chapter 10 & 11

Chapter 10 talks about using technology to teach students of different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Multiple instructional methods and varied teaching approaches addresses different learning needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students. New York State is a big "melting pot" where multicultural education is evident in almost every classroom. Differentiated instruction addresses needs of diverse students within the same class. Universal design for learning creates teaching and learning situations that meet the needs of students with different needs while presenting the same opportunities for everyone. Creating accommodations and  limiting modifications are practices that ensure equal opportunity for learning.  Speech recognition software, text treading software, interactive storybooks and storybooks apps are examples of assistive technologies that aid students with disabilities.

Chapter 11 talks about the important role of assessment in teaching and learning. Three interrelated elements of assessment are: new teacher assessment, student assessment, and student self-assessment. A digital teaching portfolio "is a collection of educational and professional materials stored in an electronic format". The portfolio shows teacher's growth and development over time. The portfolio includes a teacher's resume, philosophy of education and references, lesson or unit plan and reflections, academic courses and research experiences, and teaching experience. Teacher's personal reflection is a learning experience.  I like how the author describes a portfolio as celebratory scrapbook of the past. Student's also create digital portfolios which become "both a personal and a public piece of writing".  Students also engage in assessment. Students' engagement in decision making motivates students. I am excited about the portfolios we will create as the last project in our class. I am also nervous about choosing the appropriate components for each section of the portfolio. The good thing is that it can be updated and improved at any time. :)

chapter 7 & 8

Chapter 7 describes how educational software, apps, and learning games enhance problem solving and inquiry learning. Students learn best when they are fully engaged which can be achieved by implementing problem solving and inquiry learning. Educators want students to ask questions, make predictions, test theories, and revise ideas based on data and evidence. Educational software and educational apps aid teachers in creating engaging lessons. Students get motivated when presented with real-life (ill-structured)  problems. No one simple formula can be used to solve such problems. Students think creatively and critically when using apps or educational games in classroom environment. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, and Norton Antivirus are some of the software applications available to students. Kid Pix and Google Earth are among computer building, inventing, and creating software. Gamification is the "application of game elements to non-gaming situations, often to motivate or influence behavior. Educational games enhance academic learning by promoting higher levels of problem solving and inquiry learning. . Edutainment games promote problem solving and inquiry learning. Entertainment games are mainly for fun with relatively low levels of problem solving and inquiry learning without any explicit learning or educational goals for students. A stimulation games promote stealth learning where students learn without realizing they are learning. Intelligent tutoring system provides students with practice they need in weak academic areas.Students today are exposed to so many different technological advances promoting their problem solving and inquiry learning.

Chapter 8 lists different media technologies used in teaching such as email and text messaging, blogs, online discussions and Wikis. Communication technologies are divided into synchronous communications (occur in real time) and asynchronous communications (involve a time delay). Teachers also engage in educational networking. The big advantage of today's technology is a possibility for students to learn beyond the school day by following websites, blogs, teachers post notes, inquiry questions, homework assignments, and many more. Our class is a great example of learning beyond school day. We, students, engaged in so many different learning activities.