Foundations
Meaningful Learning Story
Mastering Another Language
Around five years ago, my mother comes up to me and tells me that she has this student in her class who comes from an unusual family. All of this student’s siblings are adopted except for her. So in having a big family, there has to be a stable income, is what one would assume. With my curiosity piqued, I continue to ask my mom what it is that her student’s parents do for a living? She tells me that her parents are American Sign Language interpreters. Not knowing much about this profession, I headed to do some research on the Internet. The more I looked into it, the more interested I became in this subject, and I was completely fascinated by it!
With this fascination always running through my mind, I went back to my mother and asked her if there was anything I could do to feed this desire to learn more about it. So, my mother goes to her student’s mom and asks her if it is possible for her to teach me American Sign Language, and to my fortune, she says of course! These weekly tutoring sessions helped to fuel a passion of mine that I still have to this day.
American Sign Language is not a skill that you see listed on every résumé or even brought up in every day conversation. It is a unique language that helps to bring the deaf culture into everyday life. So why learn it? Well for one, I wanted to be able to help others who may not be able to help themselves. To my surprise, it has actually been put to great use. Back at home; I interpret church services for the deaf members of my church. It brings me great joy and satisfaction knowing that I was able to help someone who otherwise would not have been able to receive the Word from The Lord. Also, if one is to be completely honest, I know that there is a lucrative career in interpretation and that it is needed everywhere: offices, schools, hospitals, churches, and the list could go on. Therefore, if something were to fall through with my dream career, I know that I would have a backup plan that would be just as beneficial. Finally, I know that learning American Sign Language sets me apart from the rest of the crowd, and I am all about being different.
To this day, I still practice American Sign Language in my free time. It is a passion of mine that I will never let go of. I hope that in the very near future (within the next year or so) I become certified in American Sign Language. But, until then, I will keep improving upon my skills, and always think back to that one family I was lucky to know, because without that chance of meeting them, I would have never know about the joy that comes with mastering another language.
Chapter 1 Reading Response
Reading Response: Meaningful Learning with Technology
There were many things that could be taken away from this chapter. However, the overall idea was that technology could be used to facilitate meaningful learning, rather than used as a crutch to regurgitate information to the students. Throughout the history of education, the use of technology has become more and more prevalent. Nowadays, teachers are incorporating technology as the main component of their classroom, allowing the children to learn with technology, instead of from.
This reading definitely opened up my eyes on the topic of technology in the classroom. Before, I always thought of students (myself included) learning from technology. As if technology were the same as the teacher, just giving the lesson. However, after reading, I realize that technology in the classroom is so much more than that. Technology can be used in more ways than one can imagine. It has the ability to produce a meaningful learning experience, one that will leave a lasting impression on the student. Once they learn a skill of technology, it would be hard for them to forget it and the impact it will have on the rest of their lives and careers.
In my opinion, there were no limitations of the reading. I thought that each portion of the chapter, whether it be what meaningful learning consists of or what it takes to incorporate technology, was completely relevant and flowed together nicely. Even though, I am not going into education, I found the information in this chapter applicable to any career. Overall, this chapter on meaningful learning helped to broaden my views on what meaningful learning actually consists of and how technology can help to achieve this goal.
Article Summary
Five Tips for Incorporating Technology in the Classroom Summary
When it comes to incorporating new technology into the classroom, teachers have feelings that lie on opposite ends of the spectrum. On one hand, some teachers are ecstatic at the idea of new technology to help aid student learning. While on the other hand, there are some teachers who dread the thought of placing new technology in the classroom because it could bring about hours of learning how to use it and incorporate it into various lessons. However there are some tips that can help to find the middle of these two extremes.
First off, teachers can be strategically paired during staff development training. This can allow opportunity for the technologically savvy teachers to work with the technologically challenged teachers. By working in groups, it establishes a support system, so that the teachers who are nervous about technology can feel at ease.
Another tip that can help incorporate technology is to listen to teachers. Teachers can tell you their strength and weaknesses when it comes to incorporating technology and with additional assistance they can strengthen their weaknesses and keep their strengths strong.
Moving along, the third tip that can help teachers is to find free apps and demonstrate how to use them. The teachers learned about apps that they could use in their classroom. In order to learn them, they had to present a project using the app that they could then in turn use in their own classroom.
The next tip that could ease the use of technology in the classroom is to establish an internal blog for teachers. Through the creation of a blog, teachers can share their ideas, problems, tips, etc. Blogging allows teachers all over the country to stay connected with other teachers, strengthen the support system that was mentioned earlier.
Finally, the last tip to help incorporate technology into the classroom is to create a climate where innovation is valued. Freedom is everything. Teachers need the freedom to explore new areas and to try out their new ideas in the classroom. In order for a teacher to feel comfortable with incorporating technology, they need to have control of their own classroom.
These tips can be useful in the classroom, allowing for a smooth transition from doubtful teachers to innovative teachers.
Works Cited
Stanfield, S. (2014, January 1). Five Tips for Incorporating New Technology in the Classroom. Learning & Leading Through Technology, 34-35.
When it comes to incorporating new technology into the classroom, teachers have feelings that lie on opposite ends of the spectrum. On one hand, some teachers are ecstatic at the idea of new technology to help aid student learning. While on the other hand, there are some teachers who dread the thought of placing new technology in the classroom because it could bring about hours of learning how to use it and incorporate it into various lessons. However there are some tips that can help to find the middle of these two extremes.
