Video Discussion Board 4

Topic: Roblyer & Hughes (2019) discuss the importance of equitable access to websites for all students in Chapter 8. Address examples of how you use technology and assistive devices to create a classroom designed to meet the needs of all of your students.

Transcript:

Roblyer and Hughes mention four strategies to implement blended learning within a district. These include district initiatives, goals, professional development opportunities, and reduced barriers (2019). Luckily, I work in a county that has done all of these things. My county leaders encourage us to try new things with blended learning, and even encourage us to embrace our failures as learning opportunities. This was very helpful and motivating as a first-year teacher trying out blended learning in a kindergarten classroom.

Our county is rich in resources, and provides us with resources that have a wide variety of use for children at different levels of learning. During our reading block, my students are split up and one to two groups of kids get to use our Chromebook laptops. Jill Barshay writes about blended learning, specifically in the kindergarten environment, and points out how it can help manage a large class size (2011). With a class of 26 kindergartners, this allows me to work with smaller groups one-on-one, while my other students get personalized instruction on the computer. The tools that they use during this time know what level my students are at and provide materials to help with their specific goals. For example, my highest level readers may read a story that includes many of their power words, then take a fun quiz game to test their comprehension. Meanwhile, my lower level readers will be reading along with the computer, being instructed to use their mouse or finger to follow the words and practice tracking text. This is all done with one website, but meets the needs and goals of all individual students.

References:

Barshay, J. (2011, October 25). Kindergartners blend e-learning, face-to-face instruction. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/10/26/09blended_ep.h31.html

Roblyer, M. & Hughes, J. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines (8th ed.) Pearson.