Alison Lederer

ET 610 Curricular Applications of Technology

Learning Activity Redesign
December 17, 2014

As I reflect on the experience of this lesson, I realize how useful Wixie can be in my
classroom. Wixie is extremely versatile, and can be used in every subject area. My students use
Wixie on a daily basis. Whether they are solving math problems and explaining their thinking
with the recording tool, or using their imagination to create a digital, interactive story, Wixie
always allows them to be creative and innovative. In this lesson, I feel as if Wixie was a tool
that helped my students reach 21st century learning.
Prior to this lesson, the typical expectation after learning a new skill was to move on to
the next lesson and accept that the students mastered the skill. As I am evolving as a 21st
century teacher, I am realizing that students need to add purpose to the skills they learn in order
to make the information meaningful. In this lesson, students are applying their new knowledge
about the letter i in order to teach a younger audience something new.
According to the BCPS Toolbox Index, Wixie falls under redefinition on the SAMR
model. The example that reaches this level says, Students create a narrated slideshow about a
topic that they researched (BCPSODL Wixie. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2014). In the
case of this lesson, students are creating an interactive lesson about a skill they have mastered. I
agree with BCPS, and believe this lesson falls under redefinition as well. My students would
not have the ability to deliver this lesson to students in this particular way without technology.

It is a new task that allows students to collaborate and create meaningful work using Wixie as a
tech resource.
I believe this lesson meets the ISTE Teacher Standard 2: Design and develop digital age
learning experiences and assessments. This lesson required me to design a learning experience
that uses digital tools. I provided instruction and modeling through the use of screencasting and
videos. The students used Wixie to complete the activity I designed. It is also a lesson that
allowed students to be active participants in managing their own learning. They were able to
take control over the information they learned and use it in a purposeful way. The student
checklist allowed them to assess their progress along the way. The flipped aspect of the
lesson allowed students to have access to directions and examples, which addressed students
learning styles. For example, visual and auditory learners were able to listen and watch as I
modeled the activity. It also allowed students to rewind and re-watch to monitor their
understanding of the directions. I believe that this lesson successfully advanced my students
learning.
My students are extremely fortunate to be in a classroom with one-to-one devices. This
environment creates little-to-no barriers when it comes to technology. My students were able to
successfully access my screencast videos on their devices, listen to them using their
headphones, and use Wixie to work on their lesson every day. With one-to-one devices, it
becomes much easier to teach above the line and create a successful learner-centered
environment.
This lesson was surprisingly easy to plan and teach. Incorporating a flipped learning
experience while using a program that my students are already familiar with took a lot of

pressure off me as a teacher. The only preparation required was the screencasts and Wixie
template. The devices were responsible for the implementation of the lesson. This method of
learning allowed much more time for small group learning which is extremely beneficial to my
students. I am extremely satisfied with the success of this lesson and will definitely continue
with more of these experiences.