April 4th Class: 3 Main Takeaways!!

The first online class for Universal Design for Learning and Assistive Technology was very informative, engaging and eye-opening!! I feel very challenged as technology is not one of my strengths. However, I am very excited to learn and develop new skills and techniques to help provide an enriched learning environment that supports diversity.

NOTE: I will definitely be using Menti and the Wheel of Names in the future. This is really cool!!!

My three main takeaways from the first class are as follows:

1. The "Myth of Average" video
This video by Todd Rose was extremely motivating and interesting. He certainly hit a "soft spot" for me and I felt an emotional connection. I have a child in grade 2 who is struggling to meet the curriculum outcomes. As a teacher myself, I realize that in today's classrooms, there are so many other distractions and demands and as a result, children are being denied the help and assistance needed to meet their needs.

One of the Key components was "Jagged Profile" meaning that every child is different. Students are not one dimensional and there are no average children. Rose states a curriculum designed for the average is designed for nobody. Each and every child enters the classroom with their unique learning styles, talents, strengths and weaknesses. A curriculum designed for the average learner should be banned. The curriculum must be designed to support diversity and to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to learn and be successful. We can't assume that "One size fits all"!!! Designing a curriculum in this way is truly a waste of time and energy as every child is different.

Another highlight in the video was "Adjustable Seats" which is simply providing accessible technology, resources and materials to meet the needs of the learner. Adjustable seats could be as simple as providing pencil grips, tactile seating and others. For technology, teachers can provide Chromebooks, sound systems, Ipads and much more. By providing these adjustable seats we are nurturing student development and allowing all children to have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, talents and strengths. I feel that providing these supports are very crucial and would eliminate so much stress for both the learner and the teacher.  Knowing that you are meeting the needs of all children to be successful would be the best feeling in the world. 

2. Tyler's Story and Journey

What an absolutely amazing and inspiring story!!! This was by far the HIGHLIGHT of the class just to see how this amazing young man was provided with so much support and given the necessary and best "adjustable seating" tools to be a successful learner. As the years went by and technology was advancing and changing, Tyler was provided with the tools and resources to press on and achieve his goals. Despite the challenges and obstacles faced, Tyler's motivation, determination and hard work paid off. Assistive Technology allowed Tyler to be successful and access the world through various forms of technology. WOW!!! In addition, I was enlightened by how the SETT framework supported him over the years. Thanks so much Ms. Welsford and Tyler for sharing this amazing story!! It was definitely the most memorable experience of the day!!!

3. Book Creator

As the saying goes, "YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY"!!! Prior to this class, I had so much anxiety about it. During my years attending school in an isolated community, we rarely were engaged in technology as a form of learning. When I went to university, I would most often resort to writing research papers using paper and pencil because I was never really confident with using technology. However, after some practice and time, I developed the basics and the necessary skills to respond to emails, type letters, papers etc... I am very delighted to be apart of this course and I am excited to pursue this course to gain more knowledge and confidence to incorporate technology more and more in my daily routine at school and at home.

Despite the initial problems experiences of moving into our different groups, I absolutely loved using this program. I feel that this could be a very useful tool for children of all ages at home or at school. Book Creator would is an awesome tool where students can explore audio, text, and images to create ebooks, journals, posters and portfolios. Students can choose text features such as color, size, font and so on. They can use their creativity to explore the many features that this wonderful program has to offer. An added benefit is that children can explore individually or in a group setting. I love the way it is so user friendly and that with proper guidance and step by step instructions, students could have so much fun with this program. 

https://bookcreator.com/