Amara Donnelly's Portfolio

As I continue to evolve as both student and educator, my philosophy of technology has shifted and grown. When considering the use of technology in the classroom, it is important to understand all of the ways in which it can adhere to your lessons and teachings. Classrooms have changed tremendously over time, and the needs of students have as well. When technology is brought into a classroom it can modify a lesson being taught, and can assist students with different learning types while motivating them to learn in a new, exciting format. Throughout this course I have used many technologies to implement in my classroom such as Prezi, a presentation style application that can transform lesson plans, informational text, and many more. I also used technologies such as MindMeister, Metaverse, Blogger, and Canva. Each of these were used independently in order to teach a concept, convey a message, and present new information in a different format. 

Technology and media play a massive role in learning, and as an educator it is vital to consider ethical issues within the use of these sources. It can be difficult to adhere to both ISTE and Ohio Common Core Standards while modifying lessons for unique students and the appropriate content being shown. Technology's role in classrooms transforms the learning experience for both educators and students, and can motivate students to explore new ways to learn concepts they once found difficult. It can intrigue all types of learners, and bring an entire classroom together to function and learn collaboratively. 

The ISTE and UDL Standards are set to enable productive learning, and they each play a big role in education and our classrooms. The ISTE Standards impact the learning of students by promoting collaboration, independance, and enhancing the overall experience as a student in the classroom, through technology, and group-work. The UDL Standards transform the role of technology by optimizing different ways to teach and learn. The UDL Standards use engagement, representation, and action & expression to fulfill the needs of different types of learners. This can be seen through the use of technology to pique interests, comprehension, and communication for all types of learners. When each of these guidelines are satisfied, it revolutionizes the way we teach and learn according to our styles.