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5.1/5A PERSONALIZED LEARNING
Candidates use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs. (PSC-IT 5.1, ISTE-E 5a)
5.1
The artifact used to demonstrate mastery of this standard is Kesler Science Station Labs. I have linked the station labs that teach students about the water cycle and oceans. I have also linked the modified version of the station labs to use for students with special needs. The stations labs are a set of activities developed to help the students better understand and learn the needed concepts.
This artifact demonstrates how I use technology to create, adapt, and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning. When I assign the students with station labs, they are able to work at their own pace and they choose the order they work through the activities in. The activities are geared towards different learning styles. I am also able to edit the stations if and when needed to better personalize the learning experiences for my students.
This artifact also demonstrates how I use technology to create, adapt, and personalize learning experiences that accommodate learner differences and needs. The stations allow students to work at their own pace and they are able to select the activities they complete, so they can work on the activities in the stations they enjoy most first. Students also have the option to work alone or with a partner on the stations. There are also modified versions available for all station labs that look almost identical to the regular version. Students will not be able to tell that they are working on a modified version, so differentiation is very easy for students with special needs.
I learned the value of continuing to complete stations in middle school and that they are not just for elementary school. My students are very engaged and the classroom is a very active learning environment when station labs are occuring. What I would do differently to improve the implementation of station labs is to realize that not all class periods are created equal. Some classes are better able to handle the freedom of personalized learning and some classes need more guidance and preparation before being let loose.
School improvement and student learning has been impacted by this artifact. Students have developed better literacy skills learning science content through the station activities. The impact can be assessed on state, school, and grade level assessments.
5.2/5B AUTHENTIC & ACTIVE LEARNING
Candidates design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning. (PSCIT 5.2, ISTE-E 5b)
5.2
The artifact used to display mastery of this standard is a Nearpod lesson I created to introduce the atmosphere. I designed the activity to be an engagement activity that would hook my students and make them want to know more about our atmosphere.
This artifact demonstrates how I design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards. The Nearpod lesson I designed and created is for 6th grade Earth Science and it covers the Georgia standard S6E4.a. The standard states that students will analyze and interpret data to compare and contrast the composition of Earth’s atmospheric layers (including the ozone layer) and greenhouse gases. (Clarification statement: Earth’s atmospheric layers include the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere.)
This article demonstrates how I design authentic learning activities that use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning. The Nearpod I designed uses digital tools and resources that I found or created. The lesson includes video clips, interactive websites, virtual field trips, slideshows reviewing important information, and informative websites. The lesson also includes review activities. There is drag and drop fill in the blank, a game of matching, diagram labeling, and it ends with a review game of questions where the students all compete with each other to answer correctly. This lesson uses a wide variety of digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning.
I learned that I always overestimate what I am able to do in a class period! The Nearpod is long and it takes a class period and a half to complete. The students always hate that we don't have enough time to finish though! I could improve the quality of this artifact by breaking it into two different Nearpods. I could have more activities for students to engage with in the first half and include a competitive review game. The students absolutely love that activity, so I think it would be beneficial to use twice.
The work that I did creating this artifact impacted faculty development and student learning. When other teachers were hearing about how excited and engaged my students were, they wanted to learn how to use Nearpod. I held several trainings. Student learning was impacted because more students were now being exposed to authentic learning activities that utilize various digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning. The impact could be assessed by observing the higher number of teachers using Nearpod and the higher levels of student engagement during direct instruction. This was also leading to higher levels of achievement and grades.
5.3/5C INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
Candidates explore and apply instructional design principles to create innovative digital learning environments that engage and support learning. (PSCIT 5.3, ISTE-E 5c)
5.3
The artifact I have selected to demonstrate mastery of this standard is a presentation I created demonstrating my educational technology philosophy. I used this presentation in my application to be a part of Fulton County's Vanguard program and it played a part in my acceptance into the program. I have also included a link to the Vanguard website.
This artifact demonstrates how I explore and apply instructional design principles to create innovative digital learning environments that engage and support learning. The presentation describes the various ways I implement best practices to allow for personalized learning and self-paced learning in my classroom. I demonstrate and explain how I organized tools and resources in the available digital learning environment at the time. The artifact demonstrates my use of interest grouping and creative expression activities that both leverage technology. I have always been very open to exploring and applying new instructional design principles to support and engage my students' learning. I have utilized a large number of digital learning environments like TeacherWeb, Edmodo, Google Sites, Google Classroom, iTunes University, and Microsoft Teams. A digital learning environment can be as simple as a PowerPoint document that several students are collaborating in. There are so many possibilities!
I learned that I have grown a lot and have experienced many different learning management systems. I am very confident and comfortable with technology because of my willingness to explore the possibilities and my courage to try new things with my students. I would improve the quality of this artifact by adding clips of what the students had to say about the work they were doing in the classroom with technology. Hearing from the students would make the presentation much more powerful.
The work that went into creating this artifact impacted school improvement, faculty development, and student learning because it led to me getting accepted into Vanguard. I am now exposed to excellent professional development that I turn around and share with others in my school. This has a ripple effect. The impact can be assessed by observing the amazing ways technology is being utilized in my school to engage and support student learning. The impact can also be assessed in state and school test scores.
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