Is it really that shocking? Technology and academics together

I recently had to complete an assignment for my graduate class that proposed an action plan related to impacting student achievement.  I outlined the implementation of technology curriculum directly into the academic classrooms of our skill-based program from students with learning disabilities.  This plan laid out a interweaving of technology standards and direct instruction within the academic area standards to provide greater utilization of technology as a means of acquiring and demonstrating knowledge in the classroom.

"Media literacy is an important topic to be integrated throughout the curriculum so that every student has the opportunity to become actively engaged in learning about it multiple ways throughout each school year." (Swaim, 2002)

The plan seemed so commonsensical.  The idea developed out of a series of conversations with the Director of Curriculum at my school, and seemed so logical in its development.  As academic technology coordinator, I would develop goals and objects based on state standards and then work with the other department heads to develop technology based projects for their academic areas to meet goals for both domains.  The ultimate goal to have greater technology instruction woven in to demonstrate purpose and provide dual direct instruction to benefit the acquisition of skills.

My plan followed the mission of my school, "..to help children with learning disabilities develop a foundation of skills, gain an understanding of their abilities, and prepare for a more traditional program." (Eagle Hill Southport), as well as the mission of the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), "To expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through research and development of innovative, technology-based educational resources and strategies."

So much to my surprise, my professor felt this plan was of key importance and that I should publish an article based on my rationale.  I did not find my ideas, foundation of points, or thoughts to be so innovative, but just good practice.  Apparently, maybe good practice in my eyes is different as I teach in an ideal setting of being able to be create the optimal learning opportunities for my students without many restrictions.  My school does best practice on a daily basis to provide for our students, and I do think that what we do, while not innovative, is unique in its actual implementation.  So maybe after all my time there, my ideas are something outside the norm of traditional practice.  That saddens me for public education.  So now I explore the idea of submitting an article. 

As Alan November (2011) says, "The whole capacity to pick a specific curricular area, such as reading, and building a plan around that makes sense to me.  Too often what I see is technology for technology's sake...Whatever the technology du jour is, you know, we'll have our next favorite technology.  So, extending beyond that, the vision absolutely comes first, then the technology.  It is not the other way around."  

The ideas are out there, maybe I can join with those that have the same vision and bring it into practice.  How do you utilize technology in your school and classrooms? 



Alan November, http://novemberlearning.com/, 2011
 

Sue Swaim, Executive Director, National Middle School Association

Telemedium, The Journal of Media Literacy, Vol. 48, No. 2, Fall 2002

Teaching and learning with technology....Livescribe


The Livescribe Pen
I became an Ambassador this year for Livescribe.  They sent me a pen to use and to assess how it can impact learning.

I am fascinated by this pen.  You write in special notebooks, and then can upload the files to your computer, or to applications like Evernote (a favorite of mine).  Additionally they have software that can covert your handwriting to text.  This of course is dependent on the neatness of your handwriting.

Storage and organization
My first usage is for my current grad school course.  I began the course typing my notes, but saw this as a great opportunity to put the pen to the test.  I do love traditional note taking in a notebook, but love to have access to my notes on my computer.  The Livescribe is a serious solution for this.  I love that I can store and organize my notes, with papers I have typed for the class, and any other digital resources.

The distractability of technology
Additionally, taking notes with the pen is less distracting than using my computer.  While typing on my computer, I can get distracted with my email, Twitter, Facebook, or any of several other applications.  With the pen, I have it and my notebook, but still will eventually get digital notes.  This could be very key for students.  How easily they can be off task in the middle of class, especially those prone to distractability. There is little on the pen to play with.

Audio
I have yet to try the audio component of it.  You can record what is being said while you write it.  They when reviewing your notes, you can touch on the spot you were writing, and play back was was being said as you wrote it.  I think of this as a great tool to address executive functioning and memory difficulties.  I have two students I tutor who could benefit greatly from this.  They are in public schools, and often miss things said in class because they are busy trying to write things down.  This would enable them to record things, and then we could review them later to ensure they received and noted all the information needed. 

I look forward to exploring more opportunities with the pen at work as a teacher, and as a student myself. 

Teaching and learning with technology....the iPad


iPad 
It is no surprise to anyone in the building how much I love my iPad.  So many more people who are not geeky like me, are discovering the wonders of this device.  I used it mainly for my personal use; however, I have spent the summer exploring educational uses.

I was frustrated at first in searching the app store, as most educational apps seemed geared toward preschool skills, or for those with more severe disabilities, such as autism, for communication.  But what about students with learning disabilities, or those who could just use some extra practice to keep up with today's fast paced learning?

There seems to be more apps arriving geared toward such learning.  I was excited to find a series of apps related to various math skills that I know would be ideal for my students.  I shared this with the parents of my students at Open House.  They always want to know how they can help, although we ask them to have a hands-off approach while they are at our school.  The parents were excited to hear that they could encourage practice, as the students love to touch the iPad just as much as the Smartboard!

