CEP811: Final Reflection

Eight weeks have gone by fast and once again my personal learning network has expanded as I have completed another class in the MAET program.  The course, Adapting Innovative Technologies to Education, became my essential partner as I carry out my profession as an educator. 

For me, the most foundational teaching strategy that I’ve learned is Dr. Merrill’s instructional design with three essential elements: demonstrate, apply, and motivate.   As a teacher who integrates technology in a course, I should be able to use animations, videos, or web 2.0 tools to show or demonstrate what I’m teaching.  Applying or practicing what has been demonstrated in real world tasks is very crucial.  Examples on how to apply this would be giving students online quizzes, practical assessments, online forums and discussions. And finally, motivate learners to do real world projects which will enable them to develop new skills, and reinforce them with constructive feedback as they complete their projects.  Examples of where I can apply these three elements are when I design a WebQuest, an online course, a face-to-face (F2F) course, or a Stand-Alone Instructional Resource (StAIR).

By integrating web-based technologies, it provided me both curriculum and technology standards, criteria (like ease of use, quality of content, user reviews), and the basis (instruction design, teaching principles) on how to come up with the right judgment in choosing which technologies are more effective for adult teaching and learning.

My personal goal for learning about technology integration has been met by having a deeper understanding of what a Uniform Design for Learning (UDL) is.  This is a new concept for me as I continue incorporating the proper technology and collaborative tools, techniques, and methods in my teaching strategies.  I believe that UDL makes learning more meaningful as it provides flexible approaches and solutions for every learner.  I think an educator who supports UDL is sensitive to every student’s desire to succeed and to every student’s positive contributions to the whole class.

This class may be over but I should continue to explore and further evaluate the technology and the design principles that I’ve learned.  The evaluation will guide me in deciding which technology and teaching strategies should be added or used for teaching and learning.   A highly influential American librarian, John Cotton Dana, once said, “Who dares to teach must never cease to learn."  Therefore, a dedicated teacher never stops learning.  I am in a profession that requires an unending desire to learn new teaching methods but not disregarding the foundations of education. My quest for learning goes on …

CEP811: UDL Guidelines for Educators

As I went through the instructional design plan that I submitted to MERLOT, I started identifying the features that were met in the lessons with the checkpoints listed in the Uniform Design of Learning (UDL) Guidelines – Educator Checklist.  Next, I considered the barriers.  This activity helped me realize the significance of UDL.  

As we, educators, create our lesson plans, courseware, instruction plan, or curriculum, we can still cater to the diverse needs of our learners by considering the UDL principles.  UDL supports the feasibility of teaching students with different learning challenges.  It helps make it happen!

So are you wondering how my comparison went?  Check out my notes that I have indicated in the UDL Guidelines – Educator Checklist.