AT and UDL In Education

 Illinois Assistive Technology Guidance Manual Assistive Technology Tool 

AT and UDL are in the same category of what they are meant to help with. Specifically to help with the variability of learners educators can get inside a classroom. Whatever tools you are using should be able to bridge the gap between when a student is not able to complete an assignment or do an activity and can actually participate like any other student in the standard's activities. Some examples of AT

-poor sight: use of device to enlarge text or picture

-poor speech: use of device to speak for the student

-poor hearing: use of device to create and have subtitles or a text version of an audio segment

-poor attention: use of device to bring the student's attention back on the teacher and the classroom

-poor language: use of device to translate and aid in questionable language moments

From my own personal experiences I have seen specific tools used for poor sight and poor attention in students. My little brother has poor sight so teachers are usually able to provide some kind of Chromebook, tablet, or general device that is available for students. this allows for the student to have something close to them instead of half-way across the room that they are squinting to see. There is also the universal problem every teacher has of getting the attention of your students back at you. I have seen this problem solved with an Amazon Wireless Doorbell! They will plug in the actual doorbell that plays a ringtone anywhere in the room with the teacher holding into a button that can activate the ringtone. Whenever teachers notice attention elsewhere or needs the class to regroup, just press the button and you have a nice and short song to signal attention needs to be brought back up to the teacher.

Assistive Technology

When I worked part time at a school district there were students  that learned in different ways and at different paces. One that I want to focus on is special needs students. These students primarily utilized Ipads for their lessons and learning. This was for multiple reasons. The first is that the devices were housed in protective casing and were also strictly ran by a full touch screen display. This allowed the students to use the devices freely without major concern about damage. The next reason for the Ipad's being so practical is that it eliminated a lot of the need for paper books and worksheets. Students could draw, type, or read on the Ipad without having to worry about ripping the sheets for damaging a book. The last point of emphasis would be the pre-loaded software that came on the Ipads. This software was geared toward a specific group of students that learned in a certain way. This is a great example of AT.

Assistive Technology & UDL

In chapter 3 of the Illinois Assistive Technology Guide Manual, both assistive technology and UDL technology address the individual learning needs of students. But the methods taken for each are not the same. UDL is a proactive strategy and its main point is to reduce barriers that are restricting the children from learning. Assistive technology is given after evaluation and referral, while UDL is something that is given to everyone who understands people need specialized support. AT is a reactive approach which allows the students to perform tasks at an experience level. The use of AT is issued when a student with a disability might be having trouble when engaging in a curricular task.
UDL and AT can also both coexist. Such tools can be used with UDL and AT when an individual needs to overcome a barrier that would not be possible to pass without the certain tool.


The lesson I chose was a social studies lesson for fourth graders.The lesson was about recognizing American symbols. The students will first watch a video on different American symbols, then research symbols on their own. After researching symbols, the students get to choose which tool they would like to display their symbols they have just learned on. These tools included a graphic organizer, Pebblego, and Brainpop. Students can work together researching different symbols and by working together, they can help each other if a student does not fully understand. These tools are not just useful for American symbols, they students can learn about these tools and use them for other lessons or assignments.

UDL and AT

Universal design of learning are a set of rules that are for a curriculum development that results in equal opportunities for all students. This helps all types of students with different backgrounds and learning abilities to reach their academic goal in school.  Assistive Technology are different types of technologies that are specific for students with disabilities. UDL and AT are tools to help address concepts of a learner variability and helps the individual needs of a learner.  I think that this technology is a great tool for the classroom. For assistive technology the student can use an iPad to help him speck or tell emotions. This is a new way for them to learn in a way they couldn't before.


On the resources that i found on UDL was how lesson plans can help with books languages. How it can help students know the language. Its for Monkey Paw and its to help students with the language in the book. This website helps diverse learners because it can show students how to do things properly and shows things in different ways. So different learners it helps them learn in different ways. Its using prior knowledge while trying to add in new information while teaching. Its helping add on new information with using information students already had. If not having this prior knowledge it can also help with showing the information for beginning on with the rest of the lesson. You could use this tool to help write lesson plans and build new ideas and better ways to teach them. New ways to show students you may need a new way to learn how to do the lesson and get to know the information. 

Assistive Technology in the classroom

I have plenty experience with using assistive technology in the classroom. While doing observation hours last semester in special education classroom and now working at a special education school, I've seen almost every communication device there is. Communication devices are a way for no verbal or verbal students to communicate there needs and wants. Working with non verbal students, they have no way of communicating with peers and instructors on what they need, as far as, going to the bathroom, being hungry, or simply wanting a drink. With verbal students, sometimes if they are in a crisis behavior, it is also hard for them to communicate or sometimes they might refuse to communicate, but instead use their device.

Another resource I was interested in on CAST, is vocabulary building for high school students. In high school, I was one of those students who struggled with reading difficult words. After struggling for a while, I eventually began uninterested in the book and closed it. This lesson helps learners with the difficult vocabulary words before reading a text. "Learners often struggle with classic literature because of the vocabulary demands--some words are archaic and some are above grade level for today's students. This vocabulary lesson is for use before students begin the short story, "The Monkey's Paw." The lesson uses words from this classic story to support vocabulary growth and increased reading comprehension." the goal of this lesson was to help and assist students with reading.

UDL

Universal Design for Learning allows students equal opportunities for learning in a classroom or school. It is important that all types of students receive equal education and the school should be able to accommodate to all needs. According to the article it states that,  "It seeks to ensure that students (a) receive multiple representations of curricular content that are best suited for individual access and comprehension; (b) are engaged in curricular activities in ways that allow students to best ‘key into’ the content being taught; and (c) are allowed to present evidence of their learning using strategies that are most effective for them."

This is an important aspect in UDL because ensuring students success in a variety of ways that help accommodate to the students specific way of learning. Every student learns differently, therefore there should be a variety of ways to ensure the student receives the proper learning technique for themselves.

