TeachwithTech_Week4

EDLD 5364: Teaching with Technology **
 * Jennifer Coleman

**Week 4 Posting:**  Three different topics were discussed in Week Four literature and videos including approaches to effective technology professional development, the importance of cooperative learning for students, and how using various media types and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework can improve student assessment achievement.

First, the //McREL Technology Initiative Final Report// overviews and outlines their "comprehensive, research based model of professional development that helps teachers integrate technology into their classroom instruction, and ultimately, helps students achieve challenging content standards." It emphasizes further that technology, in and of itself, has no relevance in instruction without curricular purpose and alignment. Second, //Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools,// Chapter 5 suggests that using Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, podcasting, and wikis can make professional development more dynamic and accessible at any level. Initiating anywhere, anytime, on-going, online collaboration using these tools can help technology leaders create and moderate online learning communities that may prove to be just as effective, if not more than, one-time, on-site training.
 * Effective Technology Professional Development Models**

The importance of cooperative learning for students was also discussed in //Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That// Works, Chapter 7. Key points included that //1) Organizing groups based on ability levels should be done sparingly; 2) Cooperative learning groups should be rather small in size; 3) Cooperative learning should be used consistently and systematically, but should not be overused.// Suggestions given included to //1) Use a variety of criteria to group students; 2) Use informal, formal, and base groups; 3) Keep the groups to a manageable size; 4) Combine cooperative learning with other classroom structures.// Last, advantages to successfully implementing cooperative learning in the classroom include //1) Positive interdependence; 2) Face-to-face, promotive interaction; 3) Individual and group accountability; 4) Interpersonal and small-group skills; 5) Group processing.//
 * Cooperative Learning for Students**

//Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning, Chapter// 7 ([]) highlights the effectiveness of using digital tools for student assessment. According to the text, using digital tools and various types of media support individual differences that one assessment could not meet. By following the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework using digital tools, a //more accurate measure of students' achievement in realtion to the learning goal// will be assessed. Teachers will be better able to track progress and provide on-going feedback to help student improve performance while they are learning.
 * Digital Tools and Media to Design On-going Assessments**