There is certainly a great deal more information available about AT than I realized. Since the main resource we were given was for chidren ages 5-11, I searched for resources applicable to older students. I also looked for resources that would help students that I currently teach.
Assistive Technology for Children with Autism
http://www.specialed.us/autism/assist/asst10.htm
While I don't currently have any autistic students, I have in the past. This website is excellent. Like the podcast, the technology is divided into low, mid, and high tech. There are also suggestions for implementation.
University of Georgia Educational Technology Center Website
http://ttc.coe.uga.edu/link-high.html
This site has tons of links. Some are for AT and some are for technology that could be used in the classroom and perhaps adapted for AT. Many of the links are similar to ones found on other sites, but I like how they are all in one place. This is also geared for middle and high school teachers so it leaves out the technologies more appropriate for elementary.
Standard Technology Tools Checklist for Middle and High School
http://assistivetech.sf.k12.sd.us/middle_and_high.htm
This site is quite similar to the UGA site in terms of content; however, it sorts technology by subject and skill. You can scroll to Math or Social Skills and find all applicable technology. This is fabulous when looking for a technology to help a student with a certain skill.
Kurzweil 3000
http://www.kurzweiledu.com/kurz3000.aspx
Several of my dyslexic students use this program. I didn't really know much about how the program worked until I read the site. The students who use Kurzweil swear by it. If your district doesn't have it, encourage them to get it.
LD Online: Technology
http://www.ldonline.org/indepth/technology
I would imagine many parents and students use this site. There are links to articles, new products, and information about how to obtain AT. It is always good to know what the parents are reading and expect. The first article I read was about commercial products as AT. One suggestion was smart phones. I have been encouraging my students to use apps on their phone for organization, dictionary, etc. I've also seen several IEPs where students were supposed to be allowed access to organizational and instructional apps.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Topic 10. Tech Skills Outcomes
My tech skills were not highly advanced when I began this class, but I was not completely lacking them either. I'm fairly knowledgeable about Word, Promethean programs, and using the internet. The atomic learning survey led me to realize I needed to learn more about Excel and video editing.
Six weeks into this course, I think I've learned a great deal already. I've used atomic learning for tutorials on Promethean software in order to enhance my presentations. I'm also in the process of improving my spreadsheet and database skills using atomic learning. Earlier this week I gave a technology survey to my students. I'm in the process of organizing the data in a spreadsheet and database. Hopefully, I'll be able to share the results on the blog soon.
This course has made me think more about incorporating technology every few days. Through the textbooks, reading posts, and the e-mails I get from subscribing to technology sites, I've discovered a plethora of new technology ideas. I surveyed my students last week to see what technology they would like to use in class. I'm excited to start implementing some of their suggestions. I've also found I'm more willing to explore and figure things out with technology. In the past someone would recommend a website or I would have an idea, but I would file the suggestions or ideas away. Now I go directly to the site and check it out. The other day I though of a song the students would like that went along with the lesson. I immediately found the song on YouTube. Then I figured out how to turn a picture in my flipchart into an action button. When I clicked on the picture it launched the video! The students were impressed and I was excited.
Reading Angela's blog, I came up with an idea. One of the barriers to using technology for me is that the students don't have the technology skills we assume they do. I'm considering teaching a 5 minute lesson at the beginning of class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I think my first topic will be opening and saving a file from Moodle. The second topic would be a few skills relating to formatting a document in Word that the students need for a project they will be doing. Has anyone tried this? Any suggestions?
I still have a great deal to learn, but I'm feeling more confident that I can do this.
Six weeks into this course, I think I've learned a great deal already. I've used atomic learning for tutorials on Promethean software in order to enhance my presentations. I'm also in the process of improving my spreadsheet and database skills using atomic learning. Earlier this week I gave a technology survey to my students. I'm in the process of organizing the data in a spreadsheet and database. Hopefully, I'll be able to share the results on the blog soon.
This course has made me think more about incorporating technology every few days. Through the textbooks, reading posts, and the e-mails I get from subscribing to technology sites, I've discovered a plethora of new technology ideas. I surveyed my students last week to see what technology they would like to use in class. I'm excited to start implementing some of their suggestions. I've also found I'm more willing to explore and figure things out with technology. In the past someone would recommend a website or I would have an idea, but I would file the suggestions or ideas away. Now I go directly to the site and check it out. The other day I though of a song the students would like that went along with the lesson. I immediately found the song on YouTube. Then I figured out how to turn a picture in my flipchart into an action button. When I clicked on the picture it launched the video! The students were impressed and I was excited.
Reading Angela's blog, I came up with an idea. One of the barriers to using technology for me is that the students don't have the technology skills we assume they do. I'm considering teaching a 5 minute lesson at the beginning of class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I think my first topic will be opening and saving a file from Moodle. The second topic would be a few skills relating to formatting a document in Word that the students need for a project they will be doing. Has anyone tried this? Any suggestions?
I still have a great deal to learn, but I'm feeling more confident that I can do this.
Topic 9. Ed Tech Journal 3
This week I had a completely inspiring SDAS* meeting. This was a complete shock as most SDAS meetings are a formality and the collective understanding is let's get this over with. The only people in the meeting were David Williams, geometry teacher Stacey Tekell, and myself. This is always fun because we have very similar teaching philosophies and love integrating technology. Stacey started talking about her topic and David and I almost started jumping up and down with excitement. She wants to switch up the way she teaches geometry. She wants the students to watch the lesson online for homework and use class time to practice the skills.
Stacey attended a technology conference in Boston last summer where this idea was presented. Her plan is to record her lessons using the Promethean Board record feature. She will then post the lesson online. Students will watch the lessons at home and take notes. The next day students will bring their notes to class for Stacey to check. She will then answer questions about the lesson and help students as they work problems. This structure allows her to be more of a facilitator.
Stacey, David, and I discussed the benefits and possible problems. We thought the benefits would be that students would practice working problems correctly rather than incorrectly at home. The teacher would be there to facilitate learning rather than lecture the students. This would hopefully decrease the amount of outside tutoring students would seek. Another benefit would be that math would be more like the other subjects where class time is for practice and homework is preparation. The possible problems are backlash to change, students not watching the lesson, and technological issues. While some students and parents may initially not like the new approach, they will accept it if the student is more successful. David assured Stacey the administration would support her with parents. Some students won't do the lesson at home, but they also wouldn't do homework. The student could always watch the lesson during class instead of receiving help with problems. David solved the technology problem by offering to make