Reflecting on DI and Technology

The course, Reaching and Engaging All Learners through Technology at Walden University, has given me the tools I need to successfully integrate technology in my classroom. From being aware of the different ways students learn to the various ways that learning can be demonstrated, technology plays a major role in classroom instruction. I did not realize until taking this course that differentiating instruction could be so easy. I always thought it was too difficult to try to individualize lessons for each student. Now I know that giving choices does not mean creating thirty-plus individualized lesson plans.

One immediate change that I will make is to get to know my student’s learning needs. Having them take the surveys that I found and developed at the beginning of this course will help me to create more meaningful learning experiences for them. Providing multiple modalities when presenting a lesson will help to appeal to different learning types. I already implemented a lesson that I created in the week six application. As my calculus students finished their test, they got a laptop and went to a site that gave tutorials on the next lesson. They were able to work at their own pace. Clear step by step examples were provided and videos were also available for those who cannot “read” math and understand it. The majority of the class loved it and found it very helpful. I had had three out the twelve students who did not care for learning off the website, however they did like the site as a supplement to my teaching. They still wanted my demonstrations on the board. Overall, it was quite successful.

Another change that I will make is to allow more choices in assignments. I realize that not all students have to do the same thing to get the same result. Allowing students to choose when it comes to assignments will not only help them to feel like they have ownership in their education but they will also see the relevance in the assignment. Choices make the curriculum more meaningful and give many alternatives to assessment (Smith, 2008). The use of technology will provide many opportunities to create these meaningful assessments.

I will also make sure that I allow my students time to learn the new technology. This is difficult when we have very little time to learn many different objectives. However, I do have “down time” in class. Those moments when students are waiting for the bell or the transition time between activities. With better planning, I can allow the time for them to learn new advancements. We could begin by creating a class project using a glog or prezi.

Integrating technology to provide choices makes differentiating instruction not as complicated as I thought it would be. Just a few changes and a few choices can lead to many new great ideas as student are totally engaged in learning.

Smith, Mark. (2008). Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences and Education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.