Reflection #6 -- Creation of Rubric

When I enrolled in my first graduate class in the College of Education at UCF, I encountered rubrics for the first time as a student. I remember being astonished and excited about the fact that I knew what the teacher wanted from me! It was often a struggle in undergrad, but especially in law school, to discover what was expected and what was necessary to do in order to achieve success in the class. While I realize that the Socratic method utilized in law school was partially to blame and not necessarily my professors, I have long since realized that letting a student know what is required is not only helpful but almost necessary. I am hopeful, as a teacher, that I can lead my students in the ways that I wished I had been led as a student.


As I sat down to complete Module 12 and draft my own rubric, I was again astonished at how difficult it was. I realize that this is likely because it truly is my first time formulating and articulating what it is that I would want to see in the completed assignments.

So, I first began in Excel, trying to set up the fields and categories. Even though Excel is a program I’m rather comfortable with, I quickly discovered that I was making it more difficult than it needed to be! So, I went back to the textbook (particularly the discussions in Chapter 7 about assessments and the elements of effective assessments) and then Module 12 instructions and began pulling up the suggested websites. After looking through and evaluating the varying tools, I selected iRubric for my rubric. After several false starts and odd looking scores, I was able to modify my rubric to my satisfaction. The final product can be found here: Identification of ISSUES Rubric

It is certainly not as polished as many of the rubrics I’ve been given and it is my hope that practice makes perfect!!

Reflection #5 -- Evaluation of Educational Technology

This week, we have been asked to reflect upon the evaluation of educational technology as a current or future classroom teacher. As many of you are very aware, I fall in the latter category and that has hampered my ability to relate, to a certain extent in this class, to the projects and my classmates. However, drawing on my own personal experiences both in the classroom as a learner and in the business world as a professional, I've been able to glean a few nuggets.

First of all, it is clear to me that technology can be a tremendous tool to any facilitator of learning at any level. Technology, when utilized properly allows teachers and learners to fully experience and engage in whatever subject is on the table. It also seems to me that technology can be a tool that allows less experienced teachers to become more successful and our textbook provides some practical ways to obtain and become familiar with available technology on page 394.

Secondly, it is important, when evaluating technology, to ensure that one has vetted it as much as possible. This "vetting" process could begin with getting input from other teachers and/or learners, but should also contain an examination of the directions, documentation/support, ability levels, assessment tools, and technical quality (adapted from the rubric on page 398 of the textbook). If one is utilize technology, then one must be as certain as possible that the technology itself does not interfere with learning and also properly facilitates learning.

Third, technology should be integrated into the curriculum as a whole and should not be the topic of the lessons (unless, of course, one is actually teaching the use of the technology, of course!). Part and parcel of the integration of technology into the curriculum is being able to properly assess both the learning and the effectiveness of the use of the selected technology within the curriculum. Depending on the age/grade level, it appears that technology can also be used as part of the assessment tools, giving the facilitator of learning a much better/clearer understanding of the successfulness of the tools themselves.

Finally, locating and utilizing the resources available to any teacher also seems to be a challenge for some and it has been helpful in this class to develop a list of helpful websites and programs that can be used for various functions within the classroom for my own future use.

Module 11: Digital Storytelling Pojects!

Exemplar of Digital Storytelling Project: Identification of Issues

Fact Pattern

The Husband (54) and Wife (39) have been married for fourteen (14) years and have three (3) children, a girl age 16, two boys ages 12 and 9. Two weeks ago, after the daughter disclosed the Husband’s ongoing sexual abuse, the Wife discovered that the Husband has had several mistresses over the years and has recently set up the current mistress in an apartment of her own along with his new baby boy. During the marriage, the Husband has been the primary wage-earner throughout the marriage, building and managing a very successful closely held pharmaceutical company that was started by the Husband’s grandfather. The Wife hasn’t worked for the past ten (10) years, but it was her income as a successful real estate agent that put the Husband through undergraduate and graduate school both before the marriage and in the first few years. While the couple has been married, they have acquired numerous properties and various cars, boats, etc. The Husband has added to his extensive gun collection that began when he received several Civil War era muskets from his grandfather’s estate.

The Wife has come to you for representation and has provided you with her expired immigration paperwork along with as much financial information she can find, all twelve (12) boxes pilfered from the Husband’s office over the last several weeks.

Your task: Analyze the legal aspects of the case and provide recommendations to the senior partner as to the contents of the Petition and potential pitfalls.