I found some story telling apps that while a bit low level for my students, can encourage them to practice oral story telling, which in turn may aid them in their written stories.   They seem to guide them through the organization and sequencing process at a very basic level.   Additionally they are recorded orally, so the student can hear themselves when they are done to self-assess.  I love that it allows them to be creative without the handwriting component that can hold up my students with dysgraphia or difficulty with spelling due to their learning disabilities. 

My favorite usage is the iBooks app.  I have a trio that need a lot of direct instruction in reading, but that we want to give exposure to age appropriate books to.  Usually this would involve me reading aloud, which I do at times.  However, I found that there are several books in iBooks that will read the book to the students, highlighting each word as it is read.  This is great feedback for my students.  No other app does that, they simply read aloud.  I do wish the students could touch a word and have it read, but maybe that will come down the road.  For the parents of these students, whom I know had iPads or iTouches at home, I shared that this would be a wonderful way to encourage independent reading.  The students love when I hook my iPad up to the interactive whiteboard and we can "read" the book on the board.  I know they would be just as happy at home to read if it meant that it was on an iDevice. 

There are many tweets I have saved that talk about iPads in school.  I hope to scour them for more great ways that an iPad can impact learning.  It is a wonderful device not just as an assistive tool, but for direct learning as well. 

Teaching and learning with technology....the interactive whiteboard

The beginning of the school year has been a whirlwind as usual, so here it is October and I am finally getting a chance to reflect on my new technology for this year.

Smartboard 
My classroom in the first in our building to have an interactive whiteboard installed.  We have held off on this piece of technology, not sure if it would directly impact student learning given our unique learning environment. 

I have to say it is an amazing piece of technology.  I have the latest model and its like a giant iPad!  I love that I can set up a page for each class first thing in the morning with the agenda for that class and what homework will be.  I used to have do to this in between each class.   It is nice to not have to erase the board immediately in the middle of the lesson to keep writing, I simply get to go to a new page.   Additionally, if it is a writing brainstorm, word list for Tutorial, or a word problem we are working on in math, I can save it right where we left off for the next day. 

The interactive lessons are wonderful for my students.  It gets them out of their seats and they want to interact with the board. 

But is it really a cost effective teaching tool?  I am not sure on that yet.  Yes my students are very engaged, but I also found ways to engage them and get them moving without such a high cost.  Manipulatives and file folder games can cover kinesthetic learning in most of my classes.  A ball, a dart gun or a basketball hoop in just as interactive as moving items on an interactive board.  There are the gigantic post-it note paper that can hold brainstorms and math problems until the next day.  

The board is also a distraction in its novelty.  The students want to touch it, they want to draw on it, they want to see what it can do, when they are supposed to be focusing on the words I'm saying, what work is in front of them, or even what I am writing on the board.  I will be curious when this wears off.

I do look forward to spending the year working with the board and seeing what I can create.  Also I will be working with staff to utilize the board, in their hopes to also have an interactive board installed in their rooms.   

What kind of learner are you?

After taking a bit of a break from technology since summer school finished, I find myself today back exploring Google Apps in Education. (Who thinks teachers really take the summer off?!) I have been going through their online training, but as I read each of the steps, I found I was not really processing all the details. I needed to sign up and actually start manipulating the apps while reading the information. I had to read then try, read then try...and walk away...then try again. Yes, I am a visual and kinesthetic learner. After spending periods of time, I am finally beginning to understand these Apps.

This made me think about my students who have learning disabilities and how some get so easily lost in the traditional setting. It is not shocking to find that many students with learning disabilities can do okay up through the 2nd or 3rd grade. Early grades tend to focus on teaching skills more than curriculum. There is more multi-modal education worked on at these levels. However, it is when the focus switches to mainly curriculum that many falter. Students with learning disabilities need more direction and hands on time working skills than a traditional learner. They need steps micro-united and practiced for a greater period of time, as well as presented in many different ways. Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences are key here. I remember reading that a student with learning disabilities need to hear and see information a significantly greater amount of times in order to learn it. Unfortunately, there is no magic number and in a traditional setting, not always the time and leeway to do this.

Our education system is also moving to push curricular skills at younger and younger ages. In Connecticut, the CMT is a key factor in how education has changed. Take a student with learning disabilities who needs those several years of skill building, but now require them to learn curriculum when they are not ready, and it is an unfortunate outcome.

I see how things can be different on a daily basis. I have worked in public schools, but now work at an independent school for students with learning disabilities and our focus is skills. We take the time on a daily basis in every subject, at recess, in the lunch room, and even during sports and activities to build those skills. They do hear, see, and do a great number of times to foster the potential they have as learners. There is no defined timeline in which we do this, as each learner is different. However, they do find themselves and the skills that have been locked up. They are learners, but we try all the bags of tricks and then find some more...we try and walk away, then try again....until they find the success within them. It is an ideal setting for these learners, and I am reminded to day after spending about a month off and on with Google Apps, that it does come with patience, understanding, time and creativity.