Get with the Times...Top ten reasons to use technology in the classroom

Why are some teachers fighting the trend towards the the use of technology in the classroom. The quote at the beginning of this video makes so much sense when you think about our every changing technological world.

After watching the video check out these reasons which seem to put everything in perspective.

10. They are cool. Kids like cool stuff and it makes those who may not have wanted to pay attention, pay attention. (At least for the beginning)
9. They are tools of the "presentation" trade outside of school, and school prepares kids to be members of the community outside school.
8. They allow kids to be visually stimulated in ways that photos and posters and diagrams on the board do not.
7. They are similar to the entertainment that kids love and may usher them into learning that feels fun.
6. Fun is not the enemy of a good education.
5. They are easier to digest for some auditory and visual learners than lecture or even hands-on opportunities.
4. For the teachers that produce them and/or creatively use them, these tools keep the teachers learning new and valuable skills.
3. The sheer newness of them can breathe life into a curriculum that was languishing in its repetitiveness of delivery. (This is the way we did it last year...and five years ago...maybe even ten years ago.)
2. They are a great tool (just a tool, not a panacea)one of many that good educators use to reach kids.
1. They help keep this off your program's "tombstone:" "We've never done it that way before."

5 Reading Ideas and Technology

Based on the results of the National Reading Panel http://reading.uoregon.edu/big_ideas/

Concept	Description	Finding
Phonemic Awareness	Means knowing that spoken words are made up of smaller parts called phonemes. Teaching phonemic awareness gives children a basic foundation that helps them learn to read and spell.	The panel found that children who learned to read through specific instruction in phonemic awareness improved their reading skills more than those who learned without attention to phonemic awareness.
Phonics Instruction	Phonics teaches students about the relationship between phonemes and printed letters and explains how to use this knowledge to read and spell.	The panel found that students show marked benefits from explicit phonics instruction, from kindergarten through 6th grade.
Fluency	Fluency means being able to read quickly, knowing what the words are and what they mean, and properly expressing certain words - putting the right feeling, emotion, or emphasis on the right word or phrase. Teaching fluency includes guided oral reading, in which students read out loud to someone who corrects their mistakes and provides them with feedback, and independent silent reading where students read silently to themselves.	The panel found that reading fluently improved the students' abilities to recognize new words; read with greater speed, accuracy, and expression; and better understand what they read.
Comprehension: Vocabulary instruction	Teaches students how to recognize words and understand them.	The panel found that vocabulary instruction and repeated contact with vocabulary words is important.
Comprehension: Text comprehension instruction	Teaches specific plans or strategies students can use to help them understand what they are reading.	The panel identified seven ways of teaching text comprehension that helped improve reading strategies in children who didn't have learning disabilities. For instance, creating and answering questions and cooperative learning helped to improve reading outcomes.
Comprehension: Teacher Preparation and comprehension strategies instruction	Refers to how well a teacher knows things such as the content of the text, comprehension strategies to teach the students, and how to keep students interested.	The panel found that teachers were better prepared to use and teach comprehension strategies if they themselves received formal instruction on reading comprehension strategies.
Teacher Education in Reading Instruction	Includes how reading teachers are taught, how effective their methods of teaching reading are, and how research can improve their knowledge of teaching students to read.	In general, the panel found that studies related to teacher education were broader than the criteria used by the panel. Because the studies didn't focus on specific variables, the panel could not draw conclusions. Therefore, the panel recommended more research on this subject.
Computer Technology in Reading Instruction	Examines how well computer technology can be used to deliver reading instruction.	Because few studies focused on the use of computers in reading education, the panel could draw few conclusions. But, it noted that all of the 21 studies on this topic reported positive results from using computers for reading instruction.

The life cycle of a frog: The Frog Blog

Tonight my partners: Toni, Setz, Jenna, and Mary Jo explored the grade 2 science curriculum. The curriculum states that student should "Investigating the Needs and Life Cycle of an Organism". We created our own blog dedicated to the life cycle of the frog. We explored ways to make it interactive and fun for all students. The students with special needs were also taken into consideration by providing video and reading assists to meet a variety of interests and goals. For the students with dyslexia we provided models that could be used that simple cut and paste actives that took into account the outcomes and the child's disabilities. The activity came together very quickly within an hour the blog had many posts with a variety of activities for a diverse classroom.

The Reading Process

IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSISTIVE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY:

The use of AT in the classroom can be a rather intimidating scenario for a teacher who has done things a certain way for an extended period of time. However, the use of AT is a very valuable tool when used properly by a student with a disability or disorder.

When I read the article IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSISTIVE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY: A MODEL FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS (Morrison,  2007) it was an eye opening experience about why using assistive computer technology is important but ,also, how it can also be misused.

