Embedded+Assignment+Reflection

Embedded Assignment Reflection

The process of creating a team based lesson that focused on the learning scenario was different and somewhat challenging for me. The undertaking was similar to creating a regular lesson but it was different in that I was tasked with collaborating with a group. Normally I do interact with team members at school but for this experience I was separated by geographical distance and each member had time constraints based on the on-going events of their busy lives.

I was able to utilize the CAST Lesson Builder to create our group and individual lesson as well as the UDL based book builder during the process. These new tools will prove invaluable as I seek out ways to integrate technology tools into my everyday classroom routine and lesson activity creation. The experience has exposed me to outside resources that I was previously unfamiliar with and I am now more informed about these technologies thanks to the lesson project. By ensuring that the lesson had the proper assessment criteria I was utilizing what Pitler et al. (2007) set forth as a necessary element in teaching, which is to make it easier for students and teachers to track the effect of effort in creating and completing work (p. 156). At the same time I believe that the assessment is not just about gathering data or recording numbers to fill in a grade book. Rather, the action of assessment gives another opportunity for students to become a part of the learning process. Pitler et al. (2007) believes that “Technology can play a unique and vital role in cooperative learning by facilitating group collaboration, providing structure for group tasks, and allowing members of groups to communicate even if they are not working face to face” (p. 141). From an assessment perspective I was familiar with collaboration but, the group activity gave me an opportunity to be a cooperative learner without me realizing it. I previously believed that I knew what it meant to be a group member during a project but this experience challenged my preexisting notions because it showed me how to be a group learner through the Internet. This was a new medium for me to learn in and it felt like my team members also had a similar experience as well.

The process of creating the lesson involved a brainstorming session that utilized Google docs and our Google site in a manner that I had not fathomed. We were able to interactively chart a course for our lesson and also make real time updates when needed. The collaboration was definitely fostered by the technology and I am not certain that it would have been possible to complete the project without the tools found within the Google framework. In a lot of instances I have found myself being glued to a book or an article to glean new information but this experience has given me the opportunity to learn from others in a collaborative setting that I have never been involved in before. I am better off because of the format of the assignment because it enabled me to try out new technology while going through the process with other learners who did not have much exposure to the medium either. I think the process was a bit cumbersome at first but once everyone got used to the flow of information going back and forth through the Google doc, site, and our constant emails to each other we became better as the project progressed. I stand in agreement with Pitler et al. (2007) who believes that “Web-enabled collaborative learning has evolved dramatically from its initial use as a simple way for students to look up information…” (p. 144). The role that the Internet played in our group activity was huge to say the least and could not have been possible without it.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

[]