ED637 Week 2 Tools For Identifying Learners in my Classroom

I began assignment two thinking along the lines of using results from state test scores, AIMS web scores and our RTI information for our students and planning which math strands need to be addressed for each grade level and individually.  Then I realized that I wasn’t on the right track as I researched online for tools to assist us in targeting: learning styles, student interests, personality types, multiple intelligences, or other helpful information for planning instruction for meeting learner needs in the classroom.

As I was searching for tools on multiple intelligences and learning styles, I found a lot of sites that explain what they are, and offer tests, but when I took the tests on two of the sites, I found that I would need to pay for the results.  There is a simple site I found for multiple intelligences at

Exploring The Seven Different Intelligences | GeekMom | Wired.com

Explanation in kid and parent friendly explanations of the seven different multiple intelligences found in children and ways to use those strengths.
Also find online assessments links.

The seven different intelligences include:

·       Word Smart (linguistic intelligence)

·       Math Smart (numerical/reasoning/logic intelligence)

·       Physically Smart (kinesthetic intelligence)

·       Music Smart (musical intelligence)

·       People Smart (interpersonal intelligence)

·       Self Smart (intrapersonal intelligence)

·       Visually Smart (Spatial intelligence)

The key to working with multiple intelligences is to understand that children have all of the intelligences, but are usually stronger in one of them, which can be the “gateway to making other subjects more easily understood and mastered.”  This site has a link to http://www.berghuis.co.nz/abiator/lsi/mi_test.html this website also, which is a multiple intelligence test.  I haven’t found the time to take the test yet, since I took a couple others that required payment for results.

Tools to assist us in targeting learning styles I found a website that is based on Felder and Silverman’s Index of Learning Styles that was developed by Richard Felder and Linda Silverman in the late 80’s and revised by Felder in 2002.  They explain that there are four dimensions of learning styles: sensory-intuitive, active-reflective, sequential-global, and visual-verbal.  They also explain that once you know where your preference lies, then you can balance your approach to learning, which leads to learning effectiveness.  Also found in the website is a Learning Styles Questionnaire.  The main site is found at: http://www.mindtools.com/mnemlsty.html

My site for my resources for this week can be found in my diigo account at

http://www.diigo.com/user/dmhale23 and under the list for week two identifying tools to assist student learning.

Right now, I hope I am on the right track in gathering information to help my team build a Wiki.  The trouble I have had is in figuring out who is in my team, so I haven’t yet had a chance to interact with my team.

ED637 Week 1 Essential Question Journal Entry

I feel like I have spent a massive amount of time on the Internet this week learning about all the tools that I will be using to participate in this MOOC.  Basically, a massively open online course, or MOOC, is aimed at large-scale participation and collaboration and is open access to the general online public.  Open access means no fees, unless the institution that is offering it is offering it for credit.  A MOOC is a recent development in distance education and has connectivist roots.  MOOCs allow users to learn from each other.

I learned a lot this week, and dipped my toes into new, exciting, and scary territory.  I re-explored twitter and can be reached on my twitter account at @dmhale23, created a very brief introduction using xtranormal, set up a blogger account, a diigo account, and joined a couple of google groups.  I am still learning and have some questions about whether everyone can view what I attempted to share.

I am not sure if I contributed to the learning of others this week, as I was barely able to keep up.

In order to be successful in this MOOC, I need to keep using all the resources that I have set up so that I can learn how to navigate, share, collaborate, tie together and connect with others.  I am apprehensive, but willing.  I am hoping that I am not alone and am comforted in realizing that the more I use the tools, the better I will become.  I can do it, is my attitude and I am happy that my sister Teresa Paukan is going to be on this adventure with me.

address for xtranormal introduction

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/14111591/molly-hale

Welcome to my blogger page.