UDL Lesson Builder

This week I had the experience to create a lesson using the UDL system. This was a very exciting experience. The UDL stands for Universal Design for Learning. This approach to learning is based in several researches that states how our brain acquire and process information to develop new skills and knowledge. The UDL approach is based in the three different ways our brain process information: the recognition network, the strategic network and the affective network. The recognition network is related to the what of learning, the information we gather, through what we observe, hear and read. The strategic network involves the how of learning, how we organize information and solve problems. The affective network is related to the why of learning, the engagement of the students while they learn, and this is one of the most important aspects of a successful learning process.The process of creating a lesson with this approach in mind was very beneficial for my students. The UDL system provides opportunities of learning for the diversity of learners in today's classrooms. This approach helps the teacher differentiate the learning to address the different needs of the students. I really enjoyed creating the lesson. The use of this approach represents a tool that will definitely help you integrate technology in a seamless and pertinent manner. Today's learners demand an education that "fits them right", educational technologies are the tools teachers can use to achieve this goal, and the UDL approach is one of the ways you can get there.

Targeting Technology

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Texas Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020, Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning is one of the four areas of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020. The success of the plan is based in the fulfillment of the diverse students learning needs through the integration of technology. The learners will have access to relevant technologies, tools, resources and services for individualized instruction. This will enable the students to be active participants of their learning process. Also this area will develop a 21st century education for the 21st century student. In the School Technology and Readiness (STaR) report at a local level for example, my campus had showed a steady progress from a developing tech level in 2006-2007 to an advance tech level from 2007-2008 and kept this level in 2008-2009. This means that in my campus teachers are moving from a teacher led education to a student centered learning through the integration of technology.
In a statewide report we can see that this area of Teaching and Learning is also improving. Texas public schools are progressing toward Target Tech in the key area of Teaching and Learning, according to the 2007-2008 data from the Texas Campus STaR Chart. The data shows that 2,014 campuses or 26% of all campuses are at the highest levels on the chart. That translates to 1,947 campuses or 25% of all campuses are at the Advanced Tech level and 69 campuses or 0.9% of all campuses are at the Target Tech level. In 2006-2007, those numbers were 1,561 campuses at Advanced Tech and 62 campuses at Target Tech. At a Target Tech campus, the teacher serves as a facilitator, mentor, and co-learner. Students have on-demand access to all appropriate technologies to complete activities that have been seamlessly integrated into all core content areas.
At a national level the National Educational Technology Trends Study State Strategies Report: Vol. 2 (2007), shows little improvement towards this area. Using data collected for the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), this report examines educational technology access and use in fourth and eighth grade mathematics classrooms all across the country. Only about 10% of fourth and eighth graders were in classrooms in which teachers used technology at least once a week to present mathematics concepts to them in 2004-2005.
All this information shows that the state of Texas is moving in the right direction. The education in Texas is aligning with the needs of the 21st century students. My campus is also moving in the right direction through the developing of great strategies to reach the goal of being a Target Tech level school. At a national level we need to work harder and create larger collaborative communities to direct our education to address the learning needs of the 21st century.