Module 6 Reflection

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

Variety is an essential part of molding creative and effectve minds. Learners who become self-directed through formative assessments, differentiate lessons, and student-centered classrooms are more likely to grasp and retain concepts. In addition, self-directed learners are more likely to work effectively as independent workers with only hopes of intrinsic rewards. Therefore, the application process of any lesson becomes driven by success and not completion. Basically, students are working to satisfy or confirm personal mastery of a concept; they are not merely checking something off their list of tasks.

Fortunately, the aforementioned type of students increase the possibility of differentiation in the classroom. Opportunities for peer teaching, small grouping, and student teaching become available because of the increase in student knowledge and application. It is at this point that education becomes truly essential to student development.

Module 8 Reflection

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

Based on my past experiences, it is evident that technology is developing and transforming the classroom. However, that is very general. I would have to definitely say that assistive technology is a wave that will have a major impact on the way students think and act. Although all technology is assistive in its own way, I am talking about the technological tools that alleviate known and unknown handicaps. Tools such as Alpha Smart and the Zac Browser are revolutionary for not just the children with disabilities but their teachers as well. All classrooms can essentially become inclusive (including all students despite deficiencies).

Besides, the biggest problem in the classroom is the physical and cognitive disadvantage amongst children. Once the gap is closed, or at least made very narrow, we will truly be working in an environment where we can say “No Child Left Behind!”

Module 5 Reflection

This module has helped me think about student-centered assessment in the following ways:

Philosophers, educators, and administrators continue to talk about constructive teaching and student-centered instruction. This is the type of instruction that keeps students involved in their learning process. Of course this instruction should be supplemented by constant student-centered assessments. However, a lot of teachers continue to give their students assessments that are direct models of standardized tests.

This particular module made me realize that my rubrics must be tailored to the students understanding-not just a group of words that can be distinctly defined by me. Students should have a definitive idea of what they are expected to produced. This gives students an outline, allowing them to work towards the goal presented and not expected. The student ultimately becomes an agent in his or her grading process. This benefits the teacher, because now the student is getting the concepts that he/she (the teacher) meant to be grasped.

Module 4 Reflection

How can technology be used most effectively to support and assess student learning?

Technology (new technology) provides several avenues for teachers and students. One of those avenues is innovative and fun assessments. Tools such as clickers provide an opportunity for games like Jeopardy, or any of the similar games, to help assess students knowledge. Blogs are also great tools for keeping logs and assessing students progress. More importantly, technology is not only saving the trees but it is saving time. Most technological tools or assessments create rubrics, graphs, and different score charts that show results just as fast as the students input the information. This saves teachers a lot of time, which in turn gives them more time to mediate and assess their students progress. It is effective in saving time and creating an assessment that students will truly enjoy completing.

Module 3 Reflection

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

The classroom can be opened as often as Wal-Mart (on Atlana Highway 0f course). Through web pages, chatrooms, and other useful interactive tools, students and parents are able to communicate with teachers and peers on a consistent real time basis. A coumputer is in almost every home, and almost every student knows how to navigate through the Internet. Students can turn-in assignments, check homework, complete group projects, virtually visit the library, and many other things. In addition, the Internet makes learning fun by painting pictures and linking children to distant worlds. It is a resourceful tool for teachers as well, opening up lecture time and eliminating the 50 to 90 minute window.

Module 2 Reflection (2/08/10)

This module has helped me think about using standards, CFQ's, or formative assessment in the following ways:

Sometimes teachers become overcome with a bundle of standards to cover in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, in the light of this situation, they often assess their students through summative assignments, covering several standards in bulk. However, CFQ's provide students with an outline or a guide to realize how real life situations relate to concepts being taught in the classroom. I find that the opportunity to use these formative assessments in classroom provide students and teachers with an easy to use guide, creating a path to mastery of standards.

I will make continuous attempts to implement CFQ's in my classroom, hoping to guide instruction and filter misconception. This will enhance my lessons by providing substance for my students.

Module 2 Reflection

How can CFQ's help support my student's learning?
CFQ's or Curriculum Framing Questions provide students with a guide. It steers not only them but the teacher into the right direction. The questions give both parties (teacher and student) an opportunity to search for more in the lesson just by evaluating a general, semi-specific, and specific question set. The answer to one of these three types of questions can be very elaborate and even evolve into more inquries about the subject. At minimum, CFQ's give meaning to any given unit for the teacher and student.

How can I plan ongoing assessment?
Testing is repetitive, necessary, and overwhelming. It is good and bad. There is a matter of how to assess that determines the success of students on those assessments. Creating a chart could be a possible effective means of assessing students without constantly testing them. Basically, asking students to perform a variety of tasks (journal, report, create questions, recite, teach a peer) within a timeline could serve its purpose if students were constantly given points based on the task performed. A point system can be instrumental if you base the students overall achievement (grade and skill level) on accumulated points at the end of a unit.

Module 1 Reflection

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

Becoming an example for parents
Utilizing new forms of communication
Renewing my desire to incorporate technology


My ability to communicate with stakeholders has improved in a matter of days. My recent publication exhibits my personal creative ability to communicate a lesson to parents. In addition, I am impressed with the templates (that I subconsciouslly ignored) available in Word. My intentions are to utilize the different templates (newsletters, brochures, etc.) as tools to communicate with colleagues as well as provide examples to my students. Although I am fairly aware of the need to incorporate technology, I often fail to consistently use avaialable technology. There is now a desire burning within me to master many technological tools.