UDL also emphasizes that students should be able to have specialized formats including, but not limited to, textbooks or related print materials. These can help the students with their specific learning strategy and allow them to expand their knowledge in a classroom.

After looking through the different forms of lessons on the UDL exchange website, I have seen many informative strategies to be used in a classroom. A variety of technology tools in a classroom can help the student explore options that fit best for them. In many of the lesson plans I have observed through this website, I noticed a large variety of materials and supplies used throughout the lessons. This is important because it allows students to explore other options they have through the lessons or activities given in class. Technology and different tools used in a classroom can help students to learn and practice skills to succeed.

I think one of the key aspects in universal design for learning is to make learning accessible for all students regardless if they have a disability or not. All students should be able to interact together in a classroom equally and fairly. Teachers should be able to try and work with technological tools for all students to be able to explore all their learning capabilities. This is important because students should feel comfortable and to experience equal opportunities in a classroom. For example, Ipads used in a classroom should allow the student to use their resources over the internet to further push them to expand their knowledge.

Assistive Technology and Universal Design

Respond to ideas in Chapter 3 of Illinois Assistive Technology Guidance Manual about Assistive Technology and Universal Design, specifically how each functions in the realm of Free Public Education and/or Common Core State Standards.  What experiences can you draw upon (work, family, field experiences) that inform your position?

Universal Design emphasized that every classroom has a variety of learners and abilities, and a teacher needs to be able to create and meet goals with her class as a whole but also needs to consider every individual student. Assistive technology relates to this because it is a tool that can help teachers with making accommodations for students who need them. They are not interchangeable, but they do go hand in hand. UDL is meant to ensure that students receive multiple representations of curricular content that are best suited for the individual, are engaged in curricular activities and are allowed to present evidence of their learning with whatever strategy is best for them. AT does not lay out expectations like this, but it helps teachers and students to meet these expectations. 

I have only spent 60 hours observing in special education school and classrooms. In that time, I learned a substantial amount about Assistive Technology. Many autistic children (and adults) who have trouble communicating are able to use technology as their voice. Whether they are nonverbal or do not want to talk, they can use a tablet or a cellphone as their voice. At one school, the tablets were actually referred to as "your voice" - teachers would tell students use your voice or use your words, and using the tablet is what they meant. These devices helped students to reach levels that they likely would not be able to reach otherwise. I have also see assistive technology used for students who are below grade level. Many schools pull students from class to have reading or math intervention time at computers. They use programs that are intender to catch student up with their grade level. 

Look at this lesson. Note the author's reflection. What does she say about the design and implementation.

The author really seems to like her lesson. Everything that she says is positive. She believes that going over the goals for students will help them understand what they should be focused on doing during the lesson. 

Browse the CAST Exchange for your grade and content level. Search specifically for lessons in which authors have written reflections and use technology tools/sites. Consider these questions:

• How do the lessons engage diverse learners?  

I looked at a lesson for PreK students on counting sets of 5. The lesson tarts with singing a song, then goes to a game with rolling dice. The teacher actually said to split the class into groups based on their math skill level and provide them with entirely different materials. This activity can engage all types of learners because there is movement, hand on experience, interaction and listening, along with written material. 

6. Select a technology tool to add to your curation. Try it. Write review.

I found a tool called book creator. It's purpose is to allow students of all ages o create and publish their own books online. I think that this is a great tool to teach technology and to work on literacy. I recall making my own books all throughout early childhood and elementary school, and being able to do it on a computer or tablet would be a nice change for students and teachers. 

Chapter 3 - UDL and AT

I think that assistive technology is great, especially when it comes to meeting the needs of every student. Because each student learns differently, you constantly need different tools to reinforce both behaviors and materials. I personally had a really unique experience to see a great assistive technology usage. When I was observing in a special education setting, there was a student that was completely nonverbal. The only words he did say were swear words that he learned from home. So, in an effort to help the child communicate, they gave him words (literally). On an iPad, they had a software installed in which the child could select words. For example, let's say this students name was Bob (For clarity, this is NOT the child's real name). There was a picture of Bob on the iPad and underneath his picture was his name. Then, there was another box that said "to go" with a stick figure running. There were more pictures too, but one I remember distinctly was a toilet with the word bathroom underneath. The child would select each button and the iPad would speak, " I go to the bathroom," which meant that Bob selected the corresponding boxes and needed to go to the bathroom. This helped the student control his emotions and because of the technology that was provided to him, he was allowed to communicate with his teachers and his peers which is something that was a major struggle for him! It was great to see technology be used in such a positive way and that the child was having such a positive emotional response to it as well.

Assistive technology is even great in a regular education setting, too. Through the UDL exchange site, I was able to see a lesson plan to help students with prepositions while using assistive technology. Using iPads, students will do a Where's Waldo/Elf on the Shelf activity. What they will do is they will have a figure (this can be anything from a stuffed animal to a drawing) and they can go around the school and take pictures of the figure, using the iPads, doing funny things to create a story made up of sentences using prepositions. This is a great assistive technology tool because the students are getting a concrete learning experience. Not only is it visual, but it is linguistic and kinesthet learning experiences as well.

http://udlexchange.cast.org/lesson/4468134

UDL and AT

I have a friend who has lost the ability to talk, walk, and see however he knows who he is and what has happened to him. A lot of people ask how do you know that? Well my friend Yuriy was given a communication device that helps him communicate. It was the first time that I seen assistive technology. How it works is that it goes through a list and when it comes to a certain topic he hits the big button with his elbow. Then another list will come up and so forth until it says what he wants it to say. I believe there is even a way for him to connect to Facebook and other social media account and even post things. Devices like these are simple amazing but for the people that need them it is a life changer.

UDL fits perfectly with assistive technology because there are about breaking down barriers in a diverse class rooms. Learning is as unique as our finger prints and it all about finding the right key for ever student. Think about all the students that now have assistive technology and have excelled because of it.

