Riffle,+Kayla

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__**Learning Style and the CAST Website**__ After taking the learning style quiz I found that I am a visual/verbal learner. I knew that I was a visual learner and the verbal label did not surprise me. For as long as I can remember I have always been a visual learner but I don't think I was necessarily a verbal learner until college. When I began higher education I had to change the way I studied material because what had worked in high school did not work for me in college. Since I was younger I have always been able to remember numbers after I saw them (for example on a license plate or a phone directory).

After completing the learning style survey, I was not surprised at the results (visual verbal learner). I’ve always known this. For example, I complete an assignment to the best of my ability when the teacher demonstrates how to do it first. However, with numbers, I can listen and memorize fairly easily. I’m not sure why it’s mostly with numbers, but it has been like that since I can remember. The use of flashcards was suggested to help me study. Even though I use flashcards sometimes I think I will use them more often to study after taking the survey.

With the CAST website I felt like I learned about UDL and differentiated instruction more in depth as well as direct methods to promote UDL. Overall I really liked the CAST website and thought it was a great resource for rookie and veteran teachers. The part of //Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age// that I found most interesting was when it explained to have the students take control of online learning. I think I can be a control freak sometimes but I see where this idea can be successful. Therefore I might incorporate more student-based online learning in my classroom.

I enjoyed the 2 activities. I don’t think I learned anything new about myself as a student or future teacher but the activities brought up frustrating memories from elementary school before I utilized an IEP. I don’t think differentiated learning was as important to teachers back then and the activities made me realize even more that I don’t want to be colorblind when teaching but instead embrace each of my student’s differences.

I think that the CAST website’s approach to differentiated learning is great. I think it covers so many strategies to ensure that every student understands the lesson. I think this model is excellent because it’s so rich with information. I would like to know how this website is free while providing such great information to all teachers!!

__Virtual Fieldtrips and Museums __ I spent a good amount of time exploring the links to the virtual fieldtrip sites and I thought they were very interesting! One part that I really liked about the websites as a bunch was that they were appropriate for almost all age groups. However, the American History virtual fieldtrip would probably be more appropriate for younger grades and the Ancient Egypt site would work better for older students. My favorite website was the Smithsonian virtual tour because the images were so clear and I was able to guide myself to where I wanted to go in the museum. I think the Smithsonian website was nicely designed and user friendly. Even though I think virtual fieldtrips have their benefits, I also think that they take away from the actual old fashioned field trips. Virtual fieldtrips are great for budget problems but I don't think that they should be utilized due to faculty laziness because there's nothing like physically being there. I think that students get more out of a fieldtrip when they ride a bus there, eat lunch there, and ride the bus home. I think the whole experience of an actual fieldtrip engages children more than virtual fieldtrips.

__Assistive Technology __

** 1. **** From visiting the websites and viewing the videos in Part I of the assignment, what information did you learn about assistive technology for disabled individuals? ** I knew that there were a lot of resources available for students with disabilities, but I was amazed at how many these websites alone offered. Also, I was intrigued to see the creativity that went into designing some of the resources. It makes me feel good as a future teacher that there are so many ways for students with disabilities to communicate with people using these resources.

** 2. **** Were there any sites, products, or resources that particularly impressed you and that you want to remember as you prepare to become a classroom teacher? ** By far the one story that impressed me the most was the story about Lucas and his horn. It makes me feel so great that when his first adapted horn was stolen that the community raised $6,000 to replace it with an even more advanced horn. Even though I won’t be making adapted instruments in my classrooms, Lucas’ story reminded me that as a community we need to support people in need and constantly encourage them to follow their dreams. This story proves that nothing is impossible which I will teach my students.

** 3. **** What promises/potentials does technology provide for students with diverse learning needs? ** Technology can promise so much for students with diverse learning needs. In the one video, the class was using the “buttons” where the teacher would record herself saying a word or phrase and the student would hit the button to answer a question which is great for non verbal students. Also, for students who are not able to use their arms, they can write papers without actually typing but instead using their voice to record their sentences. For less severe disabilities, educational computer game time might be an incentive for a child who has Attention Deficit Disorder. There are infinite possibilities to positively incorporate technology into education for students with learning disabilities.

** 4. **** Have you ever had a personal experience with a student or other person who has used some form of assistive technology to help them function in learning or everyday life? If so, describe what you observed from that experience in terms of meeting the special needs of those individuals. ** I used to nanny for a 12 year old boy who was Autistic and non verbal. He had a “touch and talk” which was wonderful! Every day we would work on icon recognition and he would tell me what he wanted for lunch, what he wanted to play with, etc. For example, I would ask him what he would like for lunch and he would push the button on the machine that pictured a piece of pizza and the machine would say “pizza”. Not only did it help our communication, but it helped him become a calmer individual because it would take away the frustration he felt when I did not understand what he was asking of me.

** 5. **** From this assignment, what will you carry with you as you prepare to become a teacher – one that will, most likely, face the challenge of meeting the needs of special education students along with non-disabled learners? ** This assignment further proved to me that students with disabilities are just as able to accomplish tasks as their non-disabled peers. With new technology surfacing every day, students with disabilities should not be looked down upon and felt bad for. Students with disabilities should be pushed to their maximum potential along with their non-disabled peers and I will always strive to do that with my future students.

-> An article that I read and refleced upon

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A true story about my great uncle in WWII

[] Here is the link to my personal HTML page =)

annotattions 301.docx Annotated Weblist



Final Thoughts About ISTC 301 The biggest impact this class has made on my educational philosophy is just how much technology can be used in the classroom. This class has opened my eyes to how many free programs can be used to teach and learn lessons. I knew there were a lot of technology related resources out there but I was not aware of how many and how fun they can be. I was also surprised that I used knowledge gained in this class in most of my other classes this semester! My opinion on technology has not exactly changed, but I have gained a whole new respect for the importance and vastness of the technology world. I am a huge supporter of differentiated instruction and I know that UDL supports technology but I wasn't necessarily aware of the enormous amount of technological resources available to me as a future teacher and student.
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