Action Plan

Lots of people have said it already, but the recurring theme in this class seems to be one that is less about technology and more about people, and how different we all are. We all make choices every day. We examine the tasks we need to accomplish and we choose the method we think will work best for us based on our knowledge of ourselves. We all have different tasks to accomplish and challenges in the way, and we make different choices about how we are going to tackle them. As adults, and as teachers, we have the freedom to almost always make these choices for ourselves. Students are not always given that same choice or freedom. 

The idea of “leveling the playing field” for students is one I have been familiar with from UDL, but because I am not highly comfortable with technology it is not an option I would necessarily have readily available for students. My discomfort would prevent me from creating a more comfortable and successful learning situation for them.  Everyone is more successful when they are given the right tools. If there is something that will help better facilitate a student’s learning why wouldn’t we allow them that? It’s not cheating. It’s not taking short cuts. It’s simply providing students with the tools they personally require in order to be successful.

My personal demonstration of this is clearly evident in my choice to present my action plan in a none-digital format in a course that it digitally based. A format in which I struggle to express myself. I completed my first assignment in a digital form. Much as a student would initially try to succeed in conventional school work, and decided that it was not the tool that best expressed my learning. I considered the task, considered myself, and chose the tool that I thought would work best for me. Instead of struggling to use a tool I felt like I was supposed to use.

My action plan is to find portable and accessible tools that I can utilize even when I am only in a classroom for one day. I will explore short term tools and programs that can be used as individual time fillers or for whole class activities.  Programs like Tux Paint and Scratch which are already installed on most of our districts computers can be used as a platform for a wide variety of assignments, and because the students are familiar with the programs, that can be done in a short time span.