Module 8: Of everything you learned, what do you think will have the biggest impact on student learning?

I think the biggest impact is going to be student and teacher attitude. Students are going to stop setting in rows, falling asleep, not caring about what goes on in school and take control. Students have to do their own research. The fact that they get to use the internet and some web 2.0 tools is amazing. Those who stayed disconnected and really didn't care may now have their time to shine. Teachers are also going to have to give up a little bit of control that they have and give it to the students. Once both parties get to a happy medium, I think things will flow a lot better.

Module 7: Now you have an opportunity to look back on the materials you have created in this course for your Unit Portfolio. You have a wide variety of support materials and a completed student-centered unit that helps students develop 21st century skills and encourages self-direction. You have applied the unit evaluation rubric to your unit plan. Based on that assessment, note any changes you would like to make to your Unit Portfolio in your blog post for Module 7.

I am still trying to make it more grade level appropriate. This project seemed as though it was a Civil War unit for 11th grade and not 5th grade. I have changed the SOLs to CSOs. I have tweaked the CFQs n such. I am still working on some of it. It needs a lot of work. I still need to work on the assessment and how they want to do their layout of the actual project. It is not student centered enough.

Module 6: This module has helped me think about self-directed learners and the role of differentiation in the following ways...

All students learn differently. Because of this, we need to make sure that we are accommodating all learners in the best way possible. Giving students freedoms within the guidelines to be creative in their own way is a viable way to take steps in the right direction to this happening.

Module 4 Reflection: How can technology be used most effectively to support and assess student learning?

When I look at a test or an essay, I can see what students have memorized for that day. When I do a project with students where they have to include blogging and responding to blogs, I can see their opinion. If I also incorporate a photo story, glog, voice thread, etc., I can also see what they have learned because it is not memorization. It is research, thinking, understanding, and interpreting into their own words and views. I can really see if students have grasped the concept or not.

Module 3 Reflection: This module has helped me think about the impact of the Internet on my students' learning in the following ways...

I think that it is going to help their higher level thinking skills. Students are also going to have to take on more of a responsibility for their own learning and how important it really is. I think it will also make students more engaged. They are so used to being stimulated by their xbox and video games that we need something to help stimulate and I really think that using the internet and teaching them responsible ways to use it will be really helpful. 

Module 2 Reflection: This module has helped me think about using standards, CFQs or formative assessment in the following ways:

I need to make sure that I am going to only record standards that I plan on assessing. I do not need to use a lot of standards. By doing this, I could use sight of what I am concentrating on. CFQs are very tricky. I need to start with content questions and move up in my questioning. Otherwise things can get very confusing and do not match at all what I am trying to get across to my students.

Module 1 Reflection: This module has made me think about my role as an instructional designer in the following ways-

I know that as a teacher, I am going to have to do my own research. As I create the project I really need to do it myself. I can find successes and failures so that I can better teach students.
I need to be able to:

• feel comfortable about using technology on my own and with students in an educational setting.
• find/create a safe place for my students and I to blog and other useful tools my students will need in their journey.
• see how my role as an educator is going to have to change. I will go from being someone who provides all the information and gives it to students to someone who will facilitate higher-level thinking and lets the students take the driver's seat.

I need to think about:

• How much time is this going to involve?
• How my students learn and how I can best accommodate all learners in my class.
• Am I going to have to seek others to help with planning or even working with my class during the project?

The one thing I need to keep telling myself is to take this one step at a time, step back and look at the situation, and make the best decisions necessary to make this project work for my students.