2.5 Differentiation
Candidates model and facilitate the design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences making appropriate use of differentiation, including adjusting content, process, product, and learning environment based upon an analysis of learner characteristics, including readiness levels, interests, and personal goals. (PSC 2.5/ISTE 2e)
Artifact: Multimedia WebQuest
Reflection:
During the summer of 2015, I created a Multimedia WebQuest for my seventh grade life science students as the final assignment for ITEC 7445: Multimedia Web Design course. I used the Universal Design principles as well as the ADDIE model to draft out and create the WebQuest. Weebly was used as the platform for the WebQuest and I embedded audio clips, video clips, images, and text as a way to differentiate the content and present it in multiple ways. The WebQuest focused on the science concept of dichotomous keys and was created in a way that students could work through the WebQuest on their own with minimal assistance so that the teacher becomes available for those who may require additional help. My contribution for this artifact was the design and implementation of the WebQuest using resources from previous years that I had collaborated on with my 7th grade life science department. I selected the appropriate resources and compiled them all together.
This artifact shows my ability to design and implement a technology-enhanced learning experience using a WebQuest that allows for differentiation in multiple ways. The content is able to be differentiated by adjusting which fish and how many species of fish the student is required to use in their final product of the dichotomous key. To account for the learner characteristics, such as readiness level and interest, the pages within the WebQuest with larger amounts of text are accompanied by video or audio clips to allow students multiple ways of accessing the content. These extra multimedia pieces also help to differentiate the learning environment of the assignment so that students can access what they need to individually so that the teacher is more available to assist students who need that face-to-face interaction during the assignment. To adjust the process for students, they are able to go through and have access to all resources at any point by choosing which step and resource they are working on at any given point. This is important to model and facilitate the learning for all types of learners in a technology-enhanced learning experience. Based on their learner characteristics I have found students all like the freedom to choose the path that best fits their needs and the WebQuest created allows for that freedom.
While the creation of a WebQuest was something new to me, through the completion of this artifact I learned the proper structure and created what I felt would be engaging and motivating to all types of students regardless of their learning needs. The embedding of the multimedia clips is something that I would not typically have thought to do because I do not currently have any students that are labeled in the Students with Disabilities (SWD) or English Language Learner (ELL) subgroups; however, what I found is that my students still enjoyed having these accommodations available to them. This is something that I will continue to offer to my students as a result of this artifact. In the future, I would like to improve this artifact by adding a stronger end product to the assignment. The current end product was the creation of a simple dichotomous key and I feel as though this could be expanded on to add more depth of content.
The impact of this artifact can be seen in the student learning in my classroom related to the concept of dichotomous keys. As compared to other concepts with this same cohort of students, I felt that they were able to learn more independently because of the differentiation made available to them through the multimedia aspects of the WebQuest. The WebQuest was then shared with the other 7th grade life science teachers so that their students could benefit from the technology-enhanced learning experience as well. The impact on student learning can be assessed by looking at the data from the classification unit common assessment to see how the students performed on the items related to dichotomous keys as well as the creation of the dichotomous key that the students were required to create for this WebQuest.
During the summer of 2015, I created a Multimedia WebQuest for my seventh grade life science students as the final assignment for ITEC 7445: Multimedia Web Design course. I used the Universal Design principles as well as the ADDIE model to draft out and create the WebQuest. Weebly was used as the platform for the WebQuest and I embedded audio clips, video clips, images, and text as a way to differentiate the content and present it in multiple ways. The WebQuest focused on the science concept of dichotomous keys and was created in a way that students could work through the WebQuest on their own with minimal assistance so that the teacher becomes available for those who may require additional help. My contribution for this artifact was the design and implementation of the WebQuest using resources from previous years that I had collaborated on with my 7th grade life science department. I selected the appropriate resources and compiled them all together.
This artifact shows my ability to design and implement a technology-enhanced learning experience using a WebQuest that allows for differentiation in multiple ways. The content is able to be differentiated by adjusting which fish and how many species of fish the student is required to use in their final product of the dichotomous key. To account for the learner characteristics, such as readiness level and interest, the pages within the WebQuest with larger amounts of text are accompanied by video or audio clips to allow students multiple ways of accessing the content. These extra multimedia pieces also help to differentiate the learning environment of the assignment so that students can access what they need to individually so that the teacher is more available to assist students who need that face-to-face interaction during the assignment. To adjust the process for students, they are able to go through and have access to all resources at any point by choosing which step and resource they are working on at any given point. This is important to model and facilitate the learning for all types of learners in a technology-enhanced learning experience. Based on their learner characteristics I have found students all like the freedom to choose the path that best fits their needs and the WebQuest created allows for that freedom.
While the creation of a WebQuest was something new to me, through the completion of this artifact I learned the proper structure and created what I felt would be engaging and motivating to all types of students regardless of their learning needs. The embedding of the multimedia clips is something that I would not typically have thought to do because I do not currently have any students that are labeled in the Students with Disabilities (SWD) or English Language Learner (ELL) subgroups; however, what I found is that my students still enjoyed having these accommodations available to them. This is something that I will continue to offer to my students as a result of this artifact. In the future, I would like to improve this artifact by adding a stronger end product to the assignment. The current end product was the creation of a simple dichotomous key and I feel as though this could be expanded on to add more depth of content.
The impact of this artifact can be seen in the student learning in my classroom related to the concept of dichotomous keys. As compared to other concepts with this same cohort of students, I felt that they were able to learn more independently because of the differentiation made available to them through the multimedia aspects of the WebQuest. The WebQuest was then shared with the other 7th grade life science teachers so that their students could benefit from the technology-enhanced learning experience as well. The impact on student learning can be assessed by looking at the data from the classification unit common assessment to see how the students performed on the items related to dichotomous keys as well as the creation of the dichotomous key that the students were required to create for this WebQuest.