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After watching the videos, reading, and viewing the discussion boards, I have to say that I am interested in learning theories. The first theory of Constructivism is the idea that prior knowledge is applied to every new piece of information. Every person will take in information differently based on the experiences of their lives. I really like this idea. I think a teacher should take a learner from where they are in life and do everything possible to add information to each learners experiences.
 * Week 1**

The second theory presented this week is called Connectivism. This is the idea that learning should be interactive and should involve group work, collaboration, and discussion. Many of the assignments I have completed at Lamar have been connective assignments. This theory promotes the idea that knowledge is usually stronger when many minds attack and problem and work together.

The final theory, which may be genius, or total rubbish is the Cyborg theory. This is the theory that suggests computer chips, enhanced technology usage, etc. will make current human knowledge obsolete. I have a difficult time believing that computer chips will installed within people and basically turn us into half-robots. I think that would make it too easy for some technology whiz to take over with some crazy mind-control nonsense. I also think that theory would be outrageously expensive at a time when money is not in high supply throughout the world. However, I could totally end up eating my words and slaves to some half-robot takeover of the whole planet. If that happens, I'll gladly amend my wiki to and redact any blasphemous comments I may have made.

UDL is the idea that learners have different needs which calls for differentiated instruction. In the videos, the example of closed captioned television, audible crosswalk warnings, etc. are there to benefit those who have certain handicaps. However, these items help everyone, not just those with special needs. The same idea applies to education. Designing lessons that will make sense to students with special needs can also be beneficial to students who are considered, for lack of a better word, "normal".
 * Week 2**

Technology such as Google docs and sites are beneficial to students K-12 all the way through Graduate level coursework. These programs encourage collaboration, allow people to work from different locations, and create a product that be viewed globally. Technology will continue to change and develop, but it is critical that education follows suit and changes along-side the technology movement. Teachers should learn to create lessons that incorporate technology and collaboration so that students can reach their highest potentials. All areas of the brain should be reached, stimulated, and challenged.

In week 3, we begin building technology rich, TEKS aligned lessons.
 * Week 3**

While watching the video "Welcome to the Digital Generation", it served as a reminder how digitally interconnected our students have become over the past decade. It would be foolish to not integrate as much technology as possible to increase interest in learning from our students. Student needs are always changing as each learner grows. Technology should be integrated and fluid with the individualized needs of the students.

When watching the video about Luis, it served as a reminder that his life was based around technology. From the moment he wakes up until the moment he goes to sleep, he's plugged in. That's what he's comfortable with and what he expects. Taking technology out of his life for 8 hours at school doesn't seem like the best way to reach him. That would probably be an excellent strategy for boring him. The video about Cameron shows how technology can improve problem solving skills.

Week 4 seems to be focusing on project based learning. Students seem to respond well to alternative schooling environments where projects can be completed collaboratively outside a standard classroom. Students are encouraged to use all sorts of technology to solve problems and create solutions to a multitude of tasks. Different schools and teachers are being showcased that teach at magnet schools, or schools with special funding and charters. Students seem to enjoy science as they conduct experiments, instead of having to memorize information from a science textbook. Allowing real experiments to occur while recording data and findings online seems to be effective for these students.
 * Week 4**

Larry Rosenstock seems to think that most students would prefer to work in groups or community and produce a project. I can definitely see the merit in this type of teaching. Kids tend to enjoy working in groups and having some sort of work to display for others to view and scrutinize. His idea is that the the principles of technology and video games can be applied to the classroom with content from other areas. I think that is valid.


 * Week 5**
 * This week's information focuses on student effort. Students must be encouraged to not only achieve results, but also make sure they are challenging themselves to be the best they can be. Many students are satisfied with completion or basic credit. Some parents are perfectly happy with passing grades. At school, we must focus on excellence and improvement, everyday. I teach a class called AVID and we focus, not on passing, but on A's. We want "average" students to challenge themselves in Pre-AP classes and strive to not only pass, but be the best. **


 * Gaming is seen in some circles as an excellent way for students to learn. Obviously, the games would need an academic focus. Gaming provides immediate feedback and provides vocabulary and skills as they are needed, instead of front loading facts and then making students sort through those facts for themselves. Games are interactive and keep interest as well as force constant problem solving upon students. Students will need more than facts when they enter the work force. They must apply knowledge in a practical way to solve problems. **


 * Digital learners are also expected to learn etiquette online. This includes behavior, respect for the work of others and the understanding that when someone is online, they are not isolated with friends and family alone. They are entering a world that is full of all sorts of people and learners must understand that as they proceed with online activities. **


