New Concept Map for UDL

I have attached my new concept map for Universal Design for Learning. With this concept map, one can understand the different aspects of Universal Design for Learning. Those aspects are: The Power of Digital Media, Origins of UDL, UDL Framework, UDL Implementation and the Application of UDL. In this concept map you will notice that the UDL has been seperated into five sub-sections. Each sub-section has bold font and is an important element to UDL. For instance, the first sub-section is "The Power of Digital Media". This area points out that media is flexible in many ways such as being: networkable, markable, transformable and versatile. The concept map has been helpful to me. Every time I finshed a page I created a new sub-section(s) and found it helpful with my reading comprehension.

Newly Chosen Standard

I have chosen a new standard from Connecticut's Common Core of Teaching Standards, which can be found here. My new standard will be my inspiration for my digital story, amongst other things. My standard falls under the subject of English and reads as follows:

 "VI) Materials For Instruction: English language art teachers select and create materials based on instructional purpose, literary merit, impact of the medium, parameters of the curriculum and student's developmental needs." (http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/Curriculum/Curriculum_Root_Web_Folder/ccteach_ela.pdf)

In my digital story, I will be talking about the different tools we use to learn, how we all think and learn differently and the idea of technology as the best learning tool of the present and future. I hope people enjoy it once it is finished!

Changes and Progress

I will be moving forward and making changes to both my website and my blog as the weeks go on. I plan on re-posting a new concept map that will connect more directly with the chosen reading about the Universal Design for Learning. As I move forward with my digital story, I realize I still have more work to do. I must replace many if not all of my chosen photos due to copyright infringement. While we learned about copyright infringement earlier in the semester, my photo choices just goes to show how easily one can forget and make a mistake. As it is now, I have left my copyrighted photos in my digital story in order to have bookmarks and a blueprint for what photos I need to take. I will also be looking to certain websites and sources such as the creative commons for images that I may use legally.

Other than these issues, I feel that I have had a good experience in this class so far. I never realized how quick and easy it was to set up a website or blog. Digital stories are rather simple as well. The software and sites involved make the process easy for people of all ages and skill levels. This is what makes technology such an important tool. It is accessible and and is already being used by so many of the students teachers encounter.

The Purpose Project from Jim Burke

Jim Burke's Blog

After reading Jim Burke's latest post from February 8th, it is easy for one to start thinking about their own purpose in life. It is easy to get caught up with the little things in life and forget the big things. I think this is especially true when you are a high school senior. You are bombarded with college, graduation, etc.

Burke's idea of centering a course around any subject they want for his seniors is fantastic. His seniors chose "purpose". This idea is effective because it allows them to be involved in the direction of the class, rather than have the class be only about the teacher and his/her ideas. So, as these seniors are going through the joys and pitfalls of their senior year, they are also discovering their purpose at the same time as they are reading, writing and analyzing literature. That seems to be pretty spectacular when you think about it.

Inquiy-Based Learning in the Classroom

     I have used inquiry-based learning in the form of webquests while teaching high school English in the past. In particular, I remember using a webquest with the goal of students writing a persuasive essay about the war in Iraq. I set up a document with several sources relating to current events and politics. I then had the students search these sites in order to find answers to questions I had written regarding the war. For instance, I asked: How much does the war cost the U.S. everyday? After answering these questions through their research, they were able to form an opinion about the war and talk about in an educated manner.
     I thought it was important for the students to able to form an opinion about important current events. This is a good example of how inquiry-based learning can be used in the classroom to help students in the future. Many of the students could now hold endless discussions on the Iraq war and war itself.
    

Feel free to check out my new website. It will be changing constantly!

My Website (Work In Progress)

UDL for Active Readers

I have posted my UDL and the subject is active reading. When students read there are many tools they can use to help them gain a strong understanding of the text. There are different "tools" they can use to help them regardless of their love or level of reading. These "tools" fall under three categories: Pre-Reading, During Reading and Post Reading. I have created a tree with an example of each tool under each category.