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Software

ANALYSIS

Our first essential question for this course is: How do technologies mediate learning across the disciplines? This challenge is designed to help you explore this question by examining software that you teach with through technology, UDL, and equity lenses. Follow the steps below to complete the challenge.

Man Writing

To Annotate

  1. To ensure we are on the same page when we talk about technology mediating learning, read the chapter Mediated Me. Create at least two annotations and reply to at least two of your colleagues' annotations using Hypothes.is. (Again, make sure when you make these annotations that you have chosen to post them in our class annotation group. You will have to toggle from Public to TCH 432 Summer 2021 at the top of Hypothes.is options. You can find instructions for Hypothes.is and how to create annotations in our class annotation group on the Start page.) If you are annotating prior to your colleagues' posts, make sure to come back in a couple of days to engage in the conversation. 

  2. Read Smart Tech Use for Equity & create at least two annotations and reply to at least two of your colleagues' annotations using Hypothes.is. 

Scouting

To Explore

  1. The Universal Design for Learning approach focuses on issues of access and support for all learners. In our methods, materials, and assessments, we are encouraged to consider flexibility, diversity, support, and access by designing instruction with: 1) multiple means of representation to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge; 2) multiple means of action and expression to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know; and 3) multiple means of engagement to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation. To gain a basic understanding of UDL, watch the video below. Then, explore the guidelines for mediating engagement, representation, and action & expression. If you're still curious, "Applying the Four Elements of UDL to Lesson Design" provides a brief overview of questions you can ask when designing with UDL. (Note: This last reading is optional.)

  2. Although optional, the following resources are helpful for considering issues of equity:​

    1. Watch: Videos created by teachers who developed the Smart Tech Use for Equity approach to discuss their a-has.

    2. Read: Survey Shows Big Remote Learning Gaps For Low-Income And Special Needs Children​

    3. Read: How to Develop Culturally Responsive Teaching for Distance Learning

    4. Listen: What Happens to Culturally Responsive Teaching When It’s All Online? (This podcast has several other relevant episodes as well.)

Fine Woodshop

To Create

As we begin our exploration of how to design with technology in the disciplines, it's important that we start by analyzing our current practices and technology use with students. Let's begin by identifying the specific discipline you will be focusing on in this course. For middle level, secondary, and post-secondary teachers, this is easy--which subject(s) do you teach? For elementary teachers, which subject do you want to reimagine or update or which has more flexibility in the curriculum? Then, identify a software that you currently use to teach in this discipline. You will analyze this software and then create an infographic that shares your discoveries in the following areas:

  1. Refer back to the Mediated Me reading and consider the affordances and constraints of the software in terms of what we can do, mean, relate, be, and think. Provide specific examples.

  2. Consider the content standards you use to guide your instruction. How does this software support these? What do you find lacking in terms of content instruction?

  3. Review SAMR and the 5Cs. Where does this tool fall in terms of substitution, augmentation, modification, or redefinition? Which (if any) of the 5Cs does the tool assist students in developing?

  4. Use the UDL Guidelines Checklist to examine how it assists (or doesn't assist) in designing universally accessible instruction.

  5. Use the teacher-developed Smart Tech Use for Equity approach to examine the software. Review our reading and consider the following questions:

    1. What’s your equity vision for students in your classroom? 

    2. Does the technology allow all learners to share/communicate their thinking and inquire deeply into a concept?

    3. Does the technology empower all learners to recognize their knowledge and contributions to the learning environment and to society?

    4. What tech use could you experiment with next to further progress toward that vision?

  6. Include key findings in each of these areas on your infographic; then, provide a final conclusion about the tool. Has your opinion changed? Does it do what you want it to do after taking all these elements into consideration? Will you continue to use it in the manner you previously used it? Will you make changes based upon your discoveries? Will you abandon it?​

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Create a post on our blog that shares your infographic. Be sure to tag it as a Disciplinary Software Analysis post. Comment on at least two of your classmates' posts.

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