Journal Post #10

 

Chapter 10: Promoting Success for All Students through Technology

 

Photo Credit to Bart Everson via Flickr

 

Focus Question 3: How does assistive technology support efforts by teachers to reach all learners?

Assistive technology makes learning material more accessible to students by minimizing barriers such as learning disabilities, there are so many technologies available now to students that need a little extra help in order to communicate effectively. A perfect example are hearing aids, hearing aids can help a deaf student be able to hear teachers and themselves giving them the ability to speak and communicate effectively, this technology and other assistive technologies assists teachers in being able to reach all of their students, ones who do have obstacles that could hinder their learning ability and ones that do not.

 Tech Tool 10.1: Extra-Large and Online Calculators

The CC16 Extra-Large calculator by Kikkerland is designed for elementary school students. It does everything a regular sized calculator does; adding, subtracting multiplying, dividing, but its large size makes it easier for young students to use with its easy to read display and larger keys. For it being so large, 7” by 11”, it only weighs a few ounces. There is a website by Jim Martindale that is a calculator online center. There are links on the site to more than 22,000 calculation programs many with teaching modules and online simulations. While visiting the site I found that it is not the easiest to navigate. When you do find the correct website there are many subjects listed, I chose mathematics, then many sub-categories emerge, such as Computer Algorithms, Interval Analysis, Scientific Computing, etc, Computer Engineering/Sci. I then chose computer algorithms and was then brought to several options of computer algorithm calculators. This can be a useful tool for someone that knows exactly what they are looking for, since I did not I found it to be slightly confusing and the bright blue wallpaper made my head hurt.

 Summary/Important Points:

 

I did not know that classroom technology tools are classified by Low Tech, Mid Tech and High Tech. Low tech for a reading note taking assignment would be highlighters and post its. Mid Tech would be recorded books and interactive dictionaries. High tech tools for the assignment would be talking books that are made from the classroom books, interactive books, word by word highlighting software, as well as text to speech software. I was not aware some of these technologies existed, these tools would be a great help in the classroom to help students retain learned information.

There is a tool called an electronic speller that would be great for young readers, students can use the speller to find spellings for the words they speak aloud and check the accuracy if their own spelling without the help of an adult. I really like the idea of these since this can promote confidence and also teach the student to figure things out on their own.

 

Digital tools can greatly assist teachers with trying to teach students or with at home assistance with homework, these digital tools, when used correctly can enrich learning for students.

 

 

Resources:

Bart Everson via Flickr

Martindale, J. (n.d.). Martindale's Calculators On-Line Center. Martindale's Calculators On-Line Center. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://www.martindalecenter.com/Calculators.

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2007). Problem Solving and Inquiry Learning with Software and Web Tools. Transforming Learning with New Technologies (pp. 174-205). Boston: Pearson