In the always-demanding world for teachers, it can be overwhelming considering how to best reach our students with disabilities. There are many strains of possible disabilities students may have, and each strain requires different accommodations. On top of the already heavy workload of a teacher, many teachers don't have the time or energy it takes to do the research and then implement the latest and greatest accommodations. However, it IS important. It IS worthwhile. Even more so than we teachers might realize.
According to the United States Assistive Technology Act of 1998, assistive technology (also called adaptive technology ) refers to any "product, device, or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that is used to maintain, increase, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." Finding ways to allow all students to communicate and interact with learning is crucial. According to an article on iansyt.com, there are 5 reasons why the assistive technologies of today are important. They are the following:
ccording to the Universal Design Learning: Meeting Needs of All Students, "The UDL framework provides a flexible, responsive curriculum that reduces or eliminates barriers to learning. Using a UDL approach, SLPs and other educators offer curriculum options that present information and content in varied ways, differentiate the manner in which learners can express what they know, and engage students in meaningful, authentic learning. With UDL, more students are:
By teaching to the marginal students' needs, or the students who are below or above the average achievement level, it actually benefits the entire classroom. That's right, ALL students grow. This one change to curriculum design and the way teachers think about the "how" of teaching, can not only significantly strengthen their students with disabilities, but every other student as well. This is the simple answer for teachers: in order to benefit 100% of the students in your classroom, you can learn to design teaching for the marginal students by utilizing the UDL principles. When the gains are this great, the extra work is worth it. But it's nice when the extra work is made lighter. The UDL Center website provides many resources and checkpoints for integration. By exploring and putting some effort into tweaking the curriculum we teach, we will have an almost too-good-to-be-true opportunity to benefit all our under-achieving, over-achieving, and elusive "average" student. The Ted Talk by Ted Rose called The Myth of the Average changed my life. Designing a classroom learning environment for the "average" student is not effective. The only and best way to design a classroom is for the ends, or the marginal students. One way to accomplish this is by integrating UDL strategies into our teaching. Resources: Top five benefits of assistive technology in education. (2014, July 17). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from http://www.iansyst.co.uk/news/assistive-technology/top-five-benefits-of-assistive-technology-in-education/801736048 UDL Examples and Resources. (2014, June 11). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from http://www.udlcenter.org/implementation/examples Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of All Students. (2017, September 06). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/universal-design-learning-meeting-needs-all-students
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Although I believe technology integration to be a crucial piece to our students' future in order to best prepare them for a successful adulthood, I have definitely come across my fair share of teachers who don't agree. While sitting in on an interview panel for my school this past year, I asked the prospective veteran teacher how she felt about technology integration. She simply responded with "The internet is great, don't get me wrong, but I've found students love to read from paper too." I felt that there was so much limitation in her understanding to what technology IS and DOES. Firstly, she merely considered the internet to be technology in the classroom and disregarded any other technological device teachers can get their hands on these days. Secondly, her limited understanding only led her to the internet as provided a text to be read. That is one of the obstacles to technology integration at the elementary level, the teachers have a limited understanding of what it is and can do. I believe that this limited understanding comes from how quickly everything in the technological world changes. Robyler writes how everything changes quickly. Teachers who aren't tech-savvy will just get used to a program when it updates and changes the way it works, leaving that teacher frazzled and exhausted.
