Technology link to other classes
Great for Special Education
While taking Intro to Teaching with Digital Tools, I am also taking two special education classes. I am always surprised how all the classes relate. I know I shouldn't be surprised because using technology for students with special needs was probably the first way technology was used in the classroom to begin with. Assistive Technology for students with special needs is definitely the first time I even saw technology at work in the classroom (beyond an overhead if you can call that technology).
Two articles that I have read for another class completely have to do with using technology in the classroom The first is a journal article ( The Theory Underlying Concept Maps by Novak ) about using CmapTools http://cmap.ihmc.us/, a free down loadable software that allows you to create concept maps that are also linked to the internet. The article gives an incredible explanation of how to use concept maps, especially this program that has other technological features besides "drawing", as a tool for discovery teaching. I have used concept maps to help explain a concept in a visual manner. About a month ago, I spoke a a leaders training weekend for youth leaders. I used a concept map in my explanation of how our youth group's different parts all function together. I left out some words that I then had the leaders fill in as we went. But I had created the map, not them. This article is about having the students create concept maps using a focus question and some main concept words given by the teacher, and then having the student create the map. By using concept words that students already know, and adding words that would connect to those that are needed to answer the focus question, students build on prior knowledge. Pictures can be embedded, which adds another dimension of learning. With these few simple (believe me, the article goes into much more detail) explanations you can see how prior knowledge and visual learning can be a great tool for all students, but especially students with learning disabilities. In addition, links that have to do with the concepts can be added to the concept map. As with most technology, you have to see it and experience it to really get it. So go to the cmap link above and check it out. Great use of technology!!
The second article I read was about Literacy Instruction, Technology, and Students with Learning Disabilities by Kennedy and Deshler. Specifically about what is needed to create good instructional software to use in teaching literacy. I was really interested in this article because it seems that there are so many interesting, interactive, lively sites for teaching science, and some very informative sites for social studies, but not so many for literacy. Though I found this article lacking in the explanation of the theories it tries to incorporate into its explanation, there are some really interesting ideas of how to go about using instructional technology for students with learning disabilities. Teachers who teach students with learning disabilities know that using visual as an aid to teaching works very well, this article explains why. It explains that we all have a limited working memory, or learning memory (no one has to tell me that! especially trying to take 3 master level course while in pain from surgery, my working memory seems to be more limited, and add painkillers to that..ooops, sorry-rabbit track). Anyway, but essentially your visual and auditory memories have different channels, so you can basically fill each up separately. That's my paraphrasing as I understand it. The working memory used when reading actually fills up easier, and separate too. So when students, who already have issues with their learning, have lessons that use all three, reading, visual, and auditory, they learn better. This is why kids learn so well from Sesame Street
, What better way to do this in the class room than using the computer! The article does consistently warn that the programs used must use sound research based instructional methods, as well as fit the specific learning needs of the student. There is alos a lot of information about using individual computer based instruction for RTI, which makes a lot of sense to me. I have seen programs used for adults that are learning to read that will determine what needs to be learned, then puts the student in a lesson for that.
There is a very interesting chart used to show what needs to be taken into consideration when designing instructional technology, but I think it can also be useful in looking for such technology. See page 294 of the article.
Anyone else finding technology in their other classes?
