Week 5 EDUC 5313

 1) Select one article from those linked below regarding Universal Design for Learning and provide a summary of the article and discuss connections to the lesson you are developing.

The article that I chose to investigate was Digital Tools and UDL-based instructional strategies to support students with disabilities online.  Besides teaching math and science, I am also a special education teacher, and this article sparked my interest.  The bulk of this article discussed “how digital tools can be used for teaching and learning in meaningful and intentional ways to support students with disabilities in the online environment.”  One of the things that I struggled the most with during the pandemic was worrying about my special-ed kiddos, and I wondered if they were ok.  I did not feel like the playing field was even when it came to educating my kids who had learning difficulties.  Occasionally, I think that my special education students have more tools available to them than mainstream students, but during the pandemic, I felt most of them were struggling.  Speech-to-text, reading browser extensions, and other assistive technologies do help reduce barriers, but much like this article states, many of our students lack this technology and consequently drop in their educational performance.  I live in a low-income Title 1 school, and because of poverty, many of my students lack the digital tools in their homes that could possibly help them meet their educational goals. 

 

This article gave three key instructional strategies and digital tools that can support action and expression online, especially with students who have handicaps.  One key recommendation for teachers is to have “opportunities to demonstrate knowledge in multi-model formats,” such as using Book Creator, Canva, or Google Slides.

 

The second recommendation would be to “ provide opportunities to practice,” especially with students who have developmental delays.  Teachers can use the Voice Memo App or the Voice Recorder extension on Chrome to generate clips to repeat information to students. 

 

The last key idea for instructional strategies would be to make sure students with disabilities have “support tasks and time management” skills.  Teachers can use weekly check-ins, progress reports, and schedules to

 

According to the article, “tools that support specific needs of students with disabilities, for example, text to speech tools, screen readers, and augmentative and alternative communication devices,” are all applications that I plan to implement in my own lesson plan for teaching integers.  I have integrated the use of IXL, which is a learning platform that can read the text to students and tailor the learning to a specific learning area that students may be struggling with.  IXL gives multiple representations of the learning standard, which is great for students who may have neurodivergence.  I love using the Chromebook with my special education students because I feel like it shows them lifelong skills, such as text-to-speech, that they will be able to use beyond school. 

 

Reference: 

Rao, K., Torres, C., &Smith, S. (2021). Digital tools and UDL-based instructional strategies to support students with disabilities online. Journal of Special Education Technology, 36(2), 105-112.

 

2)  Visit the CAST Universal Design for Learning website and use resources there to identify strategies that you could integrate into the lesson you are developing.  Discuss at least two strategies that you could meaningfully integrate into the lesson you are

developing.

 

Two strategies that I could implement in my lesson on integers would be from Guideline 2, which emphasizes language and symbols and communicates through language that creates a shared understanding.  Guideline 2.1 stresses the importance of clarifying vocabulary, symbols, and various language structures.  When I teach the lesson on integers, I will make sure that the negative and positive tokens are represented well with the + and – icons.  I can use different representations of positive and negative numbers through real-life examples of bank accounts, temperatures, and sea levels. 

 

The second consideration would be 2.5, which is representation through multiple media.  I want to make sure I make learning come alive with simulations, graphics, activities, and videos.  IXL has a great video on adding and subtracting integers that I will show students as a class and set as a reminder for parents who may want to revisit that video later for use during homework.  The + and – paper counters that we use in class to learn this new skill aligns with the 2.5 guidelines and supports the standard for various simulations.  The app with the positive and negative counters also aligns with this and I plan to use that in my lesson. 

 

CONSIDERATION 2.1

Clarify vocabulary, symbols, and language structures

Construct meaning from words, symbols, and numbers using different representations.

 

CONSIDERATION 2.5

Illustrate through multiple media

Make learning come alive with simulations, graphics, activities, and videos.

 

3) Reflect upon the guidance provided in the 2024 NETP regarding the integration of UDL strategies to address the Digital Use Divide (week 2 reading assignment).

