Curt+Gerbers


 * Curt Gerbers - Week 2 **

Emerging Technology and McLuhan’s Tetrad

The mobile computing device is an emerging technology that has growing possibilities in education including the replacement of many other technologies. Smart phones, tablets, and iPod Touches are growing in popularity and can be found in the hands of many students. Many students use them daily and have one or all three devices. These mobile computers have possibilities that no other computer ever has. Each device gives the operator the option to search the web, connect with others, and thousands of other tasks. The largest impact of this technology is its mobility. It can be taken nearly anywhere. With this tool people can access information anywhere. The other growing attraction with this object is the social networking capabilities. Live video chat, instant image share, and GPS are just a few of the options this technology offers. Students can also use this technology to research, complete and turn in homework, or watch an educational video online.

Laptops, cameras, and desktop computers are all, in some cases, being replaced by mobile technologies. The power of a mobile phone may not match up with a desktop computer at this time, but the vast majority of people using them can do most, if not all, regular computing tasks on a smart phone, iPod touch, or tablet. While laptops, cameras, and desktop computers will still be relied upon for complicated and professional tasks, everyday use of mobile technology is replacing the need for the other three.

While still very similar, the mobile technology of today brings to mind the first generation of cell phones, iPods, and Palm Pilots. These devices were fairly simple compared to today's technology, but the basic options were availble. Connecting with others was easier with cell phones, listening to and storing music was easier with the first iPod, and many people turned to Palm Pilots for organizational features. Each aspect of these technologies now have been included into one. The smart phone, iPod touch, and tablet all have each capability of the cell phone, first iPod, and Palm Pilot.

Many likely could not predict the invention of the smart phone 30 years ago, which proves that we will never know what is in our future. The technology likely to replace the mobile technologies of today will continue incorporating more daily functions like the use of credit cards, car keys, house keys, etc. It will also advance on what we currently use. The quality of video, images, and sound will be better. The use of mobile technology has great implications on education. Teachers currently have many options to share information with students online. When students have access to mobile technology, they can access this information at any time and anywhere. Student access to informational videos, homework sheets, quizzes, tests, can improve the efficiency of today's classroom. This can drastically change how teaching occurs. Teachers can utilize a "flipped classroom" where students learn through various media and teachers can assess and assist within the classroom.

Learning can happen at any time. Students learn best when given choice and a reason to connect with the content. Mobile technology can provide this opportunity for each student. With this technology every student can work independently or together. Each student can access classroom content at school, at home, or anywhere they can connect to the internet.

Week 5 - DI Strategies, Tools, and Resources
Differentiating Instruction in Your Classroom

Differentiated Instruction can take many forms in today's classroom. Students can vary greatly in how they best learn and present their understanding. Students differ on their readiness, interests, and learning profiles. A student's learning profile can include many things such as native language, access to technology, learning style or home culture.

Tiered Assignments and Products is a strategy that can be used to differentiate by readiness. The assignments and student products are designed to assess students on skills and knowledge at varying complexity, abstractness, and open-endedness. The objectives for each student remain the same, but the outcome for each student varies based on their level of readiness. Data for this strategy will differ based on the assignment. A rubric should be used to assess each objective. All students will be graded on reaching the same objectives. Depending on readiness, students will reach their objectives in varying ways. If the students' objective is to understand a topic, some students would be required to write an article on the topic while others would prepare a debate (The Access Center, n.d.). This strategy is an essential strategy for differentiated instruction because it delivers the correct level of difficulty for each student without reaching a level of frustration.

Differentiation by interest can be done with independent study projects. The goal of this strategy is to allow students how they would like to present their understanding or obtain the content for a particular unit. Students can choose what topic they would like to study and how they would like to do so. Gathering data from this strategy is largely based on the project being used. A rubric should be used to give students a clear idea of what is expected of them. A main concept should be constant for all students, but the means by which they understand this concept will be up to each individual (The Access Center, n.d.). For example, if students are learning the scientific method, they can research nearly any topic while developing their own experiment. Some students may research plant growth, while others find out what type of paper airplane flies the farthest. Differentiated Instruction and Universal Design for Learning is based on reaching each student at their level. Independent study projects allow each student to find a connection with the content by choosing their own interests.

Choice Boards are another strategy that applies to readiness, interest, and learning profiles. This tool gives students a choice to complete an assignment. They are given a number of options that all deal with the same unit or concept (The Access Center, n.d.). For example, a choice board could have nine assignments dealing with the scientific method. There are three choices that are worth one point, three that are worth two points, and three that are worth three points. Each student must complete the assignment by doing enough of the options to add up to nine points. This means they could complete as few as three or as many as six options in this one assignment. The varying levels of points correspond to the level of difficulty, so the higher level students may choose to complete fewer of the higher level thinking options. Lower level students may choose more of the lower level thinking options. Students may also decide on options based on familiarity. Their learning profile may lead them toward a three points assignment and the three two point assignments. The data from this assignment can be used in a couple ways. Students can be assessed on the total points they completed or on the level of difficulty they chose to get to nine points. This tool lends itself to DI and UDL in that students choose how they complete the assignment, work at their own level of difficulty, and choose based on how they learn best.

References The Access Center. (n.d.). Differentiation Strategy Tools. In //K-8 access center//. Retrieved June 3, 2012, from http://www.k8accesscenter.org

Student Survey: Learning About my Students
http://www.union.k12.sc.us/ems/Teachers-Forms--Student%20Interest%20Survey.htm This survey is set up to gather personal interest information about students. It is appropriate for middle school students. It asks a few surface level questions about favorites, but also delves a bit deeper with questions on someone the student admires and what they might title a book on their life. The final two questions ask about how the student is as a friend and asks for a description of their best friend. I like these questions because they get the student thinking about what a good friend is and if they are or not a good friend.
 * Student Interest Survey:**

**Learning Styles Survey:** [] This survey asks 24 questions about how students learn best. In focuses on them making judgments about in which situations they learn best. It also asks a few questions on what they do when studying. This helps determine is students are using kinesthetics when studying or just focusing on the visual or audio. My middle school students could take this survey because the language is simple enough and it allows them to act introspectively on their study habits and learning styles.

**Multiple Intelligences Survey:** [] The Multiple Intelligences survey is broken into sections where students give themselves a point for each statement that accurately describes them. All statements begin with "I" or have a specific design for the student taking the survey. Finally, the survey gives a score for each section and asks the student to plot their scores. The areas with higher scores are areas of strength for the student.

**Learning Profile Inventory:**See Appendix AThe Learning Profile is set up to give a teacher the "big picture" of how students learn. This survey includes the standard characteristics like gender, sex, and race. It also describes what resources the student has at home, their learning styles, intelligences, as well as what goals there are for learner competencies. This profile is a way to direct instruction toward the student, but also move towards a particular goal for that student to reach. **My Student Profile:**https://docs.google.com/a/kentcityschools.org/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dE9ZQnY0UnJzYXRQR1pwM3ktQUI5UWc6MQ#gid=0 My survey includes a few of the best questions I gathered from the various surveys above. I did, however, include the entire Learning Style as well as Multiple Intelligence surveys. I did this because I want to get the best picture of my student. These surveys are built to acquire just that. I felt that by only choosing a couple questions from each survey I would not have gathered usable information about my students. Through my survey they will be directed to each other survey where they will obtain their Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences.

Week 4 - UDL Assignment