Hello all of you faithful "Tyler on Technology" followers (if there are any),
I am sad, but not too sad, to say that this will be my final posting on the blog. I will keep blogging, but not in this venue. My wife Emily and I will be blogging about our young son Leo. But, this technology blog has run its course.
And a good course it was. I remember throwing up my first posting and being so excited about it. Now it is just another posting. I have gotten quite comfortable in my Web 2.0 skills. This program has been great in exposing all of the students to a good many different tech tools. For that I am glad. I love wiki's, blogs, Voicethreads, podcasts and so many other tools. These tools are great and I am so glad that I learned about these technologies.
This brings be to my current class, New and Emerging Technologies. In this course I wrote a plan to use an online learning module, a persuasive report to educate my colleagues, and an introduction that could be used to help get a grant for the technology. This process has helped me realize that if I sit down and put a plan together for technology, I can help my school make some big advances. This project is actually something that I am already working on! Some other teachers and I have been working on the Moodle that our school currently has running. We are writing curriculum and are trying to put together some valuable tools. It is hard work, but I feel the results will be great.
I feel that this course has also got me to see the new technologies that are coming down the pike. I have been very excited about the new tools such as Ipads, games, and MUVE's. I feel like I can help the higher-ups in my school help purchase smart tools. No More TV's!! We need projectors, wi-fi, and other cutting edge and internet based tools. We were still buying VCR's last year!! We have to see what's coming and be ahead of the curve if we want to be leaders in technology. I feel that this course has helped me become that leader.
It has been a good run here on Tyler on Technology. I appreciate all of the help and advice that everyone has given me. Good luck to everyone in the future. Keep teaching. These kids need us!!
God Bless,
Tyler
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Moodle? What is that?
Hey everybody!
Long time no post! I have a Screen Toaster Video that I would like you to check out if you have time:
http://www.screentoaster.com/watch/stUEpQSkBIRFtZSVtZXV9ZXlBQ/moodle_potential
Let me know what you think!
Tyler
Long time no post! I have a Screen Toaster Video that I would like you to check out if you have time:
http://www.screentoaster.com/watch/stUEpQSkBIRFtZSVtZXV9ZXlBQ/moodle_potential
Let me know what you think!
Tyler
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Final Blog Post on UDL and DI
Hey Everyone,
It has been a long time since the blog was furthered with another concise and yet informative post. But, I am always up to let everyone know how I am feeling about the class and how its going (or in this case, wrapping up).
First, I have to say that I am now a big fan of both UDL and DI. I have to say that the theory behind UDL aligns very well with my own philosophy. Why not set up a classroom so that everyone can learn? Especially when the set up makes it easier for everyone to learn? Who doesn't want that? DI also has its place in the classroom, and I know that they overlap quite a bit. This class has turned me on to both ideas.
The NING that my group has been using has been nothing but a wealth of tools for UDL and DI. I have found a some tools that I don't think that I could teach without now that I know they are there. This gave me a great idea though. I need to make sure that I have a place to both organize my tools and get my students access to those tools. Since I found them on this NING, why not list them and post them on a NING. This way I can empower my students by letting them choose the aides that they would like. So, if I had a student who likes text to speech software, he or she can jsut go to the class NING and start using the software. This is only one example, but the idea holds for all of the tools that I have found. If I am teaching my students a topic that fits in well with a certain tool such as visual aides or an online tools, I can mention it explicitly, but otherwise, I can let the students use the tools as they need them.
When it comes to how I think I will change my teaching immediately, I think that it is all about my mindset. I used to go and just assume that my lesson was going to be sufficient for all of my students. Now I know better. I have to stop and think about how my diverse students all receive my lesson. I cannot just assume that everyone will do just fine. I have to start looking for all of the issues that may occur. I have to anticipate how visual learners, ELL students, students on an IEP, and all of the other types of students in my class will react to my methods. As soon as I start planning for DI and UDL, my teaching will improve. I am sure of it.
This has been an eye-opening class. I am really glad to get an insight into these two teaching philosophies. I truly believe that I am a better teacher for it. I can't wait to see how my changes in my teaching approach affect my students learning. I hope it will work, but I am certain it can't hurt!
See you next time!
Tyler
It has been a long time since the blog was furthered with another concise and yet informative post. But, I am always up to let everyone know how I am feeling about the class and how its going (or in this case, wrapping up).
First, I have to say that I am now a big fan of both UDL and DI. I have to say that the theory behind UDL aligns very well with my own philosophy. Why not set up a classroom so that everyone can learn? Especially when the set up makes it easier for everyone to learn? Who doesn't want that? DI also has its place in the classroom, and I know that they overlap quite a bit. This class has turned me on to both ideas.
