Fall Semester Learning at UNI

It has been a very busy semester for me this fall. I am wrapping up two classes. The first is a curriculum design class.  I have spent the entire semester working with 4 other instructional coaches working on a comprehensive SAMR Model instructional unit for IHS.  It is a really great professional development unit! We will get a chance to look at it during our February PD day.

The unit is structured using the UbD, or Understanding by Design model. Basically, UbD is backwards design. Instead of planning the instruction first, you plan the outcomes and assessments before you dive into the teaching materials. This works very seamlessly with the Gradual Release of Responsibility model that we have been learning about.

For my other class I learned how to make instructional media. We covered things like photography, video, among other things. For my final project I created a unit on Augmented Reality. After second semester begins I will be holding mini technology integration learning sessions in the library on Wednesdays. To learn more I have created a website for the trainings. Each new class will be posted on the site. Be looking for sessions on SAMR and Flipped Classroom before the end of the school year. Here is the link if you would like to check it out ahead of time: http://tribaltechnologytime.weebly.com

Finally, I have had two semesters of using BB9, or BlackBoard's learning management system. I am excited to talk about Blackboard during our LMS discussions this spring. I am hopeful that we will be able to see many examples of programs that you are using so that we can select one and all use it together. I really think our students will appreciate one LMS next year instead of several.