Module 4

Visual Literacy and Internet's impact on Teaching!

  

Visual Literacy and the use of the internet can impact the teaching and learning process in the classroom in many ways. Students are of all different learning styles, so its important we as teachers deliver instruction in various ways. Visual-thinking learners find themselves learning best through visual aids where material is evident for them through some form of visual display. When a student can observe and visualize material they are given better opportunities for success as they now have another aspect of the material along with a model  to better comprehend the instruction being delivered. By allowing visual aids within the classroom more or less visual literacy, students can read and identify with the material being offered touching on visual learning styles.
    

Within my classroom, visual-thinking strategies play a major role daily as I am a language arts teacher and literacy is a strong component used often. One visual-thinking strategy I often use YouTube videos when teaching a new grammar strategy as students can identify and connect with the material within the video. This allows for students to now build background prior to learning and connect with the visual approach as well as the critical thinking aspect as students must listen, record and connect with the videos theme. My students do very well with the YouTube approach because they are familiar with this site as well as comfortable with this modern approach to learning. By playing these videos I am allowing my students additional aspects of the material along with building background through personal connection and another perspective!

The internet has become a huge role within my classroom as its a strong tool used in many of my lessons. I find that applying internet aspects such as interactive games and web-based approaches to learning such as research projects that need internet searching help guide students to achieving success. The role the internet plays in my classroom is that of a partner. I formulate lessons and students use the internet to better comprehend and connect
 with the material as the internet is now a modern way of connecting. A student doesn't know a word they look it up, wants to better understand a math problem, type in the mathematical term and find a YouTube video. In my classroom, I have to admit I somewhat use the internet as a team teacher as I find it most useful for students building more knowledge on a topic introduced within class. 

Module 2 Response

Instructional Strategies impact on 21st Century learners.

In the mind of a 21st Century learner...

           Using a variety of instructional strategies affords students the opportunity to better comprehend material being addressed. Various approaches to instructional delivery methods only benefits students as classrooms, especially 21^st century classrooms, are filled with all different kinds of learners. Howard Gardner’s, multiple intelligence theory addresses the fact that many learners learn in different ways. Some learners learn best through kinesthetic learning, bodily hands on learning, while some learn visually as well as auditory. With that being said, it is evident that many learners find success when instruction is delivered through various approaches allowing for all types of learners to benefit. One might learn best through a PowerPoint presentation where information is delivered visually, and auditory.  This delivery method best applies to the teacher-centered strategy as it benefits students from the teacher created approach on guidance and teacher directed discussion allowing for student questioning and understanding from the teacher’s aspect.

      Student-centered strategies are best applied to kinesthetic learners as they are hands on approaching learning by working cooperatively. This type of learner in the 21^st century might be working on a class project using Google Chrome books with assigned roles and research. This type of learning allows for student-centered strategy as discussion and learning is more so student directed. Students work together to share information and tasks. Both aspects of learning teacher-centered strategies and student-centered strategies play a major role when adding value to educating 21^st century learners. The variety of instructional strategies benefits various learners along with stressing the importance technology plays on 21^st century learners. By following these various instructional strategies we can identify with our learners by approaching technology through different aspects, the teacher and students, making it much more comprehensible for the learner.

  Students in Austin go paperless and learn vocabulary through different instructional strategies! 

   As a teacher of 21^st century learners, it’s safe to say that applying different instructional strategies to material being taught will afford more success to students. A simple task such as teaching vocabulary can now meet various approaches and learning styles as it is for instance, displayed on the Smart board with music, picture examples, student directed through game approached where they come to the board and play (kinesthetic.) The technology offered to our students today is overwhelming compared to the technology we once couldn’t offer where words would be displayed on a chalkboard and the only form of learning would be teacher directed discussion. Technology will impact students immensely within the 21^st century and our approaches to instructional delivery and our use of various instructional strategies are going to determine the true success that will be measured based on these opportunities afforded to our students now!