While exploring UDL exchange I came across a lesson on how to create a video game for children in the sixth grade. The authors reflections were very informative and this person seemed to really enjoy this lesson. This lesson is perfect for diverse learners as it could be a very simple game or a student could make it very complex. The program that is used for this is Scratch, it could be used to have ones' students create their own game or it could be modify to a teacher creating a game for their subject and having the students play it. For me it was difficult to grasp at first glance but after playing around with scratch and watching a few YouTube videos it be came easier.

UDL and AT

In the video we watches on UDL, it explained how students learning styles are as different as their fingerprints. Which means, students learn in all sorts of different ways. AT can be related to this because some students may need AT to help them learn more effectively on certain subjects, topics, or ideas. For example, a student may learn better by having an audio book playing in the background as they read along through the book. That student will need those tools to have that audio playing to help them read the book more effectively.

The article on AT explains how UDL is given to everyone and those tools will be used when they need them. So basically, they don't always need those tools. They only use them when they truly need that extra assistance for a certain subject, topic, or lesson. 

I used to work with special education preschool students. Half of the students actually did not need AT while the other half did. One student who needed extra help with verbal communication carried around a binder with pictures to show what they wanted to eat for snack. They also had this device that had audio voice recordings of the teacher saying things such as "yes please", "no thank you", and "I'm here" for the student to press when they wanted to respond with those phrases due to not being able to vocally say them without having trouble.
As I was browsing CAST I came across a lesson plan created for Kindergartners learning the letter B. This lesson engaged diverse learners by giving students whose first language is Spanish the opportunity to engage and understand this lesson. They provided flashcards with the words that start with the letter B in Spanish so it is easier for them to learn and understand.
One technology tool they used was YouTube. They provided a fun, catchy song about the letter B for the students to learn and sing along with. They also provided apps for them to use on an IPad or device to use at home that engages them to practice writing that letter and understanding the sounds of it.
These tools can also be used to practice the other letters in the alphabet. For more advanced grade levels, they can be used to learn vocabulary words.  

collaboration in the classroom...

Collaboration is important in each classroom. It can help children use it in the classroom and later in life in jobs and in other classes later in schooling. When students collaborate with other students this works on their social skills. It get students to work together and hear each others ideas and comment on them. In the article it says that collaboration is critical to use collaboration in the classroom. Students tend to want to do projects by themselves. But collaborating with each other gets them working them working with each other.

Liquid

When I think about accommodations for students I think about myself and what I got accommodated for me in school over the years.  There are alot of simple things that can make a big impact on a student.  When it came to all school testing, the ones you took on the computers I took with a teacher reading me the questions and answer choices.  I also had this done for most test or quizes in a separate room where I also got extra time.  As I got older I didn't need that much assistance so I just got extra time and a separate room to help me not be distracted, or interrupt if i asked for help reading a word.  I didn't have to take spelling test or be expected to truly memorize anything just be able to show a understanding.  When it came highschool time I was starting to lose all these accommodations.  The 504 and IEP plan I had was being considered to be taken away and I would lose access to my teacher notes, extended test time, and a separate classroom to take tests.  Now a highschool student my parents weren't the ones in the meetings fighting for these accommodations it was up to me to express that I needed these and if they took them away I couldn't keep succeeding like I have been thanks to the accommodations.  This overall is where I wish the school had fought with me to keep these accommodations instead of fight me and say I don't need them.  It made no sense to me that now that I have accommodations and doing well, they should be cut back and I might do better even though time had shown without these accommodations I didn't do well.  The UDL should help build a plan for a student to be able to break through barriers and learn in the way they need the material to be presented to them.   Starting with a more open classroom having different ways to present the materials could connect with more students when just one way for each topic.  having these students be able to connect and understand in the classroom with all the other students instead of just waiting to go into the separate classroom to start to understand after it is being explained again in a different way.  In the classroom the teacher sound think liquid and not stay on one set way be able to mold and change the way they teach everyday.    With the UDL exchange I found that there are some tools that didn't work and the teachers still took not that it took better to some students then others and that goes to show that everyone learns differently.  This way we should do our best to present information on multiple different platforms.  Being as simple as writing on the board the directions along with the verbal ones.

Assistive Technology Guidance

In chapter three of the Illinois Assistive Technology manual we come across the idea of how common core standards are related to assistive technology. They are intertwined by the idea that they both help students to succeed in some way, common core helps to set students up for the content on which they are expected to learn whereas AT helps individual students with disabilities succeed by engagement in the curriculum. I feel that AT is one of the most important parts about schools because every student is not like one another each student is unique in every way in how they learn. Schools with the diversity that AT provides them with allows for acceptance of all students in an inclusive environment that allows every student equal opportunity to learn. I found it very interesting that differentiated learning and AT approach to learning can coexist because although they may seem very similar differentiation is responsive teaching and AT is a reactive teaching approach. An experience I can relate back to these ideas is when in my field experience of teaching doing my hours at a school, I experienced that one of the students had a hearing impairment and was provided with an aid that was able to sign some of the words to the child when needed. In my experience the student was able to learn at the same pace even though the disability prevented them to hear what the other students were hearing the school provided assistance such as the aid, and technology such as words on the screen during movies or presentations.
After exploring some more lessons and looking at the different tools created I found a lesson about rhyming for second grade English and language arts. Looking through this lesson I was able to find a useful tool called Interactive Sites for Education.  In this tool you are able to access a variety of different subjects and topics useful for any grade level. I found that the tool engages diverse learners because the site offers a Spanish speaking bridge for students with English as their second language to practice math, language, other subjects in their language for a better understanding. The tool serves other purposes such as for teachers using different activities to use on smart boards to present to the class such as using learning to use rulers or protractors in math displayed on the smart board. I feel this site is a great way for diverse learners and teachers looking for new lesson plans and activities to use in the class.

Assistive Technology and Universal Design

Universal Design of Learning are set of rules that are for curriculum development that result in equal opportunities for all students. The UDL helps all types of students with different learning abilities and different backgrounds to help reach their academic goal. 