First off, teachers can be strategically paired during staff development training. This can allow opportunity for the technologically savvy teachers to work with the technologically challenged teachers. By working in groups, it establishes a support system, so that the teachers who are nervous about technology can feel at ease.
Another tip that can help incorporate technology is to listen to teachers. Teachers can tell you their strength and weaknesses when it comes to incorporating technology and with additional assistance they can strengthen their weaknesses and keep their strengths strong.
Moving along, the third tip that can help teachers is to find free apps and demonstrate how to use them. The teachers learned about apps that they could use in their classroom. In order to learn them, they had to present a project using the app that they could then in turn use in their own classroom.
The next tip that could ease the use of technology in the classroom is to establish an internal blog for teachers. Through the creation of a blog, teachers can share their ideas, problems, tips, etc. Blogging allows teachers all over the country to stay connected with other teachers, strengthen the support system that was mentioned earlier.
Finally, the last tip to help incorporate technology into the classroom is to create a climate where innovation is valued. Freedom is everything. Teachers need the freedom to explore new areas and to try out their new ideas in the classroom. In order for a teacher to feel comfortable with incorporating technology, they need to have control of their own classroom.
These tips can be useful in the classroom, allowing for a smooth transition from doubtful teachers to innovative teachers.
Works Cited
Stanfield, S. (2014, January 1). Five Tips for Incorporating New Technology in the Classroom. Learning & Leading Through Technology, 34-35.
Reading Response: Personalized Learning
Personalized learning is a term used in the classroom in order for teachers to stray away from “one-size-fits all” instruction and ease into a classroom that reaches the needs of each student. Through personalized learning, the instruction within the classroom is personalized, differentiated, and individualized. This allows for a child to feel at ease, making him or her fully capable of learning in their own way. However, not every classroom currently has implemented personalized learning, but there are steps that can be taken in order to incorporate it into the classroom.
First off, a teacher needs to understand who your learners are and how they learn best. This means a teacher needs to take the time to learn the student’s strengths, challenges, talents, and interests. The next step is to design a stage one personalized learning environment. Through setting up a classroom with different learning zones, a child has a choice in where and how they want to express themselves. Next, a teacher should create a universally designed lesson. This lesson should be flexible enough to meet the needs of each individual learner, but should incorporate methods, materials, and goals that will work for everyone. Step four is to facilitate driving and supporting questions. Step five tells teachers to choose tools, resources, and strategies for learning and teaching, creating a personal learning backpack in the end. The sixth and final step says to use assessment as learning. Allow the learners to see their own learning, and then take the feedback from an assessment to better them and to make adjustments. Through these six steps, a “one-size fits all” classroom will no longer be around, and a teacher’s students will receive personalized instruction.
Through the course of EDIT 2000, the goal is to incorporate technology into the classroom. So how does become a personalized learning classroom involve technology? The technology comes into play through individualization, differentiation, and personalization. In differentiation, the teacher changes the instruction to fit the needs of the learner, and incorporates technology to fit that group of learners. For personalization, learners can have contact to a set of technology to support their own learning, in their own way. Finally, through individualization, the teacher chooses technology for each student’s individual education plan.
In conclusion, done are the days of standard classroom where everyone is expected to be on the same level. Nowadays, teachers are personalizing their classrooms and teaching styles to bring it down to an individualized level that will fit the needs of every student. Through this personalized learning, every student can feel like they are on the right track. The best part about it is that technology can be included in this process as well. As the time changes, education changes along with it, and teachers have to be able to adapt and incorporate these changes so that their students can do the same.
Works Cited
Learning and Leading - May 2013. (2013, May 1). Retrieved January 28, 2015, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201305#pg16
First off, a teacher needs to understand who your learners are and how they learn best. This means a teacher needs to take the time to learn the student’s strengths, challenges, talents, and interests. The next step is to design a stage one personalized learning environment. Through setting up a classroom with different learning zones, a child has a choice in where and how they want to express themselves. Next, a teacher should create a universally designed lesson. This lesson should be flexible enough to meet the needs of each individual learner, but should incorporate methods, materials, and goals that will work for everyone. Step four is to facilitate driving and supporting questions. Step five tells teachers to choose tools, resources, and strategies for learning and teaching, creating a personal learning backpack in the end. The sixth and final step says to use assessment as learning. Allow the learners to see their own learning, and then take the feedback from an assessment to better them and to make adjustments. Through these six steps, a “one-size fits all” classroom will no longer be around, and a teacher’s students will receive personalized instruction.
Through the course of EDIT 2000, the goal is to incorporate technology into the classroom. So how does become a personalized learning classroom involve technology? The technology comes into play through individualization, differentiation, and personalization. In differentiation, the teacher changes the instruction to fit the needs of the learner, and incorporates technology to fit that group of learners. For personalization, learners can have contact to a set of technology to support their own learning, in their own way. Finally, through individualization, the teacher chooses technology for each student’s individual education plan.
In conclusion, done are the days of standard classroom where everyone is expected to be on the same level. Nowadays, teachers are personalizing their classrooms and teaching styles to bring it down to an individualized level that will fit the needs of every student. Through this personalized learning, every student can feel like they are on the right track. The best part about it is that technology can be included in this process as well. As the time changes, education changes along with it, and teachers have to be able to adapt and incorporate these changes so that their students can do the same.
Works Cited
Learning and Leading - May 2013. (2013, May 1). Retrieved January 28, 2015, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201305#pg16