Goal+3+Differentiation+-+Tracie

Alaska toolkit will have differentiated suggestions based on students' learning differences and teacher's learning differences.

Goal Three: Differentiation


My reflection on Goal 3: Differentiation, as it applies to our project (and the portfolio in general)



Tracie Weisz EDET698 Portfolio/Project

Goal Three: Differentiation

The Alaska Toolkit project will have differentiated options based on student and teacher needs. At the heart of the Alaska Toolkit is its emphasis on differentiation. The New Alaska Standards are aligned with a variety of strategies for incorporating technology into classroom learning for students. For example, in the 8th grade reading standards for literature, under craft and structure, the anchor standard reads, “Analyze the overall structure of a text. Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.” There are several tech-enhanced strategies that can accompany this standard. All of these strategies are simple suggestions, yet offer a variety of ways a student can work to accomplish this understanding with the use of technology to meet their individual needs for learning and engagement. With the software or web tool accompanying each of the six suggestions, this also offers differentiation for the teacher. A teacher who is at a novice level with integrating technology can easily help a student use text-to-speech software, such as Apple’s built-in adaptive software tool, or even an easy web-based tool such as Read The Words ([|www.readthewords.com]), in which they can copy and paste in selections of text. Novice level teachers can also manage setting up a t-chart in a digital document, and pasting in selections of short text for an easy visual comparison. For intermediate-level teachers, simply posting helpful visuals on a class website or wiki is an easy task that ensures help is always there for a student, even if the teacher is not. Wordle ([|www.wordle.net]) is a simple web tool that a teacher can give to students, or use as a whole class activity to analyze selections of text and vocabulary in engaging ways. For teachers who are more advanced, and used to the idea of maintaining class and student blogs or websites, having students blog is an alternative with so many possibilities, including ways to express their learning for this standard. Advanced teachers will also be able to see many possibilities in the suggestion of bringing in visuals through presentation software or video in order to help students achieve this standard. With the built in differentiation possibilities for teachers and students, the Alaska Toolkit easily helps teachers by giving specific suggestions as to how various technologies could be employed to meet varying readiness levels (teachers and students). These suggestions, like the others in the Toolkit, offer teachers ways to adapt and modify process, product, and learning environment, based on student readiness levels, learning styles, and personal goals. For teachers in a 1:1 environment, any of these suggestions for the sample standard being discussed here can easily be implemented. For teachers in situations of few or sparse technology resources, most of the above strategies can still be implemented with the use of one or two devices for students to rotate with (the planning of presentations or video can very often take place without the use of a computer), or projected for whole class discussion.
 * 1) 1. A student can use a text-to-speech tool to listen to the text
 * 2) 2. A student can copy and paste two passages from comparative texts into a table and have a visual for comparison.
 * 3) 3. A student can have a visual chart posted on the class website with choices or models of text structures for identifying reference.
 * 4) 4. A student can use Wordle to paste text selections into and do a word analysis
 * 5) 5. A student can write a blog post which mimics the style of the text they are analyzing.
 * 6) 6. A student can create a narrated digital story using presentation software or video which mimics the style of the text they are analyzing.

Apple - Accessibility - OS X. (n.d.). //Apple - Accessibility - OS X//. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.apple.com/accessibility/osx/
 * Resources**:

Crosby, B. (2008, November 28). Examples of digital storytelling types. //Moving at the Speed of Creativity//. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/11/28/examples-of-digital-storytelling-types/

Davis, V. (2011, May 6). 12 Reasons to Blog with Your Students. //Cool Cat Teacher Blog.// Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2011/05/12-reasons-to-blog-with-your-students.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+CoolCatTeacherBlog+(Cool+Cat+Teacher+Blog)

Fryer, W. (n.d.). Visual Notetaking. Mapping Media to the Common Core. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://maps.playingwithmedia.com/visual-notetaking/

Read The Words: Free Text to Speech Voices. (n.d.). //TTS Online: Free Text to Speech Voices: Read The Words//. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.readthewords.com/

T-Chart. (n.d.) //readwritethink.org//. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/chart-30225.html

Using Wordle to Distill and Analyze Text. (n.d.). //San Diego State University EdWeb//. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec470/s11/resources/wordclouds.htm

Wordle - Beautiful Word Clouds. (n.d.). //Wordle - Beautiful Word Clouds//. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.wordle.net/

Artifacts

From EDET637 Differentiating Instruction Through Technology, in discussing the essential question, "//**What does it mean to differentiate the process (content, strategies for instruction) in the classroom?"** //[|Link to post here] This is an important idea with regard to the Alaska Toolkit, as it addresses specific issues that need to be considered for successful differentiation for any learner. We are actively trying to build these ideas and supports into the Toolkit.

From EDET637 Differentiating Instruction Through Technology, in discussing the essential question, "//** What are your overall take-aways from the methods/tools that you might use to differentiate the classroom environment (for teacher productivity and student progression)? Which of these may you use in your classroom in the future?" ** // Link to post here These are strategies and ideas that are incorporated into many of the performance assessments offered in the Alaska Toolkit.

From EDET637 Differentiating Instruction Through Technology, in discussing the essential question, "//**What technology tools can I use to manage and track differentiated student progress in my class?"** //Link to post here These are ideas and tools that are a part of the Toolkit's database for teachers.

From EDET637 Differentiating Instruction Through Technology, in discussing the essential question,"//** What tools might provide me insight into the learners in my classroom and how might I use this information?" ** // Link to post here These are ideas and tools that are a part of the Toolkit's database for teachers.