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Flexible Educational REsources
As the world evolves, education and the way students learn is ever changing. Research reveals data supported evidence that show effectiveness of teaching strategies and skills. This reason being that educators should be lifelong learners due to a profession that exhibits endless learning. Learning in school looks different from five to ten years ago. Many teachers deliver content through the internet and Web 2.0 tools. These tools are designed to encourage student inquiry and increase the depth of knowledge students. These tools and resources are referred to as Open Educational Resources that designed to be accessible through public domain.
According to Bixler (2021), OER’s are beneficial to educators because they can personalize them specifically to their learners’ needs. This personalization supports a personalized classroom setting, because students are provided a variety of resources to support their learning. Identifying which resources should be selected when browsing OER’s is a tedious task. Teachers have must evaluate the quality and content delivery to ensure that the resource is beneficial in support students learning needs. Gonzalez (2019) states, while it’s great to not have to pay for things, free instructional materials don’t exactly come without problems.” As educators it is important to vet and steer clear of resources that may not bring substantial learning for students with diverse learning needs. According to Open Text (n.d),“there are increasing numbers of repositories or portals where faculty can access open educational resources.” This will support teachers searching to adapt content for their students.
My eighth-grade science class just began their new unit on waves and I always provide my students with an overview with different resources that can supplement and support their learning and provide differentiated learning opportunities within each unit we discuss in eighth grade science. Within the learning management system (itslearning,, teachers can create pages that are easily accessible for students to access content, assessments, and more. By creating the page within itslearning, I was able to curate an artifact that will support student learning in a personalized classroom. The GAPSC Personalized Learning Endorsement Standard 6 was met in this artifact by providing my students opportunities to select content from a curated menu of flexible educational resources in the itslearning that addresses the first standards of Waves Unit SP8a and SP8e. Duirng the curation of this learning menu for students, I had to keep in consideration students’ and their learning needs. Huang et al. (2020) suggests tools should be quick and easy to help effectively produce and manage resources, release notices, and manage students. Ensuring quick and easy access encourages teachers to continue integrating OER’s into their classroom instruction.
With the creation of this artifact GAPSC PLE Standard 6 was met by (i) providing opportunities for my students to seek and select from a curated menu of education menu of educational resources in the itslearning web page that addressed the difference between waves (S8P4a) and the properties of waves (S8P4F); (ii) employing engaging pedagogies and research-based best practices of instructional design to curate, mine, and organize high impact educational resources for learner; and(iii) monitor and observe the effectiveness of educational resource in real-time and suggest or seek alternatives as needed with Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Forms.
According to Bixler (2021), OER’s are beneficial to educators because they can personalize them specifically to their learners’ needs. This personalization supports a personalized classroom setting, because students are provided a variety of resources to support their learning. Identifying which resources should be selected when browsing OER’s is a tedious task. Teachers have must evaluate the quality and content delivery to ensure that the resource is beneficial in support students learning needs. Gonzalez (2019) states, while it’s great to not have to pay for things, free instructional materials don’t exactly come without problems.” As educators it is important to vet and steer clear of resources that may not bring substantial learning for students with diverse learning needs. According to Open Text (n.d),“there are increasing numbers of repositories or portals where faculty can access open educational resources.” This will support teachers searching to adapt content for their students.
My eighth-grade science class just began their new unit on waves and I always provide my students with an overview with different resources that can supplement and support their learning and provide differentiated learning opportunities within each unit we discuss in eighth grade science. Within the learning management system (itslearning,, teachers can create pages that are easily accessible for students to access content, assessments, and more. By creating the page within itslearning, I was able to curate an artifact that will support student learning in a personalized classroom. The GAPSC Personalized Learning Endorsement Standard 6 was met in this artifact by providing my students opportunities to select content from a curated menu of flexible educational resources in the itslearning that addresses the first standards of Waves Unit SP8a and SP8e. Duirng the curation of this learning menu for students, I had to keep in consideration students’ and their learning needs. Huang et al. (2020) suggests tools should be quick and easy to help effectively produce and manage resources, release notices, and manage students. Ensuring quick and easy access encourages teachers to continue integrating OER’s into their classroom instruction.
With the creation of this artifact GAPSC PLE Standard 6 was met by (i) providing opportunities for my students to seek and select from a curated menu of education menu of educational resources in the itslearning web page that addressed the difference between waves (S8P4a) and the properties of waves (S8P4F); (ii) employing engaging pedagogies and research-based best practices of instructional design to curate, mine, and organize high impact educational resources for learner; and(iii) monitor and observe the effectiveness of educational resource in real-time and suggest or seek alternatives as needed with Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Forms.
