ICT Portafolio

UDL and Differentiated Instruction

Breaking Through Traditional Teaching Limits With ICT diciembre 19, 2023 0

Universal design for learning

Teachers can implement Universal Design for Learning (ULD) by presenting information in diverse ways, including using various formats, offering choices and engagement options, allowing for flexible assessments, integrating technology, and providing tools and supports to cater to the diverse needs, preferences, and abilities of all learners.

UDL Framework, («UDL: The UDL guidelines», s. f.)⮹

Engagement: some keywords that can define this stage are students´ agency and opportunity to choose tasks, rewards, goals, and assessment devices among the authentic options the teacher will offer in a safe classroom.

Representation: in this stage, designing tools and activities with perceptible information for all students may promote a clear message in classes and scaffolding activities for students.

Action and expression: then, this section allows all students to externalize their understanding amomg the diverse students in the classroom and it leads to planning tailor-made production activities to provide different modalities of expression and to foster executive functions.

UDL class discussion

Following UDL, we figure out how, with multimedia, we can increase the quality of our assignments, foster their purposes and give students the opportunity to question their learning process in an inclusive and accessible class for everyone. Here are some aspects that are deciding factors and provide guidance when planning a lesson in a diverse context with diverse students.

Differentiated Instruction

According to Sousa and Tomlinson (2011) there are 5 principles for differentiated learning:

1. Respect: Every student has the same access and engaging experience.

2. Critical thinking challenges students to be more engaged in class. Everyone is smart and capable.

3. Flexible grouping: creating categories in groups makes them rotate when they need it.

4. Ongoing assessment: in order to have a better picture of their group's progress and act on difficulties or reinforce strengths.

5. Learning environment: teamwork, empathy, and trust.

Reference

Sousa D. Tomlinson, A. (2011). Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports a Learner-Friendly Classroom. Bloomington, Indiana : Solution Tree Press

UDL: The UDL guidelines. (s. f.). Retrieved from: https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Bloom´s Taxonomy and DOK

Breaking Through Traditional Teaching Limits With ICT diciembre 11, 2023 0

Having understood more about Bloom's taxonomy and DOK, I could relate them to one of my lessons and the goals I aimed with the theoretical bases of formulation objectives. Now, I am more informed about the process, and aware of the essential steps and factors in planning. Next, I will explain how I could relate this lesson to the theory.

We should start saying this kind of activity is possible nowadays due to digital scenarios, which bring authenticity to the classroom. These virtual world scenarios are booming now because of the benefits they bring, in this case being able to post a complaint without calling or going to the place. Then this is time-saving and practical in the real world. Now, we ought to think about using this digital world significantly and in relation to the abilities we want to promote in the classroom. This is when Bloom's taxonomy and DOK provide the perfect guidance in order to set goals. In my activity, I selected Bloom's verbs, specifically design, construct, compose, and produce, which is the final goal of the activity. However, what is important to consider is that you need to create scaffolding for any big objective; therefore, it is mandatory to create a path and more specific objectives that guide students and teachers throughout the process. This could be very significant to students because they can use some supporting activities to achieve the final objective. For the subsections, I use the DOK guide and I choose actions such as outline, examine, assess, connect and modify.

Bloom´s taxonomy and DOK

For further information on these knowledge systems, click on the icons.

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Flipped learning

"Flipped learning is a compassionate teaching and learning methodology. Students are placed at the center of the learning process. Teachers are architects of meaningful and intentional learning experiences for both learning spaces in and out the classroom (Buitrago, C.R 2018)."

When I need to understand and define this method, many concepts come to mind, such as learner-centered class, communicative approach, agency and teaching practices that avoid the idea of setting a teacher as the only source of information and the only one who speaks in class. On the contrary, it intends to give students a protagonist role in the classroom and define the teacher as a facilitator and guide. The revolutionary method is still new and controversial in some Colombian contexts because it offers a different class framework where students get some independence at the beginning by getting familiar with the topic and relating their prior knowledge to the new ones. Therefore, this represents a whole mindset shift to transform the class into something meaningful and interactive.

One concept I really would like to explore is developing agency in students. This may be crucial in providing students with the chance to choose what they want to learn and guiding them in the process. Then teachers can empower students by connecting agency with the competences that must be developed in the curriculum because they will have the freedom to go beyond memorizing and repeating information, and they will have a constant monitor that helps them have a more structured framework in classes. I really found this topic fascinating. The fact that there are teachers who have been able to activate agency in scholar students is an inspiration for me. Here is a podcast of a teacher and her students in Australia who talk about how they can develop agency and at the same time accomplish the national curriculum and highlight the positive outcomes of agency.

🎧 Podcast

"The outcomes are much better in that they are authentically learning things that are important to them that they know are going to guide or improve their future."

Extra resources

Original screenshot of the class design.

References

Ramírez, M., & Rodríguez-Buitrago, C. (2018). In-Class Flip in Teacher Education Through Loop-Input. In H. Castañeda (Ed.). Technology in ELT: achievements and challenges for ELT development (pp.131-147). Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas. https://die.udistrital.edu.co/sites/default/files/doctorado_ud/publicaciones/technology_in_elt_achievements_and_challenges_for_elt_development.pdf#page=131