Assistive Technology are a different types of technologies that are specifically for students with disabilities. These technologies can be IPads with enlarged letters for students who have a trouble seeing things clearly. I've also seen the IPads used with apps for students that can't speak by pressing a button that say what they want to say. It helps them communicate with the teacher and their peers. Another way the teachers I've seen on my observations do with assistive technology is use a smart board and that's a tool that she can use with all her students. They can adjust the brightness, add subtitles, and show pictures to connect with what the lesson for the day may be. 

One tool I had found today on Cast UDL Exchange was a website that shows a video that helps kindergarten through second grade learn about counting coins and what each coin's value is worth. The video is called Coins! Helps the students understand in a cute and fun way. 

Assistive Technology

When I observed in a middle school classroom with students that have profound learning disabilities, I noticed that the students used iPads to assist in their learning for the day. Specifically, students were able to further their learning by logging onto the iPads to utilize academic software that helped them to learn about the seasons changing. Through the iPad students were able to use the software to share their understanding of the lesson through different formats, or representations. To answer the questions that were presented in the lesson: students could construct short answer responses to the questions or students could draw pictures. The students began their lessons with their story books but were able to break off into groups by using the iPads as assistive technology.

I found an interactive quiz-gaming website, Kahoot that can definitely be used as an assistive technology resource. Instead of students writing down their short essay answers or circling multiple choice answers on a piece of paper, students can enter Kahoot through their iPads to engage in a fast pace, classroom community building quiz. The site can be used to complete formative assessments. Using this site provides an inclusive materials and methods to the students' learning. 

IDEA

Both UDL and AT address the approach of learner variability in that they both address the individual learning needs of students.
The method in which they address these needs is different.  UDL is a dedicated strategy that addresses numerous areas of curriculum development. AT allows individual students to conquer those barriers presented by curricular tasks. 
UDL is a set of principles that models curriculum development  resulting in equal opportunities for learning. It targets on instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that can be adequately assessed and used by all students, disregarding of ability or background.  UDL is a malleable approach that may be accommodated  to meet individual needs. 
"AT devices and services are delivered re-actively after a referral and evaluation of an individual student. UDL is given to everyone with the understanding that those who need specialized support will use the tools when they need them"(Illinois Assistive Technology Guidance Manual).

In CAST UDL Exchange, I found an amazing math site. This is a math website that involves games lessons, quizzes, brain teasers and manipulative s. Its called cool math for kids and its for children from KG to 6th grade. This lesson engages in diverse learners by helping them play in groups and verse each other to see who knows the math problems. Its about math and math is universal so everyone of all backgrounds can understand it and is easy to teach. The technology tools being used is a computer website/ games. The purposes this technology tool can serve would be helping children collaborate with one another as well getting engaged into the math subjects being learned and succeed in them. 

 Monster Math is a game for kindergarten to 5^th grade students to practice Common Core math skills.  On either iPhones, or iPads, students complete math problems in order to progress through the game’s storyline. Although all students follow the same storyline throughout the game, the games allows players to customize which skills they would like to focus on.  Monster Math offers both a free and pain version of its app. 
another math app I have discovered is monster math located on the app store. 

Assistive Technology

The Assistive Technology foster the development of curriculum's and experiences. Universal Design for Learning is a set of principles that guide curriculum development resulting in equal opportunities for learning. Some functions or  of UDL would be focusing on different methods, materials, goals and assessments that are constructed to help students with all sorts of needs. This is important because it helps students when it comes to the Realm of free public education adapt better into their learning environments and allows them to adjust accordingly based on their specific needs. Both AT and UDL address the concepts of the individual learning needs of students. But the methods that they both approach are a bit different. For example, UDL is a proactive strategy that address many areas of curriculum development, whereas AT helps students in terms of any issues or disabilities they have when engaging in curricular tasks. An experience that I encountered when I done my observation hours for my special ed class, was that they had about 6 students in a classroom that all had special needs and there were about 4 teachers there to help assist the students as well as multiple different materials and objects used to help those students. For example, for one student who didn't know how to stay focused they had a mini trampoline in the class to help him stay on track. As well as a special round chair for one student who couldn't sit on a normal desk. So they had different objects and learning tools to help the students adapt in the classroom better. They also had a system called stations where there's about two kids at each station so the teachers can focus more in depth on those individualized students.

This is a math website that involves games lessons, quizzes, brain teasers and manipulative s. Its called cool math for kids and its for children from KG to 6th grade. This lesson engages in diverse learners by helping them play in groups and verse each other to see who knows the math problems. Its about math and math is universal so everyone of all backgrounds can understand it and is easy to teach. The technology tools being used is a computer website/ games. The purposes this technology tool can serve would be helping children collaborate with one another as well getting engaged into the math subjects being learned and succeed in them.

Chapter 3

 UDL is a proactive strategy that addresses multiple areas of curriculum development. While AT, on the other hand, allows individual students to overcome those barriers presented by curricular tasks. Educational technology is very important in as generations pass. I remember growing up doing all my school work with a book and a pencil. However, today almost everything is done through technology. Every child works on their own pace and has their own strengths and weaknesses with technology.  Common core state standards relate to AT because it provides a means for individual students with disabilities to access and engage in curriculum. Again showing that all children learn at a different place and it as a teacher it is crucial to ensure that there are differentiated instructions to fit al students.

After reviewing Cast UDL Exchange, I came across a reading lesson plan. It provides different ideas of how to analyze children's understanding by answering questions about key details in a text. There is the traditional way of doing it with paper and pen. Then they provide different forms of assessment such as Socrative, Kahoot, Popplet, and Stations. In another one of my classes, we just used the app Kahoot to do this exact lesson. A short story was provided and we used the website Kahoot as a class to assess everyone's understanding. Everyone was very engaged and it is easy to learn. Kahoot is a fun technology app that uses differentiation for ELL student's who may not be able to read the short story on their own. This is a perfect example of what I was trying to state before hand.

Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning are not things I remember having access to when I was in grade school.  In fact, I find it difficult to recall really any specifics about elementary school, except listening to the teacher lecture, doing math drills, and occasionally playing Jeopardy to help us study for tests.  Maybe it's because I was deemed a typical kid, but as I've grown and matured I have learned that I am a hands on learner, and I learn better when analogies or connections to real life are made.  Knowing this now as an adult, it makes me wonder what learning strategies would have helped me learn better in subjects I wasn't strong in, like math and science.
I think these two things, AT and UDL are now accessible because of situations like mine, and others that may be more extreme.  Not everyone is able to learn the same way, and instead of just labeling children as stupid, or just not as smart, we have discovered that a child may just need the information to be presented to them in a different way.
AT and UDL make it possible for all children to learn the things they need to in school, and in a way that works best for them.  It also allows them extra time and help in areas where they may need it, so they can be up to speed with the more typical children in the class.  I really think this is amazing, and I hope it helps kids become more enthusiastic about learning and exercising their brains.  I hope it also gives kids who may not be strong in a particular subject more confidence to try harder and not think themselves stupid just because they way a peer is learning does not work for them.

Chapter 3- Importance of Technology

In both, they assess the education for all students of what they should be learning and understanding in school. Technology in schools in my opinion is very important because children all learn in very different settings and at different paces. Common Core Classes can be challenging for most and if children have their course documents online they are able to see or look back for a reference. In my experiences with children through experience and even myself. I have always been the type to have a book in front of me where I can look back and take notes off of that. My observations have taught me that classrooms are open to new ideas. I observed in a class where the teacher used IPADS in her room and if someone didn't finish what they were writing they were able to go home and complete it on the link the classroom teacher had set up. 

I enjoyed looking at the UDL- lesson plan website and finding out that people have supplied lesson plans. I enjoyed you are able to build your lesson plan so it guides you. Something else that is helpful is that it has guidelines and people have posted many links for use. One of the lesson plans I saw using technology was "Video Book Report Remix". It is used for pre-k to 2nd grade in content of reading/language arts. Which I feel is very appropriate since they will just be starting to learn how to read.  

^ Description of the activity. As well as the description it explains how students with ESL/ELL or specific accommodations can be made for every student.

Chapter 3

Assistive Technology and Universal design function in the realm of free public and/ or common core state standards by addressing the individual needs of students and the concepts of learner variability. Meaning they are diverse when it comes to the ways in which they addresses the needs of all students. They may address the needs in different ways but they do both address multiple areas of curriculum development. Assistive technology devices are given after a referral and evaluation while UDL are given to everyone but with the understanding that those who need extra support will use the tools when needed. The activity I found uses a smart board I think this is a great way to get children involved. Having the children go up to the board and use it interactively allows the children to have fun but learn at the same time. Looking through the UDL website there were so many great lesson plans and I think this was a very useful tool and can benefit a lot of people.
http://udlexchange.cast.org/lesson/4680457

Collaboration

When designing collaborative activities it is important to include the three elements of collaboration; interpersonal communication, task management, and conflict resolution. The same activities do not work for all levels. Activities need to be designed to fit a particular skill level that way students have the knowledge and ability to do the certain activity.  Each students may have different view about working together as groups like some may like it and some may dislike it. But I think it's a great way for student to develop communicating skills and interact with other students. As discussed in class students can have a problem with peer evaluation because they don't want to judge their own classmates or criticize their work. But it's a good way for students to learn from their mistakes and get thoughts from their peers that way they can fix theirs mistakes. If students didn't want to let others know who peer reviewed their work they can make it anonymous which I thought would be helpful to students.

Collaborations

It is important nowadays that we are using collaboration systems to get information to and from. There are people who cannot be in certain places at a time so this is an interesting way people can share back and forth from one another. If students are able to collaborate together for class practices it may make their day a little better by working with another student. Being able to collaborate in my mind is working together and sharing information with one another to both implement ideas.

 I think it is important for teachers to be teaching students how to collaborate with one another. Since we are older we are at the time where we are always working with people in groups or people who we don't want to work with. Being able to not always be face to face may stink but the technology now is great with the skills teachers are teaching their students.

How to Correctly Collaborate

HOW TO CORRECTLY COLLABORATE

The dreaded group work. I think everyone has either experienced first hand or have witnessed the downsides of group work. Everyone is aware of them, even teachers, yet it seems like group work is still being used every day. In my classes, I am always in some sort of group. Usually, it is great, but the times when a group-mate just won't pick up their slack, it makes you question why this type of instruction is still being used today.

The answer comes in the future of the individual. Group work is not only made to make your big class project more manageable, but it is also to teach you the essential life skills you will need outside of the classroom. From learning to take responsibility for your tasks or understanding how to take constructive criticism, learning how to work in a group outside of a controlled, classroom environment. 

As an educator, you should be trying to reach three big goals every time you use groups. Students should be working on their interpersonal communication, conflict resolutions, and task management. Also as an educator, you need to realize the fact that the ability to work in a group of individuals is a learned skill. You cannot assume students know how to work in groups automatically and never teach them this very important skill because it will only bite them in the butt later on. 

Collaboration in Education

Collaboration in education is important because it helps people perform higher in team settings, makes for a more successful learning approaches, and it enhances prospects for employment once a student leaves school. The three elements which we see a lot with collaboration are interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, and task management. One example of collaboration in the classroom is peer evaluations. After the students are finished working in groups, they can evaluate each other on how well they worked in a group setting. By doing this, the students can improve certain aspects after receiving feedback. Another good thing to do when collaborating, is making smaller groups that the students do not get to choose on their own. When they choose their own groups, it will most likely be more difficult to control. A collaborating tip would be to rotate the groups so students experience working with other students.

