Week 5 Reflection

When our group first came together, it became apparent that there was a wide array of different technology options for us to choose from. It came down to what was best for the students we were designing our lesson for. We were challenged to create a lesson that included technology that a teacher with minimum experience in technology could teach to a class of diverse learners. These learners included thirty students. Ten of these students were considered gifted and talented, two had disabilities that dramatically affect their learning, one student is blind, and one is hearing impaired. The other eighteen students ranged from low level to higher achieving. As we designed our lessons we kept in mind the following quote, “Learning is a process of accommodation, assimilation, or rejection to construct new conceptual structures, meaningful representations, or new mental models”, as stated in Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, (1999). Learning as a personal event: A brief introduction to constructivism.”

We tried to keep the individual learner in mind as we collaborated. We each chose different parts of the lesson and designed them so that every learner could be successful at the project. We took into account what the students would learn, and how to provide evidence of that learning.  Our group chose 6th grade math as we felt it would best encompass our knowledge and backgrounds as we designed the lessons.  Our lesson of choice was a unit on fractions. The goal was to design student-centered learning activities with technology.  Specific UDL lessons plans will be developed for each of the lessons, including but not limited to the following, converting improper fractions to mixed numbers, comparing fractions, multiplication of fractions, and QR codes. Use of multiple exercises through online games and manipulative, which will address the varying needs of students. These sites and activities offer varying degrees of difficulties and offer immediate feedback and results. Examples of such online activities and websites are, Fraction Feud, Dig It, Fraction Dolphin Racing Game, eBooks, QR codes and games, Mathematics glossary, Windows to the Universe, and Fraction Games with Real-Life Fractions.  We were able to assess evidence of student learning through pen and papers tests, and a wide array of online tools such as interactive learning, online games, interactive whiteboards, podcasts, videos, and learning and collaborative groups. Through the use of these online tools we were able to offer a wide range of learning tools to a wide range of learning levels. This allowed for each student to be successful in their learning.