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=Meeting 5 - Worktime= This session is devoted to giving us work time to make progress on our products for our final PDU. Below is a description of what each of us are focusing on, as well as a link to you're own individual site for communication with Jake, and a place to store your products.

Debord - Developing an online learning environment for his independent study students Fockler - Developing a website for his classes...working on uploading a homework calendar and gaining access to IC student portal Skari - Developing a Bruce Randolph Athletics website Ahrnsbrak - Improving his skills in MS Word to develop more customized and scaffolded worksheets and quizzes for his curriculum Delgado - Developing an excel tracker to track students' growth from quarter to quarter, as well as track missing assignment percentages Short - Has written a grant for a class set of tablet PCs to customize learning for students with special needs Gorman - Developing an excel tracker to track students fitness test scores in a graphic, easy-to-read way Goodall - Improving his skills with Promethean technology, including clickers, to assess students and present materials in a unique, visual way

=Meeting 4 - Setting Our Goals=

This session, we will be deciding on a project to develop throughout the school year until we present them in April.

Here are the links to this weeks session:
 * Examples of Emerging Technologies
 * [|Opening Discussion Thread]
 * Group Pages:
 * Online Portal Group
 * Excel Group
 * Emerging Technologies Group
 * "Other" Group
 * [|Closing "Next Steps" Discussion Thread]

=Meeting 3= In meeting 3, we will be exploring how Excel can help us differentiate in our classrooms by breaking down assessment data and presenting it to students.

Click here to access the excel exploration. = =

=Meeting 2 Takeaways= We explored a variety of examples of online sites and portals used for educational use, and came up with the following ideas about how these sites can be helpful in differentiating instruction in our classrooms. = = //*Just a side note: If you're interested in making digital flowcharts with your students, google lucidcharts.//

=Meeting 1 Takeaways= We discussed the topics of differentiation through technology that interested us as a group the most. The four most prioritized of these topics were:
 * Devloping online portals for our students to access, and exploring how this can differentiate our instruction.
 * Exploring how excel can manipulate our student data, and make it easier to make informed decisions about our instruction, based off of that data.
 * Using online assessment as a more immidiate, and data-driven way of assessing our students' needs.
 * Exploring new emerging technologies (specifically clicker systems) to make an informed decision about whether they would be an effective us of our budget, based on their effectiveness in differentiating our instruction.

We decided that an effective format to follow through the year would be to start, for the first 4 sessions or so, simply gaining exposure, and surface level knowledge on as many topics related to these four guiding areas. Then, after this period of time, select a specific topic that we, individually, want to focus in depth on, to create a meaningful, lasting product with which to walk away from the course with. So, for the first 4 weeks or so, we will be - as a group - exploring a wide array of resources, very quickly, with a focus on the four previously mentioned topics, then working more independently focusing on our specific project or area of interest.

Click here to find the response summary from the survey that we took during session 1.

= = =Our objectives of this PDU are:=
 * Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
 * Become proficient in technological tools, through exposure and exploration of available technology resources, that assist in differentiating both instruction and practice in their classrooms.
 * Learn concrete strategies and techniques to increase students’ exposure to the types of 21st century technology that is used in post-secondary education classrooms, without taking away from quality instruction.
 * Explore how technology can make formative and summative assessments faster, more applicable, and more convenient, in order to identify the needs of their students, and better tailor their instruction to these needs.
 * Use digital tools to collaborate and share ideas with peers and colleagues in order to improve their practice and support student success and innovation.
 * Build a bank of technological resources that can be directly and immediately applied to their classroom to differentiate, deepen, and enhance the instruction that they are already giving their students.

=As you answer the questions below, keep in mind that our definition of differentiation is:= Differnetiated instruction seeks to educate the whole student through a multifaceted approach to content, processing, and product. Teachers develop working relationships with students and are aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Lessons are intentionally planned and developed to enable all students equal access to the learning objectives.

It looks like:
 * Clearly stated learning objectives
 * Students are empowered to take control of their growth/learning
 * Relevant, engaging learning experiences that are student centered
 * Flexible grouping and instruction
 * Ongoing and timely assessment that informs future instruction

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