The NING that my group has been using has been nothing but a wealth of tools for UDL and DI. I have found a some tools that I don't think that I could teach without now that I know they are there. This gave me a great idea though. I need to make sure that I have a place to both organize my tools and get my students access to those tools. Since I found them on this NING, why not list them and post them on a NING. This way I can empower my students by letting them choose the aides that they would like. So, if I had a student who likes text to speech software, he or she can jsut go to the class NING and start using the software. This is only one example, but the idea holds for all of the tools that I have found. If I am teaching my students a topic that fits in well with a certain tool such as visual aides or an online tools, I can mention it explicitly, but otherwise, I can let the students use the tools as they need them.
When it comes to how I think I will change my teaching immediately, I think that it is all about my mindset. I used to go and just assume that my lesson was going to be sufficient for all of my students. Now I know better. I have to stop and think about how my diverse students all receive my lesson. I cannot just assume that everyone will do just fine. I have to start looking for all of the issues that may occur. I have to anticipate how visual learners, ELL students, students on an IEP, and all of the other types of students in my class will react to my methods. As soon as I start planning for DI and UDL, my teaching will improve. I am sure of it.
This has been an eye-opening class. I am really glad to get an insight into these two teaching philosophies. I truly believe that I am a better teacher for it. I can't wait to see how my changes in my teaching approach affect my students learning. I hope it will work, but I am certain it can't hurt!
See you next time!
Tyler
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Week 8 Final Reflection
Finally,
One final post to wrap up the class.
I am pretty satisfied with how my GAME plan worked out. I did get some real world applications involved in my classroom. The applications used a lot of different technologies. It all went really well.
My collaboration fell apart. I realize now that I was going about it all wrong. I was trying to bite off more than I could chew! I was picturing all kinds of live chats and Skype interviews. Really, I needed more emails and just regular correspondence. I think that I will eventually get in some collaboration going, but right now, I am going to focus on what is going right. So, I have learned a lot about how to incorporate real world applications and how they will fit into my units. Thus, the impact that the GAME plan had on my practice is an increase in the amount of real-world applications that I will be using. I plan on doing one in each of the courses that I teach this year.
I also think that I have learned how easy it is to use a form of technology in some aspect of my teaching. Whether it is in the body of the lesson or whether it is in the assessment, technology can be used. That will be the immediate change in my practice. Technology will start to work its way into my units with the applications.
Thanks for a great course everyone!
Tyler Winner
One final post to wrap up the class.
I am pretty satisfied with how my GAME plan worked out. I did get some real world applications involved in my classroom. The applications used a lot of different technologies. It all went really well.
My collaboration fell apart. I realize now that I was going about it all wrong. I was trying to bite off more than I could chew! I was picturing all kinds of live chats and Skype interviews. Really, I needed more emails and just regular correspondence. I think that I will eventually get in some collaboration going, but right now, I am going to focus on what is going right. So, I have learned a lot about how to incorporate real world applications and how they will fit into my units. Thus, the impact that the GAME plan had on my practice is an increase in the amount of real-world applications that I will be using. I plan on doing one in each of the courses that I teach this year.
I also think that I have learned how easy it is to use a form of technology in some aspect of my teaching. Whether it is in the body of the lesson or whether it is in the assessment, technology can be used. That will be the immediate change in my practice. Technology will start to work its way into my units with the applications.
Thanks for a great course everyone!
Tyler Winner
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Week 7 Reflection on the GAME Plan
Hey everyone. One final look at our GAME plans to see how they worked and to see what we have learned.
I have to say that I am glad that we learned about this process. I can't say that it was easy to have something new about the plan every week. I think the main thing I learned was that the G of the GAME plan (Goals) is the most important part. We have to set goals every year to get something new accomplished. It becomes too easy to just rest on what we have previously done in this profession. We have seen it in ourselves and in our colleagues. The ruts can become very deep. This is why we have to set (and write down) new goals every year to challenge ourselves and get a new tool, method, or strategy. Writing down goals is key to good teaching.
Having the goals about collaboration and real world applications made me really aware about the lack of these two aspects in my teaching. These are two things that I always planned to put into my teaching. When I was in my undergrad, I was all about these and other types of non-lecture teaching. But, the day to day grind got me hooked back on lecture. I have to STOP! It was great to work on this shift. I have already done two projects that use math applications, and they worked wonderfully.
