My Personal Learning About Two Other Topics

1. Models for Practice

During the block, we looked at different models such as TPCK, SAMR, UDL and UBD/TFU/VT. I was most interested by UDL, which stands for universal design for learning. It is a set of principles that are used for curriculum development so that all individuals have equal opportunities to learn  (Cast, n.d.). UDL looks at the different ways of how the brain works when we learn. 

                                     (cast, n.d.)

This model has helped me realise the importance of how we represent information for learning, what resources we choose to use and also the way we engage students. It is significant to me because these factors ultimately affect how students learn; we should be incorporating strategies that help to maximise learning. 

Chita-Tegmark, Gravel, Serpa, Domings and Rose (2012) highlighted the importance of understanding cultural differences between students. This is because these differences can affect their way of thinking and therefore interprets learning different from the model. As teachers, we need to be able to identify cultural differences and then teach them the way our curriculum works. 

2. Social Media

One group in the class looked into the role of social media in classrooms. It is evident, even from my previous post that social media, if used correctly, can have a huge impact on the overall outcome of learning. Social Media is able to allow students to access information and ideas that they may have never come across. As it can be very helpful in developing teacher professional learning, it can be quite useful and beneficial for students in similar ways. 

Fee (2013) shows that Edmodo can be used effectively with a class by sharing photos and messages, as well as connecting with the students when they have assignments or homework due. It is able to store all the important tasks and events for the class into the one place.

YouTube video: (mrsniradale, 2012)

Blogs are also very useful in classrooms as they can provide a platform for students to learn and showcase their work. Students are able to use the blog as classroom portfolio of work, which could be used as a way of encouraging students to create high quality pieces of work in order to be posted onto the blog.

I can see myself using different types of social media in the future as ways of transforming my teaching. I definitely like the idea of having a platform where students can connect with each other to share ideas and thoughts. However, as social media is usually public, I need to carefully monitor the activity of my students.


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Cast (n.d.). About UDL. Retrieved March 16, 2014, from http://www.cast.org/udl/

Chita-Tegmark, M., Gravel, J. W., Serpa, M. D., Domings, Y., & Rose, D. H. (2012). Using the Universal Design for Learning Framework to Support Culturally Diverse Learners. Journal of Education, 192(1), 17-22.

Fee, J. (2013, August 18). 7 Ways Teachers Use Social Media in the Classroom. Retrieved March 16, 2014, from http://mashable.com/2013/08/18/social-media-teachers/

Mrsniradale (2012, July 22). The What? Why? & How Edmodo [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo2Odx2oDL4