Collaboration in School and Society

"Teaching young learners how to work with others within a community on social issues can improve students’ commitment to civic participation." This quote from the Pearson Collaboration article resonated with me primarily due to its connection with my content area. Social Studies is about more than just learning who certain historical figures are and what they did. It's about learning and using certain things from those people to better the society you are a part of. A person cannot go their whole life doing things solo. At some point they will have to communicate with others, collaborate on a project for work, or come together with their community to make changes. To not teach these techniques to our students is doing them a great disservice. Even doing small things such as splitting the class up and assigning them different roles in the group can help form these techniques. In regards to Civics, one can start an activity by having multiple groups form of someone playing a community role. At this stage, the students can bounce ideas off of each other because they are all playing the same role. After they have been at this stage for some time, the groups can be split up and the different roles come together in other separate groups to form their own small committee. This teaches the importance of the roles that they played and also teaches them how to look for good candidates of those roles, or even be those candidate themselves.

Colaborative Work

The most surprising thing that I read in the article about collaborative work was that students need direct instruction in order to learn how to collaborate. I wan to focus on this, because it is the most important part, in my opinion. I do not like direct instruction - especially for young students. They do not want to sit and listen while we tell them what to do and what not to do. They want to make discoveries on their own. Personally, I would use the entire process of collaborative work to teach them the rules of working together. While collaborating, students will notice things like someone not helping, someone not sharing their ideas, someone being rude, someone refusing to change their idea and so on. From this, I can have a discussion about the rules of working together as they come up. When students tell me "bob is not helping" I will say "what rule can we make so that bob has to help?". From that, we get "everyone has to put in the same amount of work. Although this process will take longer than telling students a list of rules, I think that it will give them a better understanding of how to work together.

Another point that I believe to be important is focusing on all three aspects of collaboration: interpersonal communication, conflict resolution and task management. The first one seems to be forgotten often. Students need to know how to evaluate themselves and reflect on what they have done or are doing in the collaborative work. They also need to be able to let go of some ideas that they may have in order to reach common ground with the rest of the group.

Collaborative

     The information that i have read from my classmates and the document are very important points. Students need to know that everything does not need to be done alone. They need to know that they can collaborate with others on things.  I know one thing that students have a hard time with cooperating or collaborating on is group projects. Group projects everybody has to do their part or else the project is going to be a mess and it is going to be all over the place. 
   From the looks of the google doc, every one sees a lot of positive that comes from collaborating. One bad thing is that students tend to not care and they end up making everyone else fail. I experienced that once in high school where one of my partners did not want to help, so we made an executive vote with our teacher to not allow then to come back to our group.That is one way to solve it but sometimes you may have to give them a little push also. That extra little push my help them want to collaborate and give ideas to the project. I know that students procrastinate and wait til the last minute but if it is something that sparks their interest then they may try and complete things faster or actually want to do the assignment.

Digital Footprint

As written in one of Morris' blog posts, Digital Citizenship education should be a community effort.  It is not only the teacher's responsibility to make sure that their students are safe while online, but it s also on the parents to monitor and enforce what their children are learning at school.  Morris also states that the information being taught to the students will have more impact on them when more trusted adults are saying the exact same information, both at home and at school.  Technology has changed everything about how we go about our day, from grabbing our cell phones and immediately looking up information right on the spot, to have "smart houses" that we can control the temperature and lock the doors from our cell phones while we aren't even in the house.  As educators, it is our job to make sure that we properly teach the effects that the digital age has brought upon us, being mindful to remember what we are teaching and use it when we are using technology ourselves.

Digital Literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills, while Digital Citizenship refers to a person utilizing information technology in order to engage in society, politics and government.  

Collaboration

Collaboration is very crucial in each classroom. It builds many skills that students can use later on in life when moving on to higher education and looking for jobs. When students collaborate with each other, they learn many social skills. As well, they learn to find answers and solutions on their own without the help of their teacher. It gets students to work together and accept and give out criticism.
According to the article, it is important to make sure students equally collaborate. I feel this is very important to ensure that each student is understanding the importance of collaborating with their peers, as well as actually doing it!
I liked the idea of teacher-selected and self-selected groups. Although many students would prefer self-selected, I feel teacher-selected would have a better outcome of learning collaboration. This way, students will not choose to be with the people they are most comfortable with. It gets them to interact with students they probably don't know to well to learn what it will be like to collaborate with new people such as at a new job or a new classroom.

Collaboration in the Classroom.

Group work seems to have a kiss of death with it when it comes to school projects. But working in a group has some high advantages that children seem to miss, like gaining interpersonal relationships, as well as developing skills such as conflict resolution and task management. Most jobs available today require that it's employees are able to work in a group setting to be able to get tasks completed. This is why teaching children in a young age to be collaborative in school is so important. Children have a better understanding of content when they are able to receive information and share what they learned with others. Setting up your classroom to include group learning or projects helps children learn more effectively. Some children may see this kind of class lesson as a way to get out of learning, but having peer evaluations and/or self evaluations to compare with, will ensure that each child is contributing to the group as well as learning. The younger children are taught this in the classroom the less painful group work will seem to them when they get older, and therefore prepare them for the adult world they will grow up to be apart of.

Collaboration in a Classroom

Ayat Hassan
10/16/2018

Collaboration in a classroom is essential for students and teachers to develop communication skills. Communication can help by building bonds between the students. These bonds that form can allow the students to work together equally and efficiently. Group-work helps the students to understand different material from their peers. Each student should be able to understand that assignments are to be completed equally by all group members. This ties together the meaning of collaboration because students will need to come together for one sole purpose.

Importance of Collaboration 

• Communication skills with peers. 
• Task management 
• Enhance student achievement 
• Training students to work together can build their relations with people for the future. 

Collaboration

I believe that it is important for all educators to include different activities in their lesson plans for the day that include some sort of collaboration.  It gives the students a chance to interact and work together with their peers, but it also gets them up from their seats and moving around the classroom.  Not all students can sit at their desk for multiple hours and be able to concentrate on the lesson in front of them.  

Collaboration is another method that helps students who are unconventional learners.  They might be more successful at comprehending the material by learning the information from someone who is their age, rather than from the teacher.  By listening to their peers during the collaborative activities, they hear another perspective of the material and may be able to process the information better.  