 * Final Reflection**

===****Goals **Unit Goals: ** To enhance understanding of basic Spanish vocabulary. Students will work in teams to present English to Spanish translations for the use in teaching the language to others. **Lesson Goals: Find specific words, use them in translated sentences. ** Methods **Anticipatory Set: Refer to previous lesson concepts and vocabulary, explain how ipods will be used in this lesson. Explain the end result and lesson objectives and how the ipods will assist in achieving these objectives. Introduce and Model New Knowledge: Share with students a children’s book written completely in Spanish. Then ask them to tell what the story was about. Many of the students will have little or knowledge or understanding of the story based on their prior knowledge of the Spanish dialogue. Use this method to help them understand the importance of the learning of new language. Provide Guided Practice: Teacher will provide an example word translation and verbal exchange while using the ipod. Students will repeat his example. Provide Independent Practice: Sentences should be recorded using ipod microphones. Students will work independently and then attempt to converse with a partner while recording the verbal exchanges. ** Assessment **Formative/Ongoing Assessment: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teacher will walk about the room and listen in on the conversations as they happen. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Summative/End Of Lesson Assessment: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quiz over newly acquired vocabulary words. Feedback: Have students complete a brief summary of what they learned and how they felt using technology as a part of the lesson. What challenges did they deal with ** Materials **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">30 ipods - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">basic 1-4 gb iPods will function well. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 30 ipod microphone- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add-on microphone attachments will be provided. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 1 Teacher Computer 1 ipod usb cable **** ** ===

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #a04d3e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal bold 1.8em/normal 'Trebuchet MS',arial,sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px;">Final Group Reflection ** ===
 * There are a variety of reasons why we chose certain activities throughout this project. The main idea behind every assignment and lesson has been technology- driven differentiated instruction for all the students in our class. They come from a variety of backgrounds, have a variety of achievement levels and they each have their own ideas associated with prior knowledge. The methods used in our project reflect the desire to engage students using technology and using strategies that will prove beneficial for all learners within the class. The general education teacher should take a class about the basics of podcasting. This basic class will show the teacher how to incorporate the technology into lessons.

One of the Cast lessons used ipods fitted with voice recorders to record students while they read aloud. They also use them for podcasts, group projects, vocabulary practice, and other activities throughout the unit. the use of ipods in class will guarantee student interest in the assignment. They may not like the assignment that is given, but they will love the use of a popular mp3 player as a means learning and communicating. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; color: #a04d3e; display: block; margin-left: auto; text-align: right;"> We looked for ways to take the technology and give that varied student base a chance where all of them could be successful, and creative. Each of the lessons provided a sense of both independent contributions and team building processes, both of which will provide learning that will translate into useable skills in other classes and in life in general. By our incoporation of technologies into the mix, we offer lessons that provide them the mediums that most of them are already familiar with in today's environment and lessons that produce end results that can can easily with others.

The professional development hat would have to take place on the teacher's part would provide a calming sense of understanding in new methods to reach today's student. Having teacher's become more at ease with basic technologies will give them the fortitude to attempt, and even seek out, more new technology to implement as time goes on.

Each of us brought to the plan a seperate sense of direction that contributed to the overall scheme of the scenario. Each team member either introduced new ideas or provided some additional helping source of information that made lessons and tasks more prepared and more useable.

By incorporating the podcasting (audio) and the online books, and the flash card lessons, as a team we addressed several diverse tools to bring each student into the production and learning that would take place in this classroom and provide multiple opportunities for students to share their knowledge and receive immediate feedback from both their peers and the teacher.

This project has been fun and inspiring, and I look forward to utilizing the process used here in my future lessons. The challenges that we worked through to provide a cohesive lesson can be used by other educators to incorporate technology and specifically iPods into a lesson plan. In collaborating on this project, we each played off of each other's ideas, and made a well-rounded final project. The clever incorporation of a tool that students already use for fun is used for learning in this lesson. There are so many variations of this lesson that can be used for other lessons or subjects, in individual or group projects. The assessment tool is already integrated into the lesson, so students know exactly what to expect, and what is expected of them. Students can clearly understand the steps and goals that they need to accomplish in order to receive credit for the assignment. This lesson is easily accessible online, and can be used in a professional development setting to demonstrate a simple, yet effective method of incorporating technology into teaching. Also, this lesson is based on a technology tool that most students already possess and know how to use, so there is little time wasted on learning how to use a new technology. For special needs learners, this lesson can be modified to fit their needs simply by choosing simpler words, or fewer words, and assistance from the teacher or other students on using the iPod. For advanced students, this lesson can be taken a step further by uploading the demonstration onto YouTube or TeacherTube and showing other students around the world how they are learning using technology. In conclusion, there are endless possibilities with this lesson. Students can use iPods to not only learn new Spanish words, but help them learn and memorize for other classes, listen to music that they are studying, and share learned information with fellow students. ipod Image from: <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #a04d3e; padding-right: 10px;">[|techdigest.tv] podcasting image from: <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #a04d3e; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; padding-right: 10px; white-space: nowrap;">[|jcam19.wordpress.com] ||