Final Reflection

EDLD 5318

by

Crystal Torres
 INTRODUCTION

The idea of a new online course bloomed in EDLDd 5302: Concepts of Educational Tech, where

the COVA learning approach had been introduced to me. I immediately began thinking of ways

to incorporate this into my classroom. Invigorating excitement woke this tired teacher up! I

wanted to test this concept out on my students. I provided a choice of notes, differentiated

delivery of instruction using videos, infographics, and reading material. Students then again had

the opportunity to choose how they would deliver their learning outcomes. Needless to say, the

concept that they had once been at 20% before and 65% after using the COVA learning approach

spurred my curiosity to develop the Advanced Technology course in this class. This course will

provide opportunities to create their eportfolio by using tools I’ve introduced to them. They will

spend an entire year developing their tech skills while in turn developing their learning by

connecting core classes with a variety of tech tools. This blended approach will support the Tech

Pathway for high school students. Since I am currently at the Junior High, this was a way to feed

into the high school and support student growth in the process.

Instructional Design Theories

Blended learning has become an imperative component of digital learning. Educators "have

realized that much that has traditionally been done in class can be done equally well or better

online" (Bates, 2010, 1.7.2). With my course, I would like to explore and be more familiar with

the constructivism approach to learning. It is hard as teachers that grew up in the behavior and/or

cognitivism era of learning to relinquish control of cognitive learning and move towards a

messier learning approach and place learning more into the hands of the student. My reluctance

is based on my love and familiarity with data-based instruction. There must be a balance between
all four perspectives or theories of learning. LearningDctr. (2010) defined three of the 4 theories

as such: (1) behaviorism is an expected instructional response doused in repetition; (2)

cognitivism is the memorization and recalling of information; (3) constructivism is building of

knowledge in order to solve problems and thus learning from the journey.

In my Advanced course, I’ve chosen to focus on developing the constructivist mindset as

students learn to use technology to enhance student achievement. Although behaviorism and

cognitivism will integrate throughout the process through consistent repetition of creating

assignments that revolve around their own learning experiences.

UbD Plan Implementation

I implemented the UbD plan by introducing my course with a foundational learning style quiz,

research, and reflection of their personal experience. I then progressed my UbD plan by applying

what they learned from the first week as they began to build a growth mindset. These two

concepts were the foundation for the course in general. Keeping a growth mindset, with the

knowledge of their personal learning styles will set them up to create their ePorfolios. Each week

they will integrate their learning into each design, but follow up with reflection and a build upon

the next week’s design. The goal for these repetitious activities is to build a platform for

constructive improvement and growth in all courses, not just in my Advanced Technology

Course.

Importance of Online Learning

By providing an online learning experience for students of my course, will create independent

learners. For so long, I’ve seen students not strive to do more and learn more. By pushing them
each week to reflect, get and give feedback, and learn new tools, I am creating a foundation for

independence. Online learning is important for our students now, not just because of a worldwide

pandemic, but because their future depends on it. Bates (2015, 1.1) explains that future

employees need to have skills that will accommodate where this world is speeding through the

digital world at vapid speeds. You've probably seen those tik tok videos where, humorously, HR

is calling all their employees back into the office and no one wants to go back. People have

found new and inventive ways to work efficiently and more productively in the comfort of their

stretchy pants! All kidding aside, this is where our future students will be making a living one

day...innovatively. We must teach them how to think, create, analyze, apply, and synthesize their

learning and instill independence and growth.

Enduring Understanding

What I’ve come to understand through this course is the way we teach, and the way students

learn has changed or evolved over time. The video from LearningHood (2012) explains that as

the world changes, we have always found a way to integrate differentiation to foster rigorous

learning. True blended learning is not the use of one tool for the other, but using that tool to

enhance the learning that is going on in the classroom. The technology that is used properly in

the classroom brings resources and different ways of learning to each student’s fingertips.

According to the article, Archambault et al. (2009) relayed in research, marries the TPACK

concepts of technology, teaching, and content. Through this study, educators tended to veer more

towards being confident in teaching methods and the content that they used but struggled with

the incorporation of technology. Within my course, and future courses, it is imperative to (1)

make sure students have a resource for moveability and accessibility throughout the course; (2)

give simple scaffolded activities to gain a comfortable sense of useability while using
technology; (3) create and/or choose technology that will enhance achievement, not just for the

bells and whistles. Educators across the world are experiencing the change that the digital world

is causing in the educational world. We must learn to be comfortable teaching content and using

teaching methods that use technology as an avenue for success.

I had a principal once tell me that using technology in the classroom is a distraction. He

even went as far as limiting the use of the Chromebooks that the district provided so that I

wouldn't have access to them. This saddened me and angered me at the same time. I know that

using technology can make or break the success of a student, but if we use the tool that was

given to us correctly, then success will always be the outcome. We are no longer living in an age

where we can live without technology. It is ingrained into the fibers of our children. They will

never know the struggles of dial-up internet, required to type on your mom's fancy electric

typewriter, or the wanting of a mini pager that you would ultimately use just to stop at a

payphone to call someone! (Those were the days!) If used right, technology can be used

seamlessly with content and differentiated teaching models. It's just in the delivery. Change in

the way we deliver education to America's students is necessary for us to move forward in

innovatively changing our future.

References

Archambault, L., & Crippen, K. (2009) Examining TPACK among K-12 online distance
 educators in the United States Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher

Education, 9(1). Retrieved From:

http://www.citejournal.org/volume-9/issue-1-09/general/examining-tpack-among-

k-12-online-distance-educators-in-the-united-states

Bates, A.W. (2015) Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning.

Retrieved from: https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/

LearningDctr. (June 2010) Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism & Learning and

Instructional Theory. Retrieved From:

https://amara.org/en/videos/EGp9AZspE8hl/info/behaviorism-cognitivism-constr

uctivism-learning-and-instructional-theory/

LearningHood. (2012). CommonCraft: Blended Learning in Plan English. Retrieved From:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzVeA0hP_Tg.