I recently watched the following video of TEDx Talk by Richard Culatta. I was truly inspired by his ideas and the direction in which the Office of Education Technology is moving to ensure that students are being taught appropriately in a digital environment.
Secondly, we read about How People Learn (Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000). This textbook is a highly valuable resources for teachers to learn how and why their students learn. It demonstrates how everyone learn in different ways and that is ultimately the most beneficial tool for a teacher–is to be able to identify how a particular student would learn a specific topic or concept to assist them in their learning.
Finally, we were asked to research one of the topics or points brought up by Richard Culatta in his TEDx Talk. I chose to research personal learning. Richard Culatta encourages a personal learning environment that can be created by incorporating technology into the classroom.
Research indicates that effective online multimedia is content-relevant and pedagogically intentional; as such, appropriately integrated multimedia components become a valuable teaching tool for facilitating student learning (Mandernach, 2009). When technology or online multimedia can be effectively incorporated into the classroom curriculum then each student is able to be supported in their own way. With the development of so many Assistive Technologies and applications, students are able to each use a personal device in their ways and have the supports that are needed to assist them in completing assignments and assessments. Whether that include typing a paper instead of writing it by hand, text-to-speech apps to assist a student with decoding, or various other supports that are needed daily within the classroom.
I believe this is truly the meaning of personal learning that Richard Culatta is speaking to in his video. When we can empower each student in their way then we can produce so many successful students. Technology can help us fill the void that has been missing from teaching and successful learning for decades in the American classroom.
In getting to the point where we can effectively incorporate meaningful technologies into classrooms is the direct result that Teachers and Administrators alike need to get on the same page and be willing to train, learn and implement said technologies and new learning tools. If implemented correctly, we can really create a personal learning environment for each and every student within the school system. The fact innovation like personalized learning is not based on a product, technology, or system that can easily be installed or configured entails changing the relationship between teachers, students and parents and this necessitates empowering and training teachers who are responsible for implementing such a systemic change. (Karmeshu, Raman, & Nedungadi, 2012).
As the form and function of schools and pedagogy change, this places pressure on teachers to adapt their conventional practice (Deed, Lesko & Lovejoy, 2014). Teachers will need to be trained to understand how to implement technologies into the classroom, how to match student need and disabilities to technologies and how to assess the learning process within a digital environment.
There is a lot that is going into creating personal learning spaces in today’s classroom. It is not all functional and it is not all successful, however, as we begin to collaborate, learn, share and increase the use of technology there are greater chances that each student can be personally taught through carefully selected and crafted technologies. Every new teacher is being taught these things and as they go into the profession that can become local experts in this topic and help to teach the other and other teachers who are not familiar with the new and exciting technologies.
I believe Richard Culatta and the Office of Education Technology are on the right track and that creating more personal learning is possible and has the abilities to create more well-rounded and complete learners.
References
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., & Cocking, R.R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. National Academies Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309070368.
Karmeshu, ., Raman, R., & Nedungadi, P. (2012). Modelling diffusion of a personalized learning framework. Education Technology Research Development, 60, 585-600.
Mandernach, B. (2009, June). Effect of instructor-personalized multimedia in the online classroom. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3), 1-19.
Deed, C., Lesko, T. M., & Lovejoy, V. (2014, July). Teacher adaption to personalized learning spaces. Teacher Development: An international journal of teacher’s professional development, 18(3), 369-383. DOI: 10.1080/13664530.2014.919345
autismnewby 