Ms. Weisenfels' Blogs

  EDUC 5113                                      Week 6                                          Julia Weisenfels      This week I am to reflect on whether I notice any similarities between the “Shifting Minds” model of integration of digital technologies, collaboration and innovation in education in Canada and the curriculum development approaches in the U.S.  Then I am to give my thoughts as to why digital technologies are so crucial for education in the 21st century.        The Shifting Minds Model from Canada focuses on the ability of students to acquire, process, interpret, rationalize and critically analyze large volumes of often conflicting information to the point of making an informed decision and taking action i...

  EDUC 5313                                   Week 5 Blog                                      Julia Weisenfels Part 1)  Select one article from those linked below regarding Universal Design for Learning and provide a summary of the article and discuss connections to the lesson you are developing. I chose:   Basham. J.D., Smith. Sl.J., & Satter, A..L. (2016). Universal Design for Learning:  Scanning for Alignment in K-12 Blended and Fully Online Learning Materials. Journal of Special Education Technology, 31(3), 147. doi:10.1177/0162643416660836       The article from the Journal of Special Education Technology, mentioned above, was very interesting in that it was written pre-Covid, yet the information could very easily have been written post pandemic.  W...

  EDUC 5113                            Week 5 Blog                                    Julia Weisenfels 1.  Think about the standards of “Goal-Based Design” and “Design-Down, Deliver-Up”.  How does such philosophy resonate with curriculum development?      Goal-Based design considers the following criteria when forming a curriculum:  the mission of the school, what the students should be learning, if activity-based learning plays a role, and the technology strategies and tools that are available.  This design process emphasizes aligning curriculum design, instruction, and assessment with clearly defined goals.  All educational activities work towards desired outcomes while the educational activities provide a framework for accountability and continuous achievement.  It en...

           Week 4                                  EDUC 5113                                         Julia Weisenfels 1. Have you adopted Farrel’s backwards planning model as a teacher in planning sessions? I have adopted Farrel’s backwards planning model.  By giving pretests and post-test, I have data showing students’ growth.  In Arkansas, teachers may submit evidence of student growth and achievement to the AR Department of Education along with their professional goals and they can be eligible for merit pay.  More importantly, I can see growth in my students as they show proof of learning and comprehension by the post test scores.  I can also see what, if any, concepts the students do not understand and I can reteach them. 2. Doe...