The biggest reason ACT is used inappropriately is due to the fact that the teacher does not buy into the plan. The article talks about the fact that some teachers become uncomfortable when using new technology. The use of ACT fails quite often if the teacher is forced to change his or her teaching style. If the new philosophy does not gel with prior pedagogical techniques the teacher is likely to dismiss ACT altogether or use it in a manner that does not assist its prime user. 

Teachers’ comfort level with ACT is closely related to training issues. Lack of training is a commonly cited barrier for effective ACT use. Leadersip at both the board and school level need to provide the training hours to make a jump like this possible for some teachers.

Teachers attitudes are the most important issues in creating a successful ACT environment. Training can only take a teacher so far if the intentions are to merely discard the newly found professional development to begin with. For those willing to utilize the medium of ACT within the classroom, certain barriers need to be breeched. A challenge for educators is finding personnel who are qualified to complete ACT assessment and make technology recommendations. The pace of developments in ACT is rapidly changing and keeping up with all the new advances can be very difficult.

It is important for students, teachers, and stakeholders to work together to make ACT work. Leadership must find ways to have their teachers trained in proper uses of ACT as it relates to the student using the device. Using the device for the sake of using the device is not a useful aid within the classroom. The reduction of student anxiety creates a supportive enviroment that allows for student growth and performance. On the other hand, if the educator in the room does not encourage the use use of ACT the plan will fail. Teachers need to lean outside their comfort zone to create a setting of acquire learning. 

Other available links for uses of ACT.

www.icdri.org/CynthisW/SL507overview.html

http://sweb.uky.edu/~jszaba0/JoyZabala.html

www.cenmi.org/matr

Technology for All

It was a very interesting night of class tonight. I was one of the fortunate ones to present my PowerPoint presentation tonight.  In presenting my presentation, I focused on the team aspects of assistive technology and the many stakeholders who should be involved in the consideration process. It is important for stakeholders to collaborate, the sharing of ideas and knowledge of the student about to be assessed.This is crucial. You need to know what works and what doesn't. However, even beyond this; why it does not work or, even, does work. These students are in need of assistance and we as educations need to find a way to provide this help.


This video made me think about how the classroom is changing for everyone. It is important to use technology to help students who are capable learners, but is essential to help students who have a need for compensatory options.

The teachers who do not incorporate technology may find themselves as instinct as the dinosaurs.

Dallas MacDonald (2012)

4 Models of Assistive Technology

Strength-Based Model

Team Problem-Solving Model

On-Going Longitudinal Model

Unifying Functional Model

Chambers’ Consideration Model

Strength-Based Model

•Identify student Strengths

•Let students responses formulate how the plan takes shape.

•Assessment of students should fit the students strengths rather than tackle student challenges.

•A consistency between framework and process.

•All compensatory items used within the classroom should be used during the Assessment. 

Team Problem-solving Model

•A team should include: parents, all involved educational supports, therapists and school administration.

•Should include person centered-planning.

•The strength of this approach allows for diverse voices to be part of the decision-making process (McLoughlin & Lewis, 2001).

• Family input about the student should be given all considerations. Communication with the family is of the utmost importance.

•The purpose of the assessment is to provide decisions regarding technology interventions.

•The school should create a decision-making schema that does not call on undue attention to the student. The only support provided should as limited as is necessary.

•In order for this to be an effective procedure the author speaks of having other classmate use the technology on a rotating basis to avoid bringing about undue attention. 

On-going Longitudinal Approach

•The model was derived from responses received from assistive technology experts and focus groups that consisted of trainers and consumers of assistive technology services.

•These stakeholders used their expertise to devise a new model of consideration.

•Contains a series of opened ended questions.

•Looks at what is the student not able to do or participate in daily.

•The team should make attempts to answer each question about the child’s deficits.

•The school team should reflect upon whether current strategies, devices, and modifications are working or not. 

• 

The framework of the Chambers’ Consideration Model:

•Collaboration

•Communication

•Incorporation of multiple perspectives

•Gathering of pertinent information

•Use of shared knowledge

•Flexibility

•On-going processes

 

 

The iPod Touch

The first class we looked at the importance of Assistive Technology to certain students. Students with disablilities rely on these technologies to help them compensate for their learning struggles. Some technologies can provide remedial support for students as well.

The iPod Touch can be an effective tool for:
 Text to Speech: For students with cognitive disabilities, the iPod Touch is equipped with Text-to-Speech (TTS) technology that can read aloud a selection of text or an entire document to students.

Word Completion: Students can avoid spelling mistakes and reduce keystrokes with the word completion.

iCal: Sends reminders for class schedules, homework deadlines, or team meetings (something any student can use).

Built-in communicator: As mentioned in the above video the iPod Touch can provide language for students who do not have the ability to speak for themselves.

Closed Captioning: Which provides sign language for students with auditory difficulties or close captioning to allow them to watch videos.

http://www.apple.com/education/special-education/