Visit the CAST Website and read the NEW UDL Guidelines.

Directions for this Hand-On Activity:

Download the Tool Analysis here.

Select a Technology Tool from the list provided. Complete the Tool Analysis using the CAST guidelines to help facilitate your analysis. Be sure to provide examples of how your tool addresses the principles of Universal Design for Learning. 

Save and e-mail your completed Tool Analysis as an attachment to Katie Bunsey kbunsey@centernet.org.

Technology Tools:

• 4Teachers.org  http://www.4teachers.org/ (Select a STAR Tool from the 4Teachers Family of Tools menu on the right)
• A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods
  http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html
• Activities for ESL/ELL Students
  http://a4esl.org/
• BBC Starship http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/
• BBC Words and Pictures http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/index.shtml
• CAST Strategy Tutor http://cst.cast.org/cst/auth-login
• CAST UDL Book Builder http://bookbuilder.cast.org/
• CAST UDL Curriculum Self-Check http://udlselfcheck.cast.org/
• CAST UDL Lesson Builder http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/
• Comic Life http://plasq.com/comiclife-win
• EPN: The Education Podcast Network http://epnweb.org/
• Google for Educators http://www.google.com/educators/index.html
• Mindomo http://www.mindomo.com/
• National Library of Virtual Manipulatives http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vLibrary.html
• OAT Test Practice from the Ohio Success Portal http://ohio3-8.success-ode-state-oh-us.info/PracticeTest/Default.aspx?transition=None
• OGT Teacher Tools from the Ohio Success Portal http://ogt.success-ode-state-oh-us.info/teachersOGT.htm
• OneCommunity’s OneClassroom http://www.onecommunity.org/solutions/solutions.aspx?id=38
• Read*Write*Think:  Student Materials Index http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/index.asp  
• Reading A-Z http://www.readinga-z.com/
  Reading A-Z-Kids (RAZ Kids) http://www.raz-kids.com/
• Reading Plus http://www.readingplus.com/
• Reading-Tutors.com http://www.reading-tutors.com/
• Science Online http://www.infohio.org/
• Storyline Online http://www.storylineonline.net/index2.html
• Teaching with “Clickers” http://www.vanderbilt.edu/cft/resources/teaching_resources/technology/crs.htm
• Promethean Learner Response Systems http://www.prometheanworld.com/server.php?show=nav.16
• SMART Senteo http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/Products/Senteo/default.htm
• Turning Technologies http://www.turningtechnologies.com/
• Quizdom http://www.qwizdom.com/
• TV 411 http://www.tv411.org/index.shtml
• World Book Advanced http://www.infohio.org/
• World Book Student http://www.infohio.org/  
• World Wide School http://www.worldwideschool.org/
• WritingFix: Home of Interactive Writing Prompts http://www.writingfix.com/
• Youth Radio http://www.youthradio.org/

As I walked out of the public library last evening, a reserved and eagerly awaited for book in hand, gratitude filled my heart as I thought to myself, “I am proud to be a librarian.”

Driving toward the mall, I described to my husband why I enjoy being a school librarian: If the work I do each day in my school helps others derive joy in the simple pleasures of reading and learning, getting the materials they need and want, delivered in the spirit of helpfulness - then my work is meaningful and worthwhile for me. And being involved in meaningful and worthwhile work brings me joy.   Continue Reading »

I don’t like Shakespeare. I think that the stories could be told in much more detail with far fewer words. I have a good number of friends that love Shakespeare, though, and every one of them can trace their love for Shakespeare’s works back to a special teacher that taught Romeo and Juliet (or Hamlet, or The Tempest) with a passion and appreciation that resonated with the students. Few people develop a love of Shakespeare by reading his works on their own. Instead, they read in hopes of igniting the same excitement in their own lives that Shakespeare ignited in their teacher.

Ohio and many other states have begun to develop STEM programing for students. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. I think the logic behind this program is that future jobs will increasingly require high tech and problem solving skills. Currently we are experiencing a decline in the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math majors in college. Therefore, offering programming at the K-12 level designed to boost interest in these fields will yield future results in terms of workforce preparedness. Hard to argue with.

I recognize the need and remain optimistic about the prospects of success. My concern is that the STEM programming envisioned by the policy-makers and the STEM programs that will appear in the schools may not resemble one another. In all probability, attempts to boost enrollment will focus around trying to get more students involved in existing programs, a strategy with little hope of success. Our current science and math programs are among the most “tracked” of all high school programs. Once students complete eighth grade their high school options for coursework are very limited.

A second concern is that available resources will go to existing programs, which include very little in terms of Technology and Engineering. New programming, available to any student that expresses interest, is the key to this initiative. Our problem might come from how to staff the programs. Ohio currently (to the best of my knowledge) does not offer a teacher license in Engineering and our current state of Technology programming is, well..you know.

New, creative programs, taught by teachers whose passion for the subject is contagious is the best way to build interest in the STEM areas.

Parker Palmer’s Courage to Teach is a book that packs quite a few large ideas into each inch of print. Below you will find several quotes from Courage to Teach. Select one that resonates with you (either positively or negatively) and respond to it. Let’s see if we can’t raise the level of dialog on the internet.

“Teaching, like any truly human activity, emerges from one’s inwardness, for better or worse. As I teach, I project the condition of my soul onto my students, my subjects, and our way of being together.” (p. 2)

“Teachers make an easy target, for they are such a common species and so powerless to strike back. We blame teachers for being unable to cure social ills that no one knows how to treat; we insist that they instantly adopt whatever “solution” has most recently been concocted by our national panacea machine; and in the process, we demoralize, even paralyze, the very teachers who could help us find our way.”

“To reduce vulnerability, we disconnect from students, from subjects, and even from ourselves.”

“Students are marginalized people in our society. The silence that we face in the classroom is the silence that has always been adopted by people on the margin-people who have reason to fear those in power and have learned that there is safety in not speaking.”

“Teachers will live up to their potential as leaders only when the school environment supports their efforts.”

Listen to a conversation with Dr. Craig Phillips of North Ridgeville City Schools:

Learn how North Ridgeville utilizes the principles of Universal Design for Learning and other select initiatives to help build teacher capacity and increase student achievement.

Take a look at North Ridgeville’s District Report Cards.

Dr. Phillips is happy to receive your comments and answer questions. Please leave comments and questions as responses to this blog post - don’t forget the black coffee. :-)

Click here to visit The Center for Courage and Renewal and listen to a podcast about Parker’s book, The Courage to Teach.  

In you are interested in participating in our very popular and “Courageous” book study this summer - please contact us. We look forward to meeting you.