Entry 3: Differentiating Instruction through Technology
Introduction Differentiating instruction is defined as the way in which a teacher anticipates and responds to students needs in the classroom and the variety of ways those needs need to be met (Carlson, A., n.d.). In the classroom this helps many types of learners grasp and understand their lessons by helping the student and the teacher find which teaching strategies best help the student learn. Differentiating instruction brings in more elements to the student than just a lecture and often involves teachers being open to using new technologies to improve instruction so that all types of learners can take advantage of what is being taught. A teacher who is using differentiating instruction through technology may use YouTube, Edmodo and Glogster to bring in a new content for many different types of learners. Technology to Differentiate Instruction YouTube: Students often use YouTube as a way to escape and have a few laughs because of the funny videos on the site but it can be used for more than just entertainment. YouTube is a learning tool for students and can give them free videos to use for presentations, research and help with projects they may not understand. Students can also use YouTube as a way to make video presentations of what they have learned and in doing so can use ISTE standard 1 for students by becoming creative and having fun with the project. In the classroom this can encourage students of all learning types to get involved from being on camera to being behind the scenes and working on other parts of the video that they wish to create. When students are able to create or use skills that they are comfortable with students will try harder and enjoy their work more which can improve their achievement. The use of video has its advantages in being able to show historical reenactments, concepts of motion, and observation of dangerous situations in a safe environment (P. Duffy, 2007) which allows students to experience content for the current lesson in a more realistic setting for them. Edmodo: Many students today cannot get enough of being on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, so as a teacher why not use the students love of social networking to an advantage? That is what Edmodo allows teachers to do as well as for parents. Edmodo for students and the teacher really does work on ISTE Standard 2 for students by opening up communication and collaboration. The site allows students to do assignments, share ideas, problems and helpful tips as well as getting help from the whole class and the teacher (Cauley, P., n.d.) , With Edmodo “a teacher can access numerous tools which facilitate learning and collaboration for students within a classroom, and with students from other classrooms, both near and far.( Dobler, E., 2012)” because of this it allows for all teachers to be able to give their students more than just one view on a subject and connect with people who may be more knowledgeable in that subject. Being able to grade, give feedback and help quickly through a social networking site like Edmodo means that students will be encouraged to achieve higher grades and teachers can keep track of where a student may need extra help. This site is centered on students by giving them an outlet that they would enjoy to do their homework, and communicate with their teacher. Glogster: Students of all ages enjoy interactive things and for this both teacher and student can use Glogster. What is Glogster? “In the most basic sense Glogster is a place to create interactive posters (Glogster in the Classroom, 2010)” These posters can be anything from content teaching tools created by other teachers or students, an assignment students use, or an informative experience that adds flavor to the classroom. Glogster uses ISTE Standards 1, 2, and 3 in the classroom by giving students a chance to create, collaborate, and research all in one in a fun interactive setting. As a teacher, using already made Glog’s can encourage my students to find more and have fun with what they make. In doing so can increase achievement by adding a fun assignment to the lesson plan. Pros and Cons As with any technology in the hands of children there are always good and bad. With YouTube students could become distracted looking at funny cat videos while on Edmodo students could get into a debate over a simple mistake on someone’s post. Glogster is full of all kinds of posters that have information and students could become distracted by finding posters off topic. Even though if students are left to explore these sites on their own they could become distracted. Each of these sites have a chance to be great teaching tools for students to explore their world by opening creative outlets that are more realistic to them than writing an essay and that out ways some of the cons to using them in the classroom. Concluding Paragraph Web tools are becoming used in a number of classrooms around the world and because of this it means that teachers have more access to each other and different ways of teaching. When students have a chance to explore in a safe environment like Edmodo it means that there can be collaboration with each other opening up for students to be willing to work together easier. YouTube and Glogster can be used both for information and entertainment as interactive sites and will always need to be monitored but with the right guidance students will be able to find ways to enhance their projects and have fun doing so. In the classroom all three of these sites are going to be useful in adding to differentiated instruction by giving students hands on learning, learning from those outside of the classroom and so much more. Which will enhance a classroom and a student’s experience while keeping engaged in their schoolwork. References: Carlson, A. (n.d.). What Is Differentiated Instruction? - Examples, Definition & Activities. Retrieved December 7, 2014, from http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/what-is-differentiated-instruction-examples-definition-activities.html Cauley, P. (n.d.). A Guide to Explain it all: Edmodo. Retrieved December 7, 2014, from http://www.csub.edu/~tfernandez_ulloa/Edmodo User guide.pdf Dobler, E. (2012). Flattening Classroom Walls: Edmodo Takes Teaching and Learning across the Globe. Reading Today, 29(4), 12-13. Duffy, P. (2007). Ngaging the YouTube Google-Eyed Generation Strategies for Using Web 2.0 in Teac. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 176-178. Glogster in the Classroom. (2010) ISTE Standards for Students. (2008). Retrieved December 7, 2014, from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf Cauley, P. (n.d.). A Guide to Explain it all: Edmodo. Retrieved December 7, 2014, from http://www.csub.edu/~tfernandez_ulloa/Edmodo User guide.pdf
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