Engaging Pedagogies and Best Practices of Instructional Design
Flipped ClassroomStudents can receive content outside of the classroom and can apply practice and instructional practices within the classroom. The content can be learned asynchronously, and students can bring their questions to the classroom to work with the instructor. Smith (2019) “flipped classroom educators have the opportunity to provide content in a more varied, personalized manner and provide truly meaningful, engaging experiences in the classroom.” Through Edpuzzle students with internet access can assess the instruction provided within Edpuzzle and can come to class with questions about the properties of waves in class. During this time, I am able to work through misconceptions with students and support their learning needs with small group and one on one instruction. With the implementation of flipped classroom students met the ISTE-S standard of Empowered Learner and Knowledge Constructor as they lead in selecting and progressing through each competency.
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PHET SimulationsPHET Simulations are great tools that allow students to process their own understanding of content through digital manipulatives. Students can hone their skills on scientific phenomena at a pace that supports their learning process. This PHET Simulation encouraged students to explore the properties of waves. This exploration directly aligns with students’ ability to differentiate between mechanical and electromagnetic waves and directly analyze the properties of waves. As students navigate through PHET they can uncover the properties of waves and how they relate to our daily lives. This practice reinforces ISTE-S standards of Knowledge Constructor, Empowered Learner, Knowledge Constructor as they met competencies.
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StationsThroughout each station, students can access multiple open educational resources and work at a suitable pace that best fits their learning styles and needs. The stations are designed to be hybrid or digital and students can collaborate with one another. This station activity that my students completed was an opportunity for students to explore the different types of waves and their properties. Each station requires students to provide their own assessment of their own learning. The stations are broken into two categories Input and Output. Input Stations consists of Watch it, Read it, Research it, and Explore it. Output Stations consists of Illustrate it, Assess it, Write it, Organize it, Challenge it. The students met the ISTE-S standards of Knowledge Constructor, Empowered Learner through personalized learning as they progressed through the stations.
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Monitor and Observe Effectiveness of Educational Resource
Microsoft FormsMicrosoft Forms is a great tool that allows for students to provide feedback on their progress and self-assess their understanding of a concepts. My students use Microsoft Forms for formative and summative assessment data collection to drive instruction in the classroom and ensure students continue personalized learning pathway that is suitable for their learning styles. Each unit students are responsible for completing a Microsoft Form that asks them multiple questions that require them to show their understanding and misunderstandings about the content being taught.
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QuizizzQuizizz is an assessment tool that provides students and teachers with immediate feedback on performance based on student responses. Quizizz has an asynchronous function that allows students to complete a Quizizz assessment at their own pace and during a suitable time that works for the student’s learning. Throughout the unit, students can challenge themselves to complete the Quizizz and measure their own progression and understanding of the content. As students strive for mastery through a perfect score on the Quizizz, the data that is provided within the platform informs me on the next steps needed to ensure student success and which OER’s would be appropriate to support student progression.
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Legends of LearningLegends of Learning is an Open Educational Resource that supports gamification and differentiation for students in the classroom. Legends of Learning also has an assessment portion that teachers can use to collect data about students’ progression through content. Students have the opportunity in legends learning to receive science and math content through gamification. As students work through the standards (SP4A and SP4F), Legends of Learning provides me with student progression and concepts students may need additional support with.
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References
Bixler, N. (2021, September 21). What are Open Educational Resources (OER)? Hapara. https://hapara.com/blog/what-are-open-educational-resources/
Gonzalez, J. (2019, June 18). A Closer Look at Open Educational Resources. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/open-educational-resources/
Huang, R.H., Liu, D.J., Guo, J., Yang, J.F., Zhao, J.H., Wei, X.F., Knyazeva, S., Li, M., Zhuang, R.X., Looi, C.K., & Chang, T.W. (2020). Guidance on Flexible Learning during Campus Closures: Ensuring course quality of higher education in COVID-19 outbreak. Beijing: Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University.
Open Text (n.d.) Open Education Resources (OER). Teaching in a Digital Age. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/oer/
Smith, K. (2019, March 26). Personalized Learning and Engagement: Why Flipped Classrooms are the Future of Education. STC Instructional Design & Learning Special Interest Group. https://www.stcidlsig.org/personalized-learning-and-engagement-why-flipped-classrooms-are-the-future-of-education/
Gonzalez, J. (2019, June 18). A Closer Look at Open Educational Resources. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/open-educational-resources/
Huang, R.H., Liu, D.J., Guo, J., Yang, J.F., Zhao, J.H., Wei, X.F., Knyazeva, S., Li, M., Zhuang, R.X., Looi, C.K., & Chang, T.W. (2020). Guidance on Flexible Learning during Campus Closures: Ensuring course quality of higher education in COVID-19 outbreak. Beijing: Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University.
Open Text (n.d.) Open Education Resources (OER). Teaching in a Digital Age. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/oer/
Smith, K. (2019, March 26). Personalized Learning and Engagement: Why Flipped Classrooms are the Future of Education. STC Instructional Design & Learning Special Interest Group. https://www.stcidlsig.org/personalized-learning-and-engagement-why-flipped-classrooms-are-the-future-of-education/