Wiki Overload

Wikis are on the brain, and for good reason. This section of my CEP 811 class we were to look at wikis. I didn’t know what to think of them at first, but I think they’ll end up being useful. I don’t know how much they’ll be used in the classroom vs. with staff to organize things, but time will tell. This might even be useful staging local storm chases when the weather gets warmer!

I created a wiki at PBWorks for school, and I figured that the best test would be to use it between staff for a computer lab reservation system. As I find uses for it in the classroom, I can foresee these being used in classes like forensics and careers, so that students can give feedback to each other and across classes (since I usually teach two of each at the same time).

On Wikipedia, I couldn’t find my school, but that’s not a surprise. I went to the Lansing, MI Wikipedia page and added the Ingham Academy to the public and private schools list. I then created a page for the Ingham Academy on Wikipedia, and I think I have the hang of it now. This could be an issue … because I’ll not only be surfing, but editing Wikipedia from here on out! I had fun doing this, and hope to get better as time goes on. I enjoy taking pictures, as I did for the Ingham Academy, and hope to be able to add to this community.

Click HERE for an image of my PBWorks wiki and my Wikipedia creation.

UDL

Listed below are some strengths (features) and weaknesses (barriers) to a lesson that I created to address the Physics concepts of speed and position vs. time graphs. The lesson is posted in MERLOT here. Basically I found that while I did allow for some creativity, I had restricted that creativity to only a couple of programs. I also didn’t do a very good job accommodating for different learning styles in more than the introduction and modeling of the lesson. In order to make this lesson better, I would need to add more ways for students to view the presentation, give more options for the creation of position vs. time graphs, and allow the students to create their own data if they choose to motivate more students.

UDL Guidelines – Educator Checklist
I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation
1.2 Provide alternatives for auditory information
Feature: This lesson will be lectured verbally with text notes, and will be visually modeled.
1.3 Provide alternatives for visual information
Feature: This lesson will be explained verbally. It would be of added benefit to add video and audio supplements to each part of the lesson.
2.1 Define vocabulary and symbols
Barrier: Some vocabulary in this lesson might not be in some students’ prior knowledge and isn’t adequately explained.
3.1 Provide or activate background knowledge
Feature: Situations of speed from prior knowledge will be addressed and expanded upon.
3.2 Highlight critical features, big ideas, and relationships
Feature: Slope’s relationship to speed on a position vs. time graph is revisited and reinforced throughout the lesson.
II. Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression
4.1 Provide varied ways to respond
Barrier: There is only one set of assessments for this lesson. This needs to be expanded to allow more freedom.
5.1 Allow choices of media for communication
Barrier: The lesson only allows for Excel and PowerPoint as methods for sharing the information.
III. Provide Multiple Means of Engagement
7.1 Increase individual choice and autonomy
Feature: This lesson allows creativity during the presentation section, so that the students can explain however they choose.
Barrier: The creativity is restricted to the use of Excel and PowerPoint.
7.3 Reduce threats and distractions
Feature: Excel table templates are used to create graphs to be used in the lesson.
8.2 Vary levels of challenge and support
Barrier: Other than the presentation, materials don’t have different levels of support or challenge.
8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback
Feature: The lesson requires students to explain their knowledge of the topic to others.
9.2 Scaffold coping skills and strategies
Feature: Students receive feedback at the end of each section of the lesson, ensuring they understand the topic before presenting it to others.