Week 6 Discussion 1 Course Reflection

  
 
Congratulations! And, welcome to the final week of EDU620: Meeting Individual Student Needs with Technology.  Please be sure to review the Week Six homepage for this course to see the specific learning outcomes for the week, the schedule overview, the required and recommended resources for the week, an introduction to the week, and a listing of the assessments for the week. Next, be sure to read this entire Instructor Guidance page.
  
Overview
 
Now is the time to reflect upon all you have learned and experienced in this course. You have formed a foundational understanding of UDL and integrating technology into the classroom. In Week Six you will prepare your final project consisting of the requirements in the guidance.  Also, you have the opportunity to reflect deeply on your learning from Weeks One through Five in the discussion forum. 
  
Intellectual Elaboration

Reflecting on the EDU620 Experience
 
Over the last five weeks, we have focused on the integration of technology and UDL into the classroom setting. How UDL is used to remove barriers and ensure all students have the opportunity to learn.
 
As you reflect this week, think about all the concepts you have learned and their practical application into your classroom or work setting.
 
Why Reflect?
 
Through reflective practice, a practitioner of any type can reframe a troubling situation so problem-solving actions may occur. Reflection is part of the learning process, whether a novice or an expert. It allows one to utilize a repertoire of understanding, images, and actions so as to respond most effectively (Merickel, 1998).  Progressing into the Week 6 discussion and final project requires you to contemplate your learning experiences, course assessments, and concepts examined during the course and determine their impact on you. You will also relate your learning to that of your current or anticipated role working with children and communities.
 
Why Teachers Need to be Tech-Savvy—and How
 
As previously discussed, American education is focusing on preparing students for a more global economy—one in which communication with others across borders is increasingly a part of regular, daily life.  We therefore must equip students with the 21st-century skills as outlined in the framework of the Partnership for 21st-Century Learning.  Included as a part of the framework are information, media, and technology skills as well as life and career skills  (Links to an external site.). If students are to be held accountable for utilization of information, media, and communications & technology literacy skills, then teachers had better be able to model their use and integrate some use of technology in their instruction.
 
The Partnership for 21st-Century Learning offers ways to incorporate such instructional opportunities such as use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Literacy Maps (Links to an external site.). These maps illustrate the intersection between ICT and core academic subjects such as English, mathematics, science, and social studies. The maps provide educators with concrete examples of how ICT Literacy can effectively be integrated into core subjects, making learning more relevant to the demands of the 21st century (P21.org). See attached document for more details