Video Discussion Board #1

Transcript:

My name is Erin Curry and this is my response to the first video discussion board prompt.

The prompt asks how an effective teacher balances the demand of a standards-based curriculum that is catered to the individual needs of a student. First, a teacher must know their students. This takes time and the process of knowing and understanding your students occurs all year long. Next, a teacher needs to be aware of different technologies that are available to assist in providing for the various needs of learners. One must be aware of ways to transform content to make it visually, auditorially, and kinesthetically available to students. Shute and Zapata-Rivera (2008) describe the various ways to adapt content for students. They point out that one must be aware of the differences among students in incoming knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as the differences in demographic and affective variables. Teachers must work to provide content that is accessible to students of all types of differences. What I find helpful in my classroom is to use tools that are multipurpose and are easy to use. Tools that are easily accessible, and user-friendly. As Holland (2014) puts it, we as teachers need to give our students technologies that provide a platform for exploration and knowledge construction, and that also allows them the opportunity to choose how they will demonstrate their learning. By providing them with these types of technologies, most students will quickly pick up on how to use it and can then become available for others who need assistance. This type of teaching is what Shute and Zapata-Rivera (2008) describe as being a collaborative learning environment.

The tools that I rely on to help meet the demands for meeting standards and meeting the needs of my students is the various Personal Learning Networks (or PLN’s) that I have become a part of. Through Facebook, ISTE, and Google, I have found many specified groups that discuss various topics that relate to my specific role. These PLN groups help with troubleshooting and answering the questions that I come across during teaching, and provide me with feedback on adaptive technologies, and insight on new and engaging ways to transform content.

Some of the most successful best-practices I have learned when incorporating technology in my lessons is flexibility and being open to learning from mistakes. The truth is, as great as technology is, it rarely ever goes 100% according to plan. When I can show my students that I am flexible and willing to work through the issues to find a solution, it gives them an example to follow. By being open to admit uncertainty, and by walking them through my problem-solving process, it helps them to know how to work through problems they may face. Adaptability is not only important when it comes to technology choices, but also our attitudes and mindsets as well.

Holland, B. (2014, June 30). Cardboard Box Tools. Retrieved May 15, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/cardboard-box-tools-beth-holland

Shute, V. J., & Zapata-Rivera, D. (2008). Chapter 24, Adaptive Technologies. In D. Jonassen (Author), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (3rd ed., p. 280). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.