Debbie Ripper

Learning through technologies is not beneficial for all students.  Despite the advantages with cooperative/collaborative learning, somestudents need additional motivations.  Consideration needs to always be given to designing learning that meets student learning styles as well as individual goals and objectives within the framework of the course.  This moves the instructor away from traditionally providing instruction to guiding students into gaining the necessary information for real world application.  

It is important in cooperative learning that the project is designed that all must participate in order to succeed.  The whole group must be active in order to meet the goal, so it is necessary to set this up and discuss thoroughly before groups/activities are assigned.

To engage a studet's learning it is necessary to challenge them based on their interests, goals, and learning styles.  This, however, comes with a lot of thought and front end work on the part of the educator from designing the projects to finding the relevant reading and teaching materials to grading their performance.  While time intensive, at first, for the instructor, this differentiate, hands-on approach will yield the highest results  for the students. 

I am a special needs teacher.  So, I really found the section on inclusive materials beneficial.  I appreciated the link to Setion 508 best practices and valuable resources.  This is a handy reference for all teachers as we will all have many students throughout our career that need these considerations.  

Like the step by step process.  Following this will help you hit problems and concerns.  This will allow for more buy in at all levels.  

It reiterated to me the importance of having reasons and goals  for using the tablet.  I also liked the point that tablets help them blend their experience with knowledge all while having the ability to enhance their problem solving techniques.  

Love the reasons for using tablets for note-making and feedback.  This approach will lead to students having a clearer understanding of the content, especially when feedback is provided in real time and based on the student's learning style needs.

Definitely need to think through my intentions for use in order to research the best practices.  This will include knowing apps I wish you to use.  Practicing using them myself so I am familiar with them and fully understand the benefit they will offer to my students' instruction.    I am not going to just take suggestions, read up on good tablets and or apps.  I will know what I need and the reasons why.  Then I will become comfortable/fluent in it through personal usage before I introduce it to my students.