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
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