The 2024 National Education Technology Plan (NETP) emphasizes the importance of using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  It gives educators strategies to help bridge the digital use divide and helps even the playing field for all learners.  In simple terms, the “digital use divide” refers to the gap between students who know how to use technology and those who don’t. This also applies to those students who have access to digital tools and those who don’t.  The bottom line of the NETP suggests that Universal Design can help students and educators by making sure our classroom content is designed in such a way that all learners get a fair and equitable education despite any disabilities.  It also ensures that students, despite demographics, have access to fair and equal education using technology to help bridge that gap.  The idea is that we, as educators, support each student by offering various options for accessing information, encouraging different ways for students to express their knowledge, and creating a flexible learning environment. 

Essentially, we use NETP and UDL to make sure each student is succeeding by using technology to bridge any gap to make sure our kids are succeeding. 

Week 4

 

Educ 5313 Week 4 Blog

Part 1

Intro.  One of the subject areas that I teach is middle school science.  I had never heard of Magic School before and was intrigued by this week’s blog expectations.  I created an account and started exploring Magic School, and wouldn’t you know it…I feel like a dummy!  I have spent countless hours planning and executing lesson plans.  I have created worksheets, invented assessments, and spent mind-numbing hours preparing, and now so much can be done in roughly 10 seconds with the help of “artificial” intelligence.  

Prompts 1 and 2. One of the 7th-grade standards for Oklahoma is atomic structure and identifying the parts of an atom.  The standard builds on atoms by creating molecules, compounds, and more complexities in our world.  I put Magic School to the test and asked it to write a lesson plan for this.  It aligned fairly well with the standard and gave the framework for what I need to teach, but I don’t think there is enough content.  There is quality in how it designed an objective, assessment ideas, opening, homework, and closing; however, I feel it is missing content.  I teach lots of new terms and vocabulary when doing this lesson and I didn’t find any key terms that were included.  Definitions and meanings of words or verbs showing action during an atomic process were not found.  The assessment that Magic School suggested was creating a portfolio of drawings of different atoms and their structures. It stands out to me because we have already done something similar by using a spiral notebook for note-taking in class.  My suggestions for Magic School would include more specific content, vocabulary, and key terms specific to this age level of learning.  

Prompt 3. This tool is not useful for the creation of rigorous lesson plans.  This AI platform is helpful in creating a skeleton lesson plan or a baseline to build from, but it is missing content.  I have taught this lesson for years now and I would argue that this the “bones” of this Magic School prompt.  It may be very useful to a new teacher needing direction, but it does not provide the "meat" of the lesson.  The AI tool provided “key points” but still no specifics.  One thing that I did like that I thought was good that aligns with my real-life adult teacher brain is the extension activity.  The AI platform suggested that I have students make a 3d model of an atom, molecule, or compound and then present it to the class or peers.  I have done that with my students and found success.  

Prompt 4

https://app.magicschool.ai/tools/lesson-plan-generator?share=d293f0a9-773b-4fd9-9c06-337021dd4a37 

Part 2

Prompt 1.  The tool that I interacted with is the Magic School Science Labs.  Link to lesson: 

https://app.magicschool.ai/tools/science-lab?share=425c867c-4878-44ec-b749-d02e7d79d462 

Prompt 2.  This is really cool because you can type in any standard, and it will create a science lab for you to do with your students.  It asks you what grade level, the standard, and any other additional content you want to add to it.  It then generates a science lab that is age-appropriate for the unit that you prompted it for.  I do think it is useful because sometimes my brain is just shot, and I have trouble thinking of new ideas or a different way to show a student something.  This provides a hands-on learning tool that takes a lot of the thinking out of it.  I found it helpful, too, that it tells you what supplies you will need for the lab, which eliminates the guesswork.  

Prompt 3.  I would use this lab to assess what students have learned throughout our class time.  After I am done giving them the information through notes and interacting with them during class, then I would use this to assess what they know, understand or still need help with.  Students can use this lab to build atomic structures and label protons, neutrons, and electrons for each element provided.  I can then determine if we are ready for a formal assessment or if we need further instruction.  