Collaboration Opportunities

Collaboration among students is important for the working environment in which the students are engaged in. Collaboration can teach students how to build interpersonal relationships and use them to work well together. Students can bounce ideas off each other and learn more or new ways from other students, this can work well for students in general education classrooms as well as those in inclusion classrooms or even among ELL students. Teachers have the responsibility to incorporate opportunities for students to collaborated with each other in the classroom.

Working together

Group work, a lot of students hate group work esspecally as you reach the higher levels of education.  There is a way to change the attitude and that is starting it young and continuing it in a positive and productive way in the classroom for every grade.  Collaboration is a very good way of learning and teaching.  While there are some drawbacks there are ways to work around them.  For example, students being embarrassed and not wanting to have a peer edit there paper.  You can have them all turn it in and edit each paper to remove the name and just number them.  Then randomly assign them to students.  That way no one is able to say "michaels paper sucks".  They can just focus on working to help each other make a better paper.  Another way could be for grading say a math worksheet, team the students up with someone who has similar grades.  Even students that are getting the same problems wrong they can put there minds together and have a better shot of solving it then just another students telling them the answer.  The video think pair share showed that splitting the students up to break down a complicated subject can help them in the long run.  Once they understand there small part the students can teach each other.  This makes things stick better in the brain and there showing there capable of sharing and listening to each other.  Being in groups also builds there conflict resolution skills.  I want the students to all be able to speak their mind when they dont agree and not just say "okay fine" and give in even if they don't agree.  It's okay to disagree.  this opens up the floor for more conversation on the topic and a deeper and better understanding. 👍

Collaboration

I think collaboration is a very important thing when it comes to teaching and discussing subject matter throughout a classroom. Its important for students to be able to communicate with one another and be able to work as a team. Also people who know more about collaborating and know how to collaborate will become more successful in getting jobs and etc. Collaboration consist of peer evaluation, group formation and role assignment. These things can help students become more successful as they move on forward into the real world and they'll better be able to interact with other people. Collaboration is a very important aspect to develop as students because it'll then help them achieve interaction skills that are needed for future jobs and work. In the end if you have collaboration skills you may preform better in school, and be more valued by your employers.

Collaboration in the Classroom

When we think about working in a group or with a partner we often think of it as a little social break from the lectures. Having read Pearson's article on Collaboration differently opened my eyes to why working in groups or with a partner has benefits for everyone. The students learn from each other when they collaborate, they are able to get different points of views and are able to find multiple ways to answer a questions. Collaboration has three major elements that are it's framework, interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, and task management. Students gain all of these elements when working together and they are able to take it with them into the work world. Having all these abilities help them gain knowledge and improves their work ethic. Something so little can actually help in the long run.

Collaboration

Collaborative opportunities in the classroom are a necessary component for students' learning as well as ensuring that students engage in interpersonal communication with one another for a better classroom environment. The strategies provided in the short clip - Think, Pair, Share, Connecting to Three Studies, then Small group work - are possible strategies within all levels and content areas of education. My only concern is how to implement these strategies with technology. For sure, there are several online resources for students to utilize to complete collaborative work. However, my only issue is how to use technology for the collaborative process? What resources can be used for these activities? I want to utilize fun and interesting technology into my classroom because students can easily access technology into their everyday lives. With English as the content area, how can I use technology for collaborative work that is not just PowerPoint when they are doing presentations?

Collaboration 101

I read through the Pearson "Collaboration: Executive Summary for Educators" article. Overall, I really agree with one major point from the article. That point would be the fact that collaboration does not develop without instruction. If collaboration skills are to improve, direct instruction, opportunities to practice, and feedback are all needed. This is important.

Say you give kids a group project. You tell them that they are stranded on an island, and they have to build themselves some form of government with jobs that will tend to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. If you don't teach kids how to first work in a group, their government will crash and burn. They need to be taught how to work with others and accept the ideas of everyone. Everyone's voice must be heard in a collaboration.

One of my classmates, Emily, had a good point, however. Certain aspects of collaboration will make students successful. She said that,

"The idea that collaboration skills help children learn to work well with others is a huge benefit. Even in college we do group projects. We probably don't enjoy it entirely, but it happens. In the work force we frequently have to work with our fellow employees whether it be on a specific project or we just have to work as a team in general. This is a valuable life skill that translates to many different areas of life." (Google Docs Comment, Emily).

I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. I don't particularly enjoy group projects. Honestly, I hate them because I have that innate fear that I'll be the one in the group that ends up doing the work. And I'm also, quite honestly, the one that has to be in charge of the project. I am an idea imposer. I prefer to work on my own, but there are so many situations where I will have to work as a team with other people. My job as a teacher will be no exception. I need to collaborate with my fellow teachers and bounce ideas and projects off of them in order to be successful. It doesn't change the fact that I hate group projects, but it just goes to show that it is essential for me to develop skills in collaboration.

Thoughts on Collaboration

In the education field, collaboration is a tool that should be used in every classroom. There are many ways as a teacher that one can incorporate collaboration. Some examples are peer evaluation, group formation and role assignment. My one concern was peer evaluation, is it more beneficial or harmful for children. The plus side of peer evaluations are that students learn from each others mistakes. However, in some cases children may feel discouraged knowing that their peers just graded a assignment of theirs that was filled with errors. After discussing it on the classroom documents, some ideas were that all students make problems and it is good for children to see that it is okay to make mistakes. Another suggestion that I really liked was using anonymous peer evaluations. Doing so, children can learn from others mistakes without knowing which student it was. Although I do agree that children should not "take everything to heart", at a young age, the smallest things are a big deal. With that being said, if there is a way to avoid it, I would take that route.

Collaborative Learning

“Educators should develop collaboration skills in students as an end in themselves not simply as a teaching method by which to learn other skills.”