When I looked at the NETS standards, they just look like a bunch of goals. They are all things that we aspire to do. If we do the teacher standards, then we will accomplish the student standards as well. When I compare them, the two sets are inseparable. One will follow the other. So, again I think that it is all about goals. If we as teachers set ourselves high tech goals, our students will have no choice but to accomplish student tech goals.
Agree?
Tyler
I have to say that I am glad that we learned about this process. I can't say that it was easy to have something new about the plan every week. I think the main thing I learned was that the G of the GAME plan (Goals) is the most important part. We have to set goals every year to get something new accomplished. It becomes too easy to just rest on what we have previously done in this profession. We have seen it in ourselves and in our colleagues. The ruts can become very deep. This is why we have to set (and write down) new goals every year to challenge ourselves and get a new tool, method, or strategy. Writing down goals is key to good teaching.
Having the goals about collaboration and real world applications made me really aware about the lack of these two aspects in my teaching. These are two things that I always planned to put into my teaching. When I was in my undergrad, I was all about these and other types of non-lecture teaching. But, the day to day grind got me hooked back on lecture. I have to STOP! It was great to work on this shift. I have already done two projects that use math applications, and they worked wonderfully.
When I looked at the NETS standards, they just look like a bunch of goals. They are all things that we aspire to do. If we do the teacher standards, then we will accomplish the student standards as well. When I compare them, the two sets are inseparable. One will follow the other. So, again I think that it is all about goals. If we as teachers set ourselves high tech goals, our students will have no choice but to accomplish student tech goals.
Agree?
Tyler
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Week 6 Wrap up!
Thanks for all of the comments folks!
I am glad that I am not alone when it comes to the lecture problem. I will work to get some variation into my lessons right away. Good luck everyone with the final two weeks. See you on the discussion boards!
Tyler
I am glad that I am not alone when it comes to the lecture problem. I will work to get some variation into my lessons right away. Good luck everyone with the final two weeks. See you on the discussion boards!
Tyler
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Week 6 GAME Update
Hey everyone,
Sometimes I think that it is hard to come up with something new (events) on our GAME plans every week. But, I think that I have come up with some new conclusions about my GAME plan.
What have I learned so far from my GAME Plan that I can apply to my practice?
I think that the one thing that I have learned is that students like real world applications and technology better than the normal pen and paper notes. I have to keep that in mind when I plan my new lessons and units next year.
What new goals do I have and what goals am I still working for?
I am still working on my goal of collaboration. It is hard to do. The effort needed and the teamwork that is needed is immense if I cannot get on the web. If you haven't been following my issues, I have one of the worst web filters in the history of web filters. So, I have been looking "in house" and the response has been less than perfect. So, I am continuing on a crusade at district office to let up on this craziness. I figure that if I fight that good fight, I can get things better in the long run. That is my new goal. Taking down the Filter!
What learning approaches will I try next time to improve my learning?
I will try more problem based learning. But, I will also try anything that gets me out of lecturing. I get tire of lecturing so much. We are only half way through the 2nd nine weeks in my school and I am already all lectured out. I have to work on this. I will not make it through my career if I have to lecture this much. Getting student centered lessons written will take a long time, but it is worth it!
This is where I am sitting with my GAME plan. Can't wait to see how yours' are going!
Tyler
Sometimes I think that it is hard to come up with something new (events) on our GAME plans every week. But, I think that I have come up with some new conclusions about my GAME plan.
What have I learned so far from my GAME Plan that I can apply to my practice?
I think that the one thing that I have learned is that students like real world applications and technology better than the normal pen and paper notes. I have to keep that in mind when I plan my new lessons and units next year.
What new goals do I have and what goals am I still working for?
I am still working on my goal of collaboration. It is hard to do. The effort needed and the teamwork that is needed is immense if I cannot get on the web. If you haven't been following my issues, I have one of the worst web filters in the history of web filters. So, I have been looking "in house" and the response has been less than perfect. So, I am continuing on a crusade at district office to let up on this craziness. I figure that if I fight that good fight, I can get things better in the long run. That is my new goal. Taking down the Filter!
What learning approaches will I try next time to improve my learning?
I will try more problem based learning. But, I will also try anything that gets me out of lecturing. I get tire of lecturing so much. We are only half way through the 2nd nine weeks in my school and I am already all lectured out. I have to work on this. I will not make it through my career if I have to lecture this much. Getting student centered lessons written will take a long time, but it is worth it!
This is where I am sitting with my GAME plan. Can't wait to see how yours' are going!
Tyler
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