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The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework allows us to understand the importance of utilizing web 2.0 in teaching and learning. Social annotation tools such as Hypothes.is allow teachers to fulfil the three essential UDL components: engagement, representation, and action & expression through thoughtful use of the platform.

 

Social annotation tools such as Hypothesis and Voice Thread, when used well, boost student engagement, enhance critical thinking, expand reading comprehension, and increase student interaction. Of the several social annotation tools currently available, our institution uses Hypothesis. Hypothesis’ motto—“Making reading active, visible and social”—sums up why we think social annotation is so valuable for our students: it engages students and invites them to read and think together as a group by sharing real-time annotations of websites or PDFs (Hypothesis, 2021). The richly multimodal, interactive nature of Hypothesis offers instructors a platform through which they can employ the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to improve engagement and accessibility for all learners.

Via Elizabeth E Charles

Last week, I introduced the COUP framework, which is a great framework to start with OER research. However, some categories of the COUP framework have been researched more extensively than others. For example, one of the biggest “selling points” of OER is cost. But is a free resource always the better option if students don’t achieve good grades in the end?

Via Elizabeth E Charles

While it is perfectly normal to be inspired by the newest, most exciting learning technologies, district and school leaders must remember that educational technologies’ successful implementations require careful thought and planning. There are countless stories of failed ed-tech implementations because of a lack of planning. 

Via EDTECH@UTRGV, Elizabeth E Charles