I find this particular passage of the Collaboration Summary interesting.  It is important to remember that collaboration skills shouldn't just extend to group research projects in school.  I think it's fair to say I'm not the only one who things of this specific scenario when I think of group collaboration efforts.
This is an incredibly useful skill that extends way beyond elementary school or even college courses.  As teenagers, young professionals and seasoned employees, we all have to work with other people.  This can be on specific projects that are reminiscent of those school research projects, or working as a team of chefs in a kitchen.  In either scenario, one needs to have the skills of communication, of teamwork and camaraderie, and delegation.
Even though group projects may be a pain, working with others and learning these collaborative skills are really helpful in the long run. 

Digital Literacy/Citizenship Footprints

Technology is a huge part of education. Technology helps assist both the teacher and the student in the classroom.

 “writing teachers must commit to this digital rhetorical perspective on writing, or they will miss the opportunity to help their students engage effectively in the ICT [Information and Communication Technology] revolution taking place right now” (308).

For the last 20 years or so technology as grown to be an essential piece of our daily lives. Toddlers are being exposed to this epidemic as well as our grandparents. Technology is our current life but also our future. If technology is so integrated into our personal lives shouldn't we also incorporate it into our education so that our children will grow and be able to successfully grasp ideas of technology within their professional and educational career? The answer is, yes.

Our teachers are needing to be able to work with technology and incorporate it into their classroom and instruction. It is essential that all teachers are trained in this particular field to be better equipped for the modern day education field.

The SAMR Padaogy Wheel is model of technological attributes and possible capability outcomes for students using technology to create, remember and understand, apply, analyse, and evaluate. This wheel models the actions, activities, technological tools that can be applied to education and how it benefits it.

I believe there are many tools and resources that are made available for teachers to work with within the classroom.

Digital Literacy and Digital Citizenship

Digital Citizenship is very important to teach students so they understand what is right and wrong when it comes to the internet. In Kathleen Morris' article, she stated how students need that guidance from a trusted adult such as a parent or teacher to navigate their way through the internet. I completely agree with her on that because students are not always fully aware of how they should act on the internet; what is appropriate and what is not. I believe teaching digital citizenship is very important because we need our students to understand what is and what is not acceptable to post on the internet. As well, how they treat others on the internet. As a studying Early Childhood Education major, I can teach my students the appropriate apps they can use. I can also teach them the appropriate videos they can watch on YouTube.
Digital Literacy is the actual skill used to understand something. For example the skill to use a certain app or navigate a certain website. It is also very important to teach students about digital literacy so they understand the proper way to use the internet.

Digitial Footprint

I feel as though digital footprint is important because throughout life more and more things that were paper are going to become digital. For instance, newspapers aren't really being bough anymore that much because most people have it coming to their computers or phones. Another example would be that everything someone post on the internet is now somehow able to be shared with the world. Digital is not becoming everything that people go to when trying to find information.

Digital Footprint

I think digital footprints are extremely important to consider in our day to day lives. Today, everything can be traced. Everything can be exposed. There's data leaks, there's hackers, and who knows what else. When going into the field of education, we are supposed to be role models for our students in the classroom. I think that we should also be role models for our students outside of the classroom as well, even if that means online. I think that it is extremely important to teach students that what they do online can always come back to them. And, even though it is very useful, it is also very important to have best practices.

1. Keep it short
2. Stick to a color palette

Digital Footprints

I think digital literacy is very important to everyone and should be taught properly. Students are not educated with how to use the internet and what to put out there and what to not. Many may think that if they enter something on the internet and don't like it, they can delete it and go away. When in reality it's never deleted, it's just somewhere else. Some ways you can teach students as Kathleen Morris stated is, avoid sharing personal information as referred to the word YAPPY, " Your full name, Address, Phone Number, Passwords, and Your plans. Students need to know what to expose and what not too. Kids nowadays are introduced with technology at a young age possibly at age 2. These kids know how to use technology more than we do as adults.

Digital Footprints

In Kathleen Morris's article "Teaching Children About Digital Footprints and Online Reputations," Morris makes a claim that the internet should not be a scary place for students to post things and explore, but they need to be properly taught on how to go about doing that. Morris uses the term "digital footprints" as a way to describe things that we all leave behind when we post, or even browse, on the internet. I agree with Morris's stance.

As an educator, we have an obligation to make sure our students are well prepared for the future. In the future, Internet usage is going to be on the rise more than it currently is. To shelter our students and children away from that would be doing them a great disservice. Of course, we want to make sure that they are properly protected from the dangers of the world, but we can do that in a way that quells our worries and also promotes a healthy learning environment for them. 

Morris uses the term "YAPPY" to simplify what students should avoid posting online. These are: "Your full name, address (of your school, home, or email), phone number, passwords, your plans." These are all very good things to avoid posting on the internet. Unfortunately, with social media being a tremendous part of the youth's everyday life, some of these cannot be avoided. I wholeheartedly think that our job should be to stress the importance of privacy features that many social media platforms offer. 

Digital Footprints

DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS 

Technology in schools help students to expand their capabilities on learning from other resources. Students should be able to use the internet for beneficial ways, but under adult supervision. Not all the websites that students may come across with will be safe for students to use, but students can explore information to help with assignments. Teachers can connect with their students regarding homework or group assignments through different apps on the internet. For digital footprints, teachers should lay out rules on the usage of internet for students to be aware of using it for other purposes. Technology allows the teacher to teach students interactively in school and outside of school.

Digital literacy and digital citizenship

Digital Citizenship is designed to empower students with skills to think critically. It is important because it shows students how to go through technology safely. In our world technology is being used constantly. As a teacher they have to show their students how to safely use the internet as a main resource in the classroom. 
Technology is a great tool to use in the classroom as long as its used safely. Technology can include activities in the classroom. Most schools now use iPads and smart boards in the classroom. This allows kids to learn more hands on and find their own information safely. In the article it stated that digital literacy is being willing to talk, learn and listen. But if technology is involved into the classroom then teachers can put teaching it safely in their lesson plans.