My View of Emerging Technologies: A Reflection

Over the course of the last several weeks, I have been introduced to several emerging technologies such as online learning environments like Moodle (www.moodle.org), multi-user virtual environments (MUVE’s) and digital videos games. All have the potential for great impact on education. But as I step back and look at these technologies and their potential in my own school, I realize my school has a long way to go before the staff would be ready to implement these technologies into our curriculum. It has been through this lens that I have examined these emerging technologies and their potential in my school and my classroom.

When talking about emerging versus emerged technology, many technologies are emerged in society but still emerging in education. For example, the majority of teachers in my school still instruct students to avoid wikis and very few even know about blogs. But in many schools, these technologies are well established and used on a regular basis at all grade levels. With that in mind, attempting to introduce a technology like MUVE’s or digital gaming to my school would be difficult. Instead, my school needs to start small and build our success one step at a time. Our first step would be using blogs, wikis and Moodle. Blogs and wikis are an easy technology to introduce and use and can be implemented immediately. Also, Moodle is used regularly at all our district high schools so its use in our middle school is a logical application for our students. All three technologies would allow students to utilize many 21st century skills such as creativity, critical thinking and collaboration. The best way to get these emerging technologies introduced and in motion would be to develop a Technology Team within our school. This core group of teachers from each grade level would be available to instruct and assist the staff when issues arise.

In my own classroom, these newly introduced emerging technologies will have an immediate impact. My goal is to spend the summer learning how to navigate Moodle and begin using it at the beginning of the next school year. This last school year, in an attempt to get my students learning online, I developed a web page on www.yola.com to post assignments, rubrics and recorded performances. However, the limitations on the web site have proven a challenge. It is a wonderful web page building program, but the way in which I wanted to use it was limited. Using Moodle will allow me to post all these as well as include discussion elements and track student participation.

A lesson plan I developed using a digital games is another emerging technology I can use immediately. In fact, just this week I was told one of my drama students will finish his school year at home for medical reasons. Normally, in class, my students write, produce and perform their own play. This would be difficult from home. Using the digital programming site Scratch (www.scratch.mit.edu) will allow my student to digitally create and share his own drama production from home. An MUVE program like Teen Second Life (teen.secondlife.com) might be a useful tool in this situation as well, but the learning curve involved with a virtual program is high. But Scratch offers students the opportunity to develop digital games and stories. The programming code is simple to learn and all presentations can be posted online. Both of us are excited to try this new technology.

Today, new and emerging technologies are introduced regularly. How quickly these technologies find their way into education will ultimately be up to education. As for me, my classroom door is wide open!


www.moodle.org

teen.secondlife.com

www.scratch.mit.edu

www.yola.com

Online Learning in the K-12 School

Our school needs to move forward, but to where? We need to begin offering online learning options. Please watch the following video as we begin making bold strides to the future.

My View of UDL and DI

My journey through Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) has been an interesting one. Much of what I thought I knew about providing an equal education to my students has been challenged. Throughout the course of my master’s degree classes, I have struggled with finding a way to seamlessly incorporate technology into music instruction. It has been through understanding UDL and DI that I have found what I had been missing. I was trying to develop technology based lessons that were in addition to the everyday rehearsals instead of finding ways to incorporate it into what I already teach. Technology can be used during rehearsals in band and choir to explain concepts for visual learners, allow lower learners to slow down a section of music to practice and provide exceptional students the challenge of composing their own music. These are just three examples of using technology to differentiate instruction that allow me to teach content with tools I already have. They are also strategies I have been able to implement in just the last few weeks. The greatest joy for me is seeing the progress all three groups of students are making with just a little additional effort.

Through my Differentiation Station social network site, I have also been able to gain new resources from my fellow teachers as they too have discovered new tips and tools. The ease in posting to the site and the forum interactions made collaborating easy. The sites that I have found most beneficial are the ones dedicated to discovering the learning styles and preferences of our students. There have been several occasions I have over heard various students make random comments and I caught myself thinking about the student interest surveys we created early in this course. Knowing more about our students does make a difference. Whether it is their learning style or their interests, it takes instruction to a new level. As Dr. Tomlinson says, “The best teaching is never so much about “me” as about “us”.” (Tomlinson, 2008)

I have learned a lot about my teaching on my journey through UDL and DI. For the first time in twelve years of teaching, I see my students with new eyes. By nature, the courses I teach are ensemble based and that is how I have seen and taught my students, as a whole. Now I have the tools needed to see the individuals that make up the ensemble and work towards meeting their unique needs.


Tomlinson, C. (2008). Learning to love assessment. Educational Leadership, 65(4), 8–13. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.