Blog #8 UDL Engagement

I think that WebQuests are a good way for students to take charge of their own learning.  Students will be excited to figure out the WebQuest.  They are also a great way to differentiate for different students. Giving students a WebQuest to work on at home allows each student to go at their own pace.  A teacher could also give different WebQuests to students depending on their skill level.  That way all students are learning about the same thing, but on an appropriate skill level.

An article I found pointed out a benefit of using WebQuests that I hadn't thought about.  In CITE Journal it says, "Simply put, teachers often lack the time to integrate technology effectively. Using technology to foster innovative teaching and learning, or Type II technology applications, should be a priority for all educators."  Having students do this as part of their homework can free up teaching time so that the teacher can go into more detail on the subject, or move on to something else.  Using WebQuests also helps students become comfortable doing school work on the computer and I think, especially in the lower grades, that is an important skills for students to master.

Blog #7 Why Coding?

Coding will be a really interesting thing to integrate in a classroom.  I have to admit that it seems a little intimidating to me, but I'm really good at faking it til I make it.  I think it is important for students to be comfortable with coding because so many of their future job opportunities will be based in computer science.  Matt Harrell wrote for Edutopia, "Early exposure to coding helps teach children how important it is to understand computers as the valuable tools they are rather than merely fun playthings."  This is a really important point to remember since our students will be growing up with technology as part of their lives since birth.  Kids need to know that computers can do so much more than play minecraft and play youtube videos.

Coding is something kids want to do, and I think they will be excited to have the opportunity to do it in school.  We need to let them try it, and figure some things out on their own.  Harrell goes on to say, "Don't underestimate what young children are able to accomplish when educators let go of the wheel and allow students to become the drivers. Just adding one piece of computer science to your curriculum will get the ball rolling, and you'll get the feedback you need from your students to make it even better."  I want to remember this when I am incorporating coding into my lessons.  My students will definitely know more than me, and I believe that following their lead is the best way to help them succeed with this.

Blog #6 UDL Action and Expression (Summative)

There are so many fun ways to incorporate Finch Robots into my curriculum.  I think using the robots is a great way to get students thinking and learning multiple things at once.  I love the idea of dressing the robot up.  The students could write a story or play and dress the robot up for different scenes.  This would help them with language arts, sequencing, coding, teamwork and I'm sure in many other areas.  My main goal when using robotics in my classroom would be to make it a fun activity that the kids aren't even aware that they are learning.  

An interesting idea I read about is that using robotics and coding can help students work through a problem when they hit a roadblock.  The Tech Edvocate says about using robotics, "Many students will struggle with the concepts at first and often get frustrated.  Robotics in schools can help these students turn their frustration into creativity and innovation." I love that they point out that letting students struggle a little can help them turn their work into something amazing.   As a teacher, I hope I remember to let my students struggle to work a concept out and not always give them the easy answer, or the easier way out.

UDL Action and Expression (Formative)

The best way to use UDL and integrate it into my teaching will be to use multiple formative assessments.  UDL Design Center says that, "There is no medium of expression that is equally suited for all learners or for all kinds of communication." This tells me that I won't be able to use the best assessment for every student every time.  Sometimes, the assessments I give will be effective for most students, but still miss some.  It might be the opposite for the next assessment I use.  But, by using a variety of assessments, each student will have the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge they have been learning.

I think this guideline is one of the most important because a teacher has to know whether or not their students are learning the concepts they want them to know.  The way we determine that is through assessments.  I want to include many different assessments for my students.  I am sure that over time I will be able to identify which assessments are effective for the most amount of students.  I want to be open minded and be willing to try different strategies.