Elizabeth's Knowledge

  Accessibility in Education: A Commitment to All Learners Accessibility is more than a checklist—it is a commitment to equity, belonging, and meaningful participation for every learner. As educators, we often hear about devices or techniques that support students with special needs. Still, if we are not in special education classrooms, accessibility may not feel like part of our daily planning. The truth is, accessibility benefits everyone. Designing accessible classrooms, libraries, and digital spaces reduces barriers not only for students with documented disabilities but also for English language learners, students with temporary injuries, and even caregivers who support learning from home. This week, I explored several resources on accessibility and found the Designing for Accessibility: Dos and Don’ts   guide especially practical. It provides clear visuals and concise language about best practices for color contrast, text clarity, alternative text for images, and access...

  What the Numbers Tell Us About Students and Technology As educators, we often rely on our gut instincts when it comes to understanding our students’ technology use. We notice when phones buzz during class, when students turn to YouTube for explanations, or when they gravitate toward AI tools. But educational research helps us go beyond observation — grounding our assumptions in data and sometimes surprising us with patterns we didn’t anticipate. This week, I reviewed several recent reports (Pew Research Center, Common Sense Media, Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up survey, and others). Below, I highlight a few statistics that stood out to me — and why I think they matter in my own classroom. Always Online: Teens and Constant Connectivity According to Pew Research Center, 46% of U.S. teens (ages 13–17) say they are online “almost constantly.” This number has nearly doubled since 2015, when only 24% reported the same ( Pew Research ). What’s even more telling is that teens from low...

Introduction Active learning is an instructional approach that emphasizes student engagement, participation, and critical thinking. Instead of simply receiving information from the teacher, students are encouraged to generate ideas, ask questions, and collaborate with their peers to build a deeper understanding. Active learning is grounded in the belief that when students are directly involved in the learning process, they are more likely to retain knowledge and apply it meaningfully. One strategy I have successfully used to support active learning in my classroom is brainstorming . Why Active Learning Matters Active learning promotes higher-order thinking and ensures that all students are engaged in the classroom experience. Rather than relying on rote memorization or passive note-taking, students are encouraged to share their own ideas, challenge assumptions, and learn from one another. Bonwell and Eison (1991) describe active learning as requiring students to “do things and th...

  Introduction Personality tests can give valuable insights into how we lead, work with others, and approach professional learning. I completed three assessments: the Leadership Style Quiz (Mind Tools) , the Personality Type Indicator (My Personality Test) , and the Big Five Personality Test (Psychologist World) . Below, I share my results, reflect on their accuracy, evaluate the validity of the tests, and connect these insights to my Professional Learning Network (PLN). Imaged Sourced by: The Technoliterate https://thetechnoliterate.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/the-networked-teacher/ 1. Leadership Style Quiz (Mind Tools) Screenshot of Results: Imaged Sourced by: Mind Tools https://www.mindtools.com/azr30oh/whats-your-leadership-style Result: Participative/Democratic leadership style             What's Your Leadership Style_ -… Traits: Collaboration, shared decision-making, consensus-driven. Accuracy & Validity: I agree w...

Digital Spaces Understanding the Visitor–Resident Framework The Visitor–Resident framework (White & Le Cornu, 2011) describes how individuals engage with digital tools. In visitor mode , users access a resource to accomplish a specific task, leaving little to no social trace—such as checking the weather or looking up a fact. In resident mode , users establish a presence and interact with others, leaving a footprint that contributes to ongoing conversations—such as posting on social media, emailing, or collaborating in shared documents. Overlaying this continuum with the professional–personal axis enables us to better visualize how our digital practices vary across different contexts. My map represents this model by placing the applications I use into four quadrants: Visitor–Professional, Resident–Professional, Visitor–Personal, and Resident–Personal. Image Source: David White Digital and Education  https://daveowhite.com/vandr/  Mapping My Digital Space This we...

  Evaluating Myself with the SAMR Model Image source: Renaissance nearpod What Is the SAMR Model ? Image source: edutopia One of the frameworks I explored this week is the SAMR model , created by Dr. Ruben Puentedura. SAMR stands for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition . The model describes four levels of how technology can be integrated into learning: Substitution – Technology replaces a traditional tool with no functional change. Example: typing a paper in Google Docs instead of handwriting. Augmentation – Technology substitutes but also adds functional improvements. Example: using Google Docs with spell check and comments. Modification – Technology allows for a significant redesign of a task. Example: Students collaborate in real-time to co-author an essay with multimedia elements. Redefinition – Technology enables new tasks that would not be possible without it. Example: students create a podcast or video project that connects them wit...

  📱 My Relationship with the Smartphone: A Blessing and a Burden Introduction Technology is one of the most powerful forces shaping our lives in the 21st century, and no single device demonstrates this more clearly than the smartphone. For me, my phone is not just a communication tool—it is a calendar, a camera, a research assistant, a classroom management system, and sometimes, a distraction. My relationship with this piece of technology is complicated. It has transformed the way I live and work, mostly in positive ways, but it has also created challenges that I’ve had to learn how to manage. “Woman using smartphone while sitting on sidewalk in park” — Photo by Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels. The Backstory My first cell phone came in high school, long before smartphones became what they are today. At the time, it was simply a way to call home and stay connected to family. Over the years, as smartphones have become more advanced, I have found myself relying on them more and more. ...