HELPING ALL STUDENTS LEARN With Technology Presentation by Brigitte Smith Jacksonville State University EIM 504 Fall 2015

Teacher Accountibility means you are responsible for your students meeting certain standards. Keeping up with the demands of teaching is hard. The use of digital media and other technology is an increasingly recognized way to do so. Although the many calls for teacher accountability demand student mastery of content standards and differentiated instruction to ensure that mastery, it is up to you to decide how to accomplish that. your studentsALL

TRADITIONAL LESSON PLANNING Traditional instruction tends to rely on certain formats Didactic communication Written Essays processes and products Printed Text

But research shows that all students do not : WHY A NEW APPROACH IS NEEDED absorb information in the same way Effective teaching takes those differences into consideration. communicate in the same way relate to topics in the same way

When we think about differientiated instruction we often think about only those students with identified or suspected disabilities. The push for differentiated instruction comes from research and subsequent legislation concerning the instruction of students with identified disabilities.

IDEA 2004 The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a federal law ensuring services to children with disabilities. Universal Design for Learning Assistive Technology equitable access It calls for:

EQUITABLE ACCESS Some children may need different types of equipment or instruction in order to master the same curriculur requirements. Some children may need more time on some activities. “Equitable access” is a term intended to mean that children with disabilities are given opportunities to learn the same curriculum as non-disabled children. This can mean having access to highly qualified teachers, instruction in the same content and skill areas, and opportunities to participate in learning experiences. “Modifications” in IEPs are designed to give students equitable access.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AT can be as low tech as a pom-pom glued to the left click button of the mouse or as high tech as a computerized text to speech program. Any item, piece of equipment, or product system used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. If AT is identified in a student IEP, it must be used. AT can include accessibility features on software already being used.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY allowing a student to be more independent by providing additional scaffolding and feedback. enabling a student to do something previously very difficult or even impossible. helping multiple students in addition to the student for whom the AT was chosen. The benefits of using AT may include:

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY A study conducted on the classroom use of AT designed to help autistic students be more independent by providing them with pictoral cues found not only “that use of these kinds of technologies can reduce the number of prompts given by teachers and aides and improve transition time”, but that “New community practices also emerged around the use of the system, such as collective cheering and general social awareness.” (Cramer, 2011, p.9) You may even discover unexpected benefits…..

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING Neural Network Recognition Network — helps to identify sensory data, such as objects, facts and patterns Differences Some students may prefer text, but others may require graphics, animation, sound, etc. Principle of Instruction Provide multiple means of representation UDL Principles are based on brain research. Three primary principles corresponding to three neural networks in the brain… Affective Network --- relates to feelings and emotions, and which influence motivation for and engagement with a particular goal, method, medium or assessment Strategic Networks--- controls processors for planning, executing and monitoring actions Students are motivated in different ways. Some rise to a challenge. Others learn best when they can connect new information to familiar ideas. Some students may be able to work independently, but others may need more support. Provide multiple means for engagement Provide multiple means for action & expression

The more flexibility in materials, methods and assessments, the greater the chance content will be accessible to the diverse needs and preferences of all students. Digital media and applications provide the greatest flexibility. Using common software and hardware, teachers and students can : find information in a variety of formats, transform it so that it is easy to see or hear or understand. Remove barriers to learning BOTTOM LINE

USING TECHNOLOGY CONSCIOUSLY We must use technology in order to increase learning by all students. consciously

KNOW YOUR STUDENTS Learning styles Gender Cultural background Interests Abilities Preferences Anything that makes a student unique – learning syles, attitudes, prior experiences (or lack of), preferences, even gender and cultural background, can potentially create a barrier to learning.

KNOW YOURSELF Learning style Cultural background Philosophy Beliefs and attitudes Otherwise, you may unintentionally create barriers to learning in your classroom. Spend some time thinking about who you are. Only by knowing your “default” teaching style can you intentionally stretch beyond it. All of these factors determine your “default” teaching style.

1.relevance to content or skill area 2.compatibility with school policies and connectivity 3.developmental appropriateness 4.language abilities of your students 5.gender and ethnicity stereotypes 6.cultural, political or religious bias 7.the learning profiles of your students 8.any specific barriers to learning Choose and Evaluate potential equipment, programs and tools based on: KNOW THE TECHNOLOGY

help your students master the content standards. appeal to the interests and preferences of your students remove learning barriers provide equal opportunities to perform all types of roles provide opportunities for students to exercise choice help build a climate of collaboration and trust help promote cultural understanding and global awareness KNOW YOUR PURPOSE Design lessons and learning experiences that:

Access to technology means more than having it available to use…it is how you use the technology that’s important. Use it consciously !

BIBLIOGRAPHY Cennamo, K. S., Ross, J. D., & Ertmer, P. A. (2013). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (2 nd ed.). Cengage: Belmont, CA. ISBN: Cramer, M., Hirano, S. H., Tentori, M., Yeganyan, M. T., & Hayes, G. R. (2011, May). Classroom-based assistive technology: collective use of interactive visual schedules by students with autism. In CHI (pp. 1-10). United States Department of Education. (2006). IDEA - Building The Legacy of IDEA Retrieved from.