Part 3

Prompt 1.  I am an old schoolteacher and have been in education for a while already, so my gut response to AI and Magic School was—NO THANK YOU.  However, it might have its place after playing around with it a little bit.  One thing that comes to mind is this might be great for a new teacher to give them some direction and a baseline of information or lesson planning.  My other thought is that this might be useful if you suddenly find yourself teaching a grade level or subject area that is new to you.  Those are probably the two instances where I might share this with colleagues.  I probably would not disclose to a student that I was using this just because we want students to dig deep and not take shortcuts with learning, but as an adult teacher, sometimes we can sure use a hand up or a “cheat” to help us get through every now and then.  

Prompt 2. One challenge that I see that might discourage me from using this would be the lack of depth within the lesson.  Like I said previously this seems to provide a good baseline for a lesson but needs more content to be used as the sole curriculum.  My concern is that a new teacher might use this and not meet academic standards because I feel like this only provides structure and basic lesson planning, not content.  

Prompt 3. One of the other tools that I played around with was the Magic Tools Presentation Generator.  WOWZA!  I was impressed with this.  I took the content generated from the lesson plan and pasted it into the presentation generator, which put all the content into a Google Slides presentation for me.  This could have significant time-saving benefits for educators!  Granted, the presentation was black and white and had no visuals, but having it typed and put together is most helpful!

Prompt 4. Like I said before, I am an old-school Genexer who grew up with the overhead projector as our latest and greatest invention. I have not used AI in the classroom. I have done some searching and tried using ChatGPT, but I really wasn’t sure which platform was reliable. I do not have much experience with AI platforms, but I may try playing around with this Magic School some more, even after we are done with this class.  

Week 3 How People Learn

Processes That Support Learning

Who knew that learning and retaining material could be so lengthy and involved?  Who remembers learning to tie their shoes?  Or better yet, who remembers trying to teach YOUR CHILDREN how to tie their shoes?  After reading Chapter 4 and studying how people learn, I wonder if any of us know anything.  So many facets go into our brain function,, and if just one of those things isn't working correctly, then we have a good chance of not learning.  

There were three critical pieces of information that stood out to me.  I included a fourth part along with those three in the infographic below.  Metacognition is our ability to regulate our behavior, including our emotions and relationships with others.  Our executive function is that part of our brain that gives us the ability to do higher-order thinking.  Think about analyzing, reading between the lines, and the ability to be a self-starter.  Self-regulation goes along with being a self-starter, but it also includes attention control, behaving appropriately in different situations, and controlling our impulses.  

I added memory as a fourth element to this information because our memory holds all three of these together.  If we lose our memory, all of these other brain functions also fail.  Think about our Alzheimer's patients or people with sundowners as they struggle with memory and, therefore, their other behavior management and executive functions decline.  

Connecting these three learning principles brings us back to Guara’s commentary on the importance of a creative learning environment.  Guara mentions exploring multiple avenues of learning that reach each area of our brain to create those lasting memories and create lasting neuropathways.  Growth mindset, hands-on exploration, and fostering curiosity are all key ideas.  

ISTE Standard 1.3, the Knowledge Constructor, ties in perfectly with my infographic below.  The construction of knowledge is an intricate part of a child’s development and progress through school and throughout life.  Finding ways to create content, piece together different learning tools, and build are all aspects of this standard.  

Week 2 Blog

Part 1:  Authentic Intellectual Work/Authentic Instruction & Assessment.

 

1. What is the nature of Authentic Intellectual Work?  How does it differ from traditional approaches to instruction and assessment? 

Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) emphasizes the purpose of knowledge and skills to real-world challenges, focusing on meaningful and productive intellectual activities rather than routine memorization or the simple recall of information. The nature of AIW is rooted in the idea that education should prepare students to engage in tasks that require deep thinking, problem-solving, and creating new ideas or products that are of value beyond the classroom. In contrast, traditional approaches to instruction and assessment often emphasize the mental storage of factual knowledge, typically considered through standardized tests or assignments with clear right or wrong answers. This tends to prioritize content coverage and for students to perform well on tests, which leads to superficial learning.

