Module One Discussion Replies

Courtney Hagan:

Courtney,

I also believe that not all new learning methods and strategies will always be appropriate

for all students. There are several different reasons as to why teachers should exercise caution

when implementing new learning methods and strategies into the classroom. The first reason is

that the method or strategy could cause the teacher and students to focus solely on the new

method or strategy; causing it to lose effectiveness as an educational resource. The second

reason is that not all students will benefit from the new strategy or method, and implementing

several different options for learning will greatly improve the learning environment for all

students. The third reason is that the new strategy or method might not work well with previous

techniques and could create confusion and inconsistencies within the learning environment.

These are the reasons why teachers should make careful considerations prior to implementing

new teaching strategies and techniques into their classrooms.

I also believe that using understanding and synthesis will sometimes need the use of tests

and other traditional summative assessments. However, I really liked how you had your students

using credible resources, writing, and synthesizing information as a summative assessment

measure; as this allowed them to develop transferable skills that can be used in other classrooms

and aspects of their lives. I agree that it is challenging at times to see learning as a process to be

assessed by the end product, instead of evaluating the process throughout. Evaluating the

learning process throughout allows the educator to make instructional modifications to improve

the learning environment for all students, thus allowing each student more opportunities to be

successful. I also think that it is imperative for schools and teachers to continue implementing
new methods and strategies, but evaluation and observation are vital to ensure that new strategies

and techniques are not overused.

Brent

Kate McElligott:

Kate,

I agree that for students to fully understand a topic or concept, they will need to be able to

apply it or practice it in a meaningful way. For example, when I was teaching the unit in history

over the telegraph, I compared it to Facebook and Twitter, which allowed the students to better

understand how the telegraph impacted and changed society. I believe that showing students

connections and applications will increase motivation and engagement; which also leads to

increased opportunities for students to apply new skills and strategies in other classrooms and

aspects of their lives. I also agree that teachers need to have a concrete learning goal in place for

meaningful learning to occur, but must also be flexible in modifying the goals and objectives to

meet the learning needs and considerations of all students. While authentic understanding is

always a goal of each teacher, it is imperative to understand that re-teaching, observation, and

consistent evaluation are necessary processes for each teacher to use to ensure that authentic

understanding is occurring in the learning environment.

I also like the idea of having the students teach their peers a concept or idea, as this

increases the likelihood that students will retain the knowledge or skills being taught by their

peers. Even though I have not been able to implement this type of instruction this school year, I

have consistently talked to my colleagues about the possibility of implementing lessons in which

students have an opportunity to teach a lesson or oversee an activity with their peers. Having

students teach lessons or oversee classroom activities increases student confidence and
motivation, as many of the high school students that I work with are great mentors for

elementary and middle school students. Despite the challenges to implement peer led

instruction, I believe that the benefits of this type of instruction will improve the learning

environment for all students.

Brent

Krystle Peinado:

Krystle,

I also believe that best practices and effective practices are often interchangeably used by

many teachers and schools, which could explain why there is much debate amongst this topic.

While a teaching practice or method might be the best practice to use within a classroom or for a

specific class, the teacher must evaluate if it is the most effective practice for each learner in the

classroom. Even though best practices are necessary elements in a classroom, this should not be

the only guideline for designing and implementing lessons and activities within a classroom.

When best practices and effective practices are combined, it allows educators to consider more

options for each student, which increases opportunities for students to participate and be

successful within the learning environment. Despite many teachers implementing best practices

with the intention of improving the learning environment for each student, this technique alone

can have negative impacts on some students; which is why teachers need to be aware of the

implications of using only the best practices method.

I also understand that each student learns and processes information, concepts, and ideas

differently; which is why I believe that implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in

the classroom is vital for each learner. Providing multiple means of engagement, participation,

and ways to implement new skills and ideas will allow all learners an opportunity to learn the
new ideas in more meaningful ways. While implementing UDL lessons and activities is more

time consuming for the teacher, I have found that it increases student motivation and

engagement; which allows students to be more successful and build confidence in the learning

environment. Confident students are better learners, and this will allow them to build confidence

in all aspects of their lives as well. Even though there are many great resources and effective

practices that teachers can implement in the classroom, UDL has been of these practices that has

allowed me to see significant improvements in the student learning environment.

Brent