (higher order thinking skills) or Bloom's Taxonomy skills. However, the concept of AIW is taking those a step further by letting students construct knowledge through a variety of experiences and contexts (2007, p. 15). It is the idea of constructing knowledge and understanding through disciplined inquiry that gives value to the student's work beyond a school setting. The focus with AIW is moving beyond basic rote memorization for answering constructed questions for standardized tests. It definitely emphasizes student-centered philosophy of teaching and learning. That is evident with education philoso...