2. Discuss the components of Authentic Intellectual Work and provide deep consideration of at least one component by including a discussion of empirical (research-based) evidence 

The construction of knowledge involves students creating new understanding by integrating and applying prior knowledge to solve complex problems. Rather than merely recalling facts, students are encouraged to analyze, create, and evaluate information, which leads to developing new insights or solutions. Disciplined Inquiry requires students to dig deep into a subject, engage in research, and apply rigorous methods to explore significant questions or problems. It involves gathering information, interpreting data, developing reasoned arguments, and producing well-supported conclusions. This process mirrors the value beyond school, emphasizing the importance of doing work that has meaning and relevance outside the classroom. Students are tasked with creating products or solutions that address real-world issues, demonstrating the applicability of their learning to broader contexts. The goal is to ensure that students' work is academically rigorous and socially or practically valuable.

3. Describe a specific example of authentic intellectual work in a discipline or content area.

An example of Authentic Intellectual Work for 7th-grade middle school science could involve a project where students investigate how human activities impact the local water cycle. Students begin by learning about the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff. They study how water moves through the environment and the factors that can influence this cycle, such as temperature, geography, and human impacts. Foundational knowledge is built through classroom instruction, textbook readings, and interactive water cycle simulations. Students are then tasked with investigating how specific activities in their community, such as town development, farming, or deforestation, affect the local water cycle. This inquiry might involve data collection, research and analysis, and hypothesis formulating. Students could apply their findings to suggest solutions for reducing the negative impacts of humans on the water cycle. Attending water municipal meetings, clean water campaigns, or recycling promotions might look like attending water municipal meetings, clean water campaigns, or recycling promotions. 

Part 2:  2024 National Education Technology Plan Update

 

Focusing on the water cycle, teachers could use reproductions and digital tools to model the water cycle’s processes. The lesson could provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression, ensuring all students can access the content via Chrome Books or other technology. To promote authentic intellectual work, students could apply their understanding by analyzing local water data, collaborating to solve a community issue related to water conservation, or presenting their findings to members of the community, thus connecting classroom learning to real-world challenges.

PS...I had a rough week and did some brainstorming for my science lesson with:

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com/c/6124a6ba-607b-4616-af7b-3bf8410faf78

Week 1 Blog Assignment

EDUC 5313 Week 1 Blog Assignment

    I am a busy wife and mother to three teenage daughters.  I work full time at our local middle school and have been at our district school since 2012.  I never planned to be a parent and never really had a plan for my future or education either.  However, after having children and becoming involved in their school, I found a passion for education, and I am now pursuing my masters in curriculum and instruction. I graduated in 2022 with my bachelor's in liberal and applied studies with a focus to teach middle school special education. I was the kid that struggled all through my growing up years.  Once God changed my heart and gave me a passion for helping kids who struggle in school, I decided to become a teacher.  I have felt a call on my life to change my family’s legacy by being active in church with my kids, promoting education, and encouraging character development to every student I see.  My family lives on a farm in Northwest Oklahoma, and I enjoy gardening, home canning, and I even have my own greenhouse.  My family spends a lot of time outdoors with campfires, archery, ATV’s, horticulture, and agriculture.  

    According to ISTE standards for students 1.1 Empowered Learner, students are expected to use technology to demonstrate competency in their learning goals. Furthermore, Oklahoma Academic Standards for science in the 7th grade classroom expect students to be able to describe the cycling of matter and the flow of energy into and out of various ecosystems. Oklahoma Curriculum Framework 7.LS2.3 expects students to describe, organize, and develop models of food webs, and energy flow systems. Utilizing these standards, one way that I would use technology to teach students would to be use the IXL Learning platform in my classroom. IXL is an interactive online learning site geared to the grade level of the students that you are instructing. After I have taught the material through the textbook and using Google Slides on my smartboard for notetaking, I can check for student understanding and comprehension through the IXL 7.X.1-6 lessons. Students can work at their own pace through the online material, and I can assess which students are grasping the technology expectation and the curriculum that has been presented.  

    I have been in education for a little over 12 years and I wholeheartedly agree with the Triple E Framework in that, “no lesson that integrates technology can be successful without the teacher carefully integrating instructional moves.”  Within the engagement category, teacher monitoring is crucial with using technology, especially in the middle school years.  Students are so distracted and prone to make poor choices so teacher monitoring is a must.  With the IXL component for my lesson, students get Kolb’s enhancement category in that they must actively listen or engage with the content on their screen which is reinforcing the lesson that was already taught.  IXL also uses visual representations of learning which also aligns with Kolb’s Triple E Framework.