Module 6

This week, I reflected on how I can use technology to assist in planning enriching lessons, units, and curricula and applied the knowledge I gathered from the Bauer (2020) chapter to create an outline for an engaging WebQuest. There are many factors to consider when using any technology for instructional purposes. For example, when planning my WebQuest and including videos, articles, websites, and assessment pieces, I contemplated what I wanted my students to gain from the experience, the accessibility of each piece for the specific students that will complete this WebQuest, and the prior knowledge students will have when they complete the assignment. In addition, if I were to publish, share, or sell my WebQuest on Teachers Pay Teachers, I would need to be mindful of copyright laws, using materials in the public domain and pictures from a creative commons site. 

Because WebQuests are at the Redefinition level of the SAMR Model of Technology Integration, and the task I set for the students is entirely novel, I had to think creatively and reflect on how to tailor the experience to help students understand what I hoped they would learn. To do so, I utilized backward design. Backward design is the most logical way to plan lessons and units because teachers must "begin with the end in mind" (p. 147). It is challenging to facilitate meaningful learning experiences without knowing beforehand what students should aim to accomplish. In my WebQuest, I began with the objectives and found online resources that could help students understand and progress to meet the target objectives. 

WebQuests are also an example of Project-Based Learning. My students will put themselves in the shoes of a coach or teacher and complete the assignment through the lens of a tangible life experience. They will problem-solve and synthesize information individually, then have a chance to collaborate after they finish all of the necessary steps. While designing my WebQuest, I kept in mind that learning is contextual, active, social, and reflective. Therefore, I attempted to include each of these elements in the WebQuest experience for my students. I place students in the context of a teacher role and provide information that allows students to build upon their prior knowledge. Additionally, students will actively implement the strategies they learn about in their practice sessions. Finally, when the experience concludes, students will reflect with one another on whether or not they met their goals.

This week also made me reflect on how I currently use technology to differentiate learning for students and the assistive technologies I have already made without even knowing it. I immediately thought of my teaching style during online learning during the pandemic. In every lesson, I had to make sure that I created assignments, visuals, and presentations that catered to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. In other words, I provided "multiple means of engagement" (p. 156). I also offered scaffolds for students who had trouble learning from a distance. For example, I sent home recorders with colored stickers to help struggling students with their hand placement and matched fingering charts to the colors on the stickers. These differentiations required basic knowledge of technology and a willingness to try new things and be creative.

Reference:

Bauer, W. I. (2020). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.