Candidates model and facilitate the use of research-based, learner-centered strategies addressing the diversity of all students. (PSC 2.2/ISTE 2b)
Reflection
I created the Engaged Learner project for fifth grade students in the area of life science. It was designed to refine and increase student’s technology skills while teaching them the life science content standardswhile accommodating for students with disabilities providing students with diverse learning experiences. This project was designed for students of all ability levels and demographic backgrounds. The contents ensured that all learners had equitable opportunities to learn throughout this project. The project contains many different connections to the real world and real work applications that align to different cultural backgrounds. There are also accommodations and remediations for students with disabilities throughout the project. The Engaged Learner project demonstrates mastery of standard 2.2 because while creating this project, I included many research-based strategies to ensure that all students participating in this project had equitable opportunities to learn and complete all aspects. I included various forms of assistive technologies and modifications for students with various disabilities. I also included real-world aspects that connected students with various cultural elements. All activities are centered around the learners and ensure they were provided with premier and well devised learning experiences. While creating this project, I learned that activities must be considered carefully to create equitable learning experiences for all students. As public education teachers, we have diverse populations of students in our classrooms who all deserve educators who are culturally responsive to their needs. We also have a wide spectrum of students with disabilities who have specific learning needs that must be met through differentiation. If I were to improve anything in this project, I would include more extension activities to make the project more culturally responsive for some of my student’s backgrounds. There were several parts of the project geared towards this area of diversity, but I would take closer inventory of my students and devise more activities to make their learning experiences more meaningful by connecting through cultural backgrounds. The technology skills the students both gained and refined through this project directly align to the technology improvement plan located within our school’s improvement plan. The impact can be assessed by the student’s products at the conclusion of the project.