It occurred to me while reading this week that the challenge of providing our students with the technology tools they need to successful in the world, both today and tomorrow, isn’t an isolated problem. I sometimes feel like West Texas is in a fishbowl looking out at everyone else making leaps and bounds with technology, but it seems from reading Solomon and Schrum, I noted that they mention to readers that “you will notice that there are not a lot of examples as of yet in which an entire school system has reconceptualized itself to incorporate technology…” (Schrum & Solomon, 2007) It seems that the same obstacles abound in many areas and there are many reasons for this. We have administrators who don’t want to try any new technology due to fiscal or logistical issues or to competing demands on time and resources. Solomon and Schrum go on to say, however, that some schools are taking the first steps in the process of including full integration of technology into their classrooms. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a major contributor that helps to sponsor a great many of these full integration schools. It’s frustrating to see and read about the schools that use technology seamlessly in their everyday lessons and know that other schools are just struggling to pay for the unfunded mandates being meted out by our state.
Recently, I called our special education coop to ask about adaptive technologies being used with the more severe special ed students. Rose and Meyer put into writing what lots of special education teachers have practiced for years. Students need lots of examples and practice to attach new learning to prior knowledge as they explain in their recognition network material. This tact works for all students. I was disappointed in the lack of technological devices. I was told about pencil grips and manual sentence strips. I really thought that I would learn about some more cutting edge devices; such as text to speech devices or, perhaps, the wheelchairs with the electronic boards available for students without speech to use to communicate with others. I’ve read that it’s a very exciting time to be in education, but knowing what’s out there and not being able to use it is trying.
Schrum, L., & Solomon, G. (2007). Web 2.0 new tools, new schools. Eugene, OR..: International Society for Technology in Education.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A., (2002) Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved March 7, 2011 from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes
Final Word
Guarded administrators can derail many technology advances in schools. As Melissa mentioned, her principal won’t allow technology that he doesn’t understand and I’ve had experience with that in my own school. I can’t say that I don’t understand this mentality because the buck does stop with the principal if a problem occurs in their buildings, but it is our responsibility to research and educate them if we want to use innovations in our classrooms. There are products available to have closed blogs and wikis that are only accessible inside a school network and this is the type of information principals need to make decisions about whether or not to allow technologies in their schools. Also, CIPA must be considered by teachers and principals to ensure that students are safe from outside threats if the school district is accepting eRate monies. Rose and Meyer express that teaching methods should support diverse affective networks by several means, one of which being that adjustable levels of challenge should be presented along with choices of content and tools. (Rose & Meyer, 2002) What better way to offer this than with computers and the many resources they provide in schools today?
To Michelle’s point about administrators ignoring the larger picture of producing college ready students, rather than just students who’ve passed the TAKS assessment, well, most take the path of least resistance. That includes refusing to take note of what they don’t understand and focusing on what they’re immediately responsible for in their districts. Principals are assessed on how many of their students pass the TAKS tests, not how many of them stay in college. Many principals will not take the time and expend the effort to learn about these new tools available (and important) for 21st Century learners, so it becomes the job of the technology teachers and coordinators to educate them.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A., (2002) Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved March 7, 2011 from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes
Many teachers in my school use or have used document cameras and clickers in class. Some people associate document cameras with the brand name, Elmo. These cameras are similar to overhead projectors, but much more sophisticated. A teacher can not only project what they are writing onto the whiteboard screen, but they can also record an image of the notes they are giving, the math problems they are demonstrating or the specimen they may be showing for science class. These images can then be printed for students who were home sick or for students who need note taking assistance. The document cameras we’ve ordered can also be used as web cams and as simple video cameras. In addition to the cameras, the district recently purchased 3 sets of “clickers” to use in class. “Clickers, or student response systems, are a technology used to promote active learning. Clickers provide a mechanism for students to participate anonymously… clickers integrate a “game approach” that may engage students more than traditional class discussion.” (Martyn, 2007)
Martyn, M. (2007). Clickers in the classroom: an active learning approach. Educause Quarterly, 30(2), Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/ClickersintheClassroomAnActive
Julia, your example of students learning the relationships of values in a table in different ways smacked of the three brain networks in the Rose and Meyer online text. You gave textbook examples of how children learn concepts with differing examples and formats. You mentioned the various approaches of using both real-life items such as mittens and fingers, video games and dollars and finally the algebraic expressions of A and B. I, too, struggled with finding the “magic bullet” that would flip on the light switch for the special education students that I taught for 14 years. It was always surprising to see what finally worked for the different students. I taught 7 through 12 special education for 14 years and had many children from the same families over the years. As mentioned by Rose and Meyer, many examples and methods of delivery are very important in helping all students, not only those in special ed, to attach new knowledge to prior learning. Also, students need many opportunities to practice new concepts and have immediate and appropriate feedback available.
Many of the web-based, subscription, educational tools available, such as Study Island present learning with the 3 three brain network characteristics. I’ve been thinking about how Study Island presents lessons and gives immediate feedback if a question is missed. Also, it offers opportunities to practice concepts and to demonstrate the skills with a reward of playing a “game” after an acceptable score on the practice portion. These software companies follow the lead of education experts, learning theories and proven teaching tools to sell their products.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A., (2002) Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved March 7, 2011 from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes
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