The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student.
For Technology in Education, I created a Flipped Classroom lesson along with a quiz to test student comprehension. This Flipped Classroom lesson is intended for a middle school history class to understand the basics of how to formulate a historical argument. This artifact was chosen because with the Flipped Classroom instructional method, the teacher creates a presentation for their students to watch outside of class so that class time can be used for discussion and questions for further comprehension. This instructional method differs from a traditional classroom, and provides more opportunity to utilize class time, offer more one-on-one assistance, and further develop critical thinking skills.
This artifact is crucial because it indicates competency in Illinois Standard 5 Professional Indicator 5N which says the competent teacher “uses technology to accomplish differentiated instructional objectives that enhance learning for each student.” I believe I demonstrated this through the use of Screencast-o-Matic, PowerPoint, and Google Forms to present a lesson and assessment to my students. This is beneficial to student learning as it allows for more time to be spent in the classroom answering questions and working with students more closely and attentively. I also believe my work in this Flipped Classroom lesson and quiz indicates competency in Standard 5 Professional Indicator 5R which states the competent teacher ”maximizes instructional time.” As explained, the use of the Flipped Classroom instructional method allows for the teaching of a lesson to happen before class so that class time can be used for answering questions, gaining a deeper understanding of the subject, and aiding students.
Through the creation of my Flipped Classroom I learned that utilizing different instructional strategies is important in keeping students engaged, furthering and deepening learning, and responding to the needs of the students. This is vital because the classroom is not static—it is constantly changing and evolving, and I must be able to change and evolve with it to ensure my students are receiving the care and attention they need to best promote their learning endeavors. I hope to utilize this instructional method in the future, in combination with other instructional methods. I look forward to seeing how I can be more creative with this strategy, and also how I can make this method more interactive for my students.