Meeting The Challenges in Preparing a Technology-Oriented Lesson Plan

November 2008
Winda C. EspulgarReflection Letter IIED: 451, Dr. Jacqui Cyrus

Meeting the challenges in preparing a technology-oriented lesson plan

Preparing lesson plan number two was really hardcore for me, after my big challenge
with lesson plan number one. I thought the second would be a lot easier. But when Dr. Cyrus
mentioned that we were going to create a lesson using the ASSURE Model, with two technologies to be used to present the lesson, and two technologies for the students to perform the lesson, I began to worry.
The challenge became more intense with the instruction that lesson plan number two must incorporate a learning strategy for one student with a disability.
The requirements for lesson plan number two left me wondering what topic I should use.
I felt very sad. And it felt so stressful, as I thought of how to prepare the lesson plan and at the same time deal with the work load at my work which, during the holiday season, involves a lot of preparation for the visit of our big bosses from off island, big sales goals to meet, and making schedules work for my staff.
In addition to the challenges at work and school, I also must continue to fulfill my responsibilities as a mom to three school-age kids and as a wife.
My idea for lesson plan number two finally came up that Saturday morning after class. As I was preparing to go to work, my son, George, asked me to buy bread.
I told my son that we still have in the kitchen. He said that the bread
had mold on it.
That gave me the idea. I remembered that I taught a mold lesson when I was still in the Philippines.
But during that previous teaching experience, I used the old fashioned way of teaching – which involved using a lot of handwritten planning, and lesson plans required mostly a one-way teaching approach, which means students for the most part listened to their teachers.
It was truly a big challenge for me to come up with a lesson plan that allows me to incorporate various forms of technology to enhance the teaching process for me and the learning process for my students.
Before I started working on my lesson plan, I asked myself some questions for
me to better understand my lesson.
The questions I asked included: What makes mold grow in my home? Can mold cause health problems? What can I use to clean up mold? And the most interesting one, Why does




bread mold grow quicker in dark, wet and warm condition? I did a lot of research about molds.
Based on my research, I learned that molds are tiny microscopic organisms that digest organic matter and reproduce by releasing spores. Molds are a type of fungi and there are over 100,000 species, but most molds do not harm healthy people.(1) People who have allergies or asthma, however, may be more sensitive to molds. Sensitive people may experience reactions such as a skin rash, runny nose, eye irritation, coughing, nasal congestion, aggravation of asthma, or difficulty in breathing, according to the site http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/GOT_Mold.html/
The more I did my research, the more I found it interesting. My son George has a mild
asthma and I have been suffering from allergy for a long time. I found myself researching more. I wanted to learn more about molds, so that I could fully understand my lesson.
As part of my lesson, I included using online technology, such as social networking site cozi.com, for my students to post the collected data daily. I also incorporated the students’ use of the Excel electronic spreadsheet for the data they collected on the size of mold on the bread daily, use of a digital camera for taking pictures daily as the mold spread. I added, as part of my lesson plan, that students should use PowerPoint for their presentation.
In the process of preparing the lesson plan, I read the book Instructional Media and
Technologies for Learning.(2) The book says you can make more effective use of media if you understand some underlying concepts about the learning process and instruction.
By following what the book stated, I realized it is really helpful if you use technology every single day. Through practice, you get used to it, and the easier it becomes.
As part of my lesson plan, I introduced a film clip from you tube.com about the growth
of mold on bread. Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXwLddA4Ctw&NR=1. And another film clip,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v uNesSwQfK4
would allow the students to learn and be entertained.
Incorporating various forms of technology in my lesson was a difficult one. I tried my best to go beyond and explore a lot more. I really want my lesson to be one of the best. Although it was tough, I did try my best.
After all the hard work, I thought my lesson was ok. But when Dr. Cyrus showed us a
sample lesson plan from our last class, I was shocked. My work was not even close. I challenged
myself; did some revision on my work. And I did more research on the use of technology in classrooms.
Using cozi.com was one of my favorite parts of my lesson plan preparation. Cozi allows students and their teacher to communicate utilizing this website.






In this lesson, it shows that the learning process is more on students’ participation. Students will use different kinds of technology to collect and gather information and then do their presentation.
In this Assure lesson plan, I can say that I am proud of myself. To be honest, I don’t know much about technology, so that’s why I tried hard. To learn more, I always stayed up late every single day. I found myself using the computer more often.
In conclusion, I’ve learned that following the steps in the Assure lesson plan model makes the lesson very effective, not only for the teacher, but also for the substitute teacher in case the classroom teacher is absent.
And using the assure model and various forms of technology made the lesson very
interesting. I learned three main things in preparing this lesson plan. Do not lose hope, do
not give up and never surrender. Just practice, and don’t be afraid in asking questions.






1 White, L., Marchant, P.(2005). Got Mold? Frequently Asked Questions About Mold. From
Division of Environmental Health: Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
Web site: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/GOT_Mold.html

2Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J.D., Smaldino,S.E.(1999). A Model to Help Assure
Learning: Instructional Media And Technologies For Learning: Sixth Edition.
Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.