Understanding Curriculum

            Although I had some familiarity to many of the topics covered in this class, I definitely feel that my level of understanding of what curriculum is and encompasses has increased; I’ve seen it from many different viewpoints.  It also has been eye opening to see how these issues have been addressed in different districts and states throughout the nation. 

            To begin, it is encouraging to see how 21^st century standards are being included in different areas of curriculum.  In particular, it seemed that every aspect of curriculum, from UDL, to differentiated curriculum, to co teaching has been changed due to the understanding of the skills society will need in the future.   For example, by differentiating curriculum, co-teaching, and considering Universal Design for Learning more students will be able to reach the levels of collaboration, creation, innovation, and contribution that is essential in today’s times.  

            Differentiated instruction has been a buzzword in my district for a long time, but often teachers are asked to differentiate without given the tools or resources for doing it.  I felt that Tomilson provided us with some very good resources related to how differentiation shapes curriculum as well as the REASONING behind it.  Also enlightening were the options for differentiating while using technology.  I truly believe that I will be using this resource while planning with classroom teachers,

            For 12 years, I was a bilingual teacher working with second language learners.  When we first began investigating Universal Design for Learning, my initial perception was that it was designed for “SpEd” students, but as we delved deeper into this concept, I realized that these principles are truly applicable and essential in all areas of curriculum in order to make learning attainable and appropriate for all learning styles, disabilities, languages, and more.  As we go forward in the 21^st century, I believe that this Universal Design is even more possible and realistic with the inclusion of technologies that will allow students to create, investigate, and collaborate in many ways that were not possible even a few years ago. 

            As a whole, this course has helped me to understand that the concept of curriculum is always changing, and how  the written, taught, and tested curriculum needs to move forward to better engage students and gets them ready the needs of tomorrow’s society.

Technology, Curriculum, and Differentiation

As a school administrator, I believe there are two main components essential to any curriculum created for the 21^st century learners.  First, the curriculum must be relevant, meaning it is connected to and have value in the world outside of the school building. Second, it must value creativity and innovation, encouraging students to problem solve and “think out of the box”.

Keeping those ideas in mind, I think technology must be incorporated into the curriculum.  However, I think that this technology should be used, but used very purposefully.  For example, to connect the students to the outside world, teachers could use tools such as skype or Ichat to be able to collaborate with experts or partner classrooms. They could work on wikis or blogs to help solve problems.  Or, perhaps they could conduct online surveys with other students or adults to find out what issues are most important in a certain topic. Even something as simple as Google Earth can help students to understand the world characters in books come from or see a street view of the cities and countries they are studying.   Whatever the case, the technology is a tool that can be used to make connections that would not have been able to have been made without it. 

The second aspect that is essential is that of creativity and innovation.  We have now entered the ” innovation age” where what is now crucial is looking at what exists and thinking of new and better ways to do it.  Students can begin practicing these skills by being able to blog, podcast, collaborate on wikis in order to solve problems and much more then we ever thought possible in the past.  Of course, the best way for these technologies to be used by completing authentic projects that will or could make the world better or add to society. Some examples of these projects can be PSAs for local groups, news stories made for their school, or even adding to the school website with information about the school. I believe we have past the point where students had memorize isolated facts, and entered into an age where they can use these facts to create and innovate while working at a higher level.  Again the technology is the tool that allows student to do these things that wouldn’t be possible without its use.

Likewise, technology offers us many tools to differentiate that wouldn’t be possible without it.  For example, many websites offer reading tiered for different reading levels in order to differentiate for reading ability.  Handheld devices could be used to help students listen to recordings and/or create recordings. 

As a whole the biggest value in using technology to differentiate is the fact that it opens up an incredible amount of options for students.  Students are no longer limited in the way they show their understanding. They can create anything from a PowerPoint, to a video, to a slideshow, to a comment strip. Really, with technology any type of learning style can be addressed. 

Another benefit of differentiating using technology is by being able to truly meet the student where they are.  A great example of this is Scholastic’s Read 180 program. The students participating in this program use technology to gain background knowledge and then they read at the level is appropriate for them.  Everything in computer part of the program is created especially for them and their level of readiness. Students receive vocabulary and spelling and fluency practice with feedback appropriate for them. The amount of individualized attention that the students receive in this program would be frankly, impossible, if it wasn’t for this use of technology. 

When I think back on this topic, one phrase comes up over and over: technology in education lets us do things with our students and for our students that would never, ever be doable without it.  Whether it is connecting with students across the globe, creating new projects using new learning, or getting the practice needed, technology is a powerful tool that should be harnessed to help our students grow and prepare for the world they will live in!