Another obstacle mentioned in the reading is if a topic isn't considered as important, such as Social Studies, then there may be less programs or software developed for that subject. As an elementary teacher, I'm expected to integrate Social Studies into my main curriculum. If I don't teach reading strategies to a Social Studies topic, chances are there won't be enough time to fully cover either subject well. However, being limited in my choices for Social Studies can also limit my technology integration for Reading and Writing as well. However, part of my job as a professional educator is to take the good, bad, and ugly - and then make the best of it. Finally, one of the biggest hindrances I've found in my own teaching career is the cost that sometimes comes with the technology. My school this year did buy a Math program with a great online piece. Teachers and students have many options online to integrate into instruction and practice. This program, however, cost a lot more in order to have rights for the digital side. Another example is Buncee, which was fun to use and I loved, but have no funding to cover in my classroom. This year, I was lucky and inquired if there was room in the school budget to purchase my classroom an online writing and testing tool. However, many things my school can't purchase and I find myself spending my own money. Overall, I feel education is moving in the right direction. It is clear that technology is the future and the students need to comfortable using it. Although there will always be obstacles, there are always more ways to overcome these things and improve. Roblyer, M. (2016). Integrating educational technology into teaching (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. The advantages of infusing technology into content areas is the reason I began my journey in the EdTech program with Boise State University. The technological side of teaching came easier to me than others, and that led me to explore it more. I loved finding things that were engaging, fun, and valuable that could be integrated into my teaching all day long, then share that with my co-workers. The more I did this, the more my passion grew. Eventually, I learned that there was an app or game or something that could be used in every single subject throughout the day. Considering the future of our students and the way technology is advancing in society, I felt it was critical for our students to become comfortable using technology in many ways.
One important thing for teachers to understand is that the word "technology" isn't limited to internet or google-search-research only. Many teachers I've come in contact with over my professional career shun at the idea of using technology because they have a limited understanding of what it is and what it provides. For that reason, it makes sense that they only consider using technology when they're writing a research report on a topic. They use it for 1) researching a topic and then 2) typing the report. This is a great first step for teachers to begin their partnership with technology, but it shouldn't be their last. Another problem I've heard of is that technology is just "fluff" and not meaningful in teaching. Their knowledge of the vast resources has probably overwhelmed them to not look very carefully for valuable uses, or they've had limited exposure to the more poorly put together resources. The arts and sciences can be enhanced with technology use. The Core standards themselves, can be enhanced through integration of technology. For example, this week I was researching resources I could use for a Lewis and Clark unit I teach my fourth graders. I had already included video clips in the unit that helped engage my students, but I wanted to use technology to deepen students' understanding more. I discovered a Google Earth extension that mapped out the whole Expedition's journey, but was interactive in the fact that it allowed students to click at points along the way to watch videos, view real pictures or primary source documents, or read information related to that stop. Not only could students zoom in and out with the Google Earth features, it becomes much more realistic and visual for them to see how long the trek was, especially while walking! The technological piece made the Unit more engaging, exciting, and educational. There was a clear and meaningful purpose for using the technology to enhance the unit and lead to better teaching and better learning. No teacher could call the use of Google Earth "fluff". There are also many ways students can explore the arts through technology. For those students interested in art, music, or production in their futures, using an iPad to record themselves or put together presentations with the iMovie app is a great resource. The app makes it simple for students to add music (legally purchased), video clips, or images to present an idea. Students could create a drama script, then plan and produce their show. They are practicing all the essential skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. There is a high degree of creativity and collaboration that is sometimes hard to create within classrooms. This is a much more meaningful experience for learners. Students can branch this idea out into many other avenues. For example, students could set up a News Reporter booth, and record themselves orally describing their research. Finally, there are many, many, MANY resources available for enhancing instruction. Just one example I've seen is an online interactive owl pellet dissection. Sometimes I've had funding to buy the real deal for my classroom, but I don't always have a spare $50-$100. However, the dissection of an owl pellet aligns perfectly with my science standards of teaching about ecosystems and food chains. It also allows students some hands-on experiences practicing the scientific method by starting with this question: What things might we find inside an owl pellet? Students love being able to explore this on their own. If I can't afford the real owl pellets, there are online options for students to dissect a virtual owl pellet. There ability to bring hands-on science is increased with technology while also limiting the cost to a teacher's budget. Who can complain about that? All in all, technology isn't "fluff" and it has real, valuable meaning. Teachers who are brave enough to explore for themselves will find countless ways to enhance their content instruction. Technology will help students advance in their futures by allowing them the chance to get comfortable with the interface now. I believe all teachers want to prepare their students for successful futures, and technology must be a key factor within their curriculum. |
Sierra MayFourth Grade teacher, twitterpated wife, Mama of 3 beautiful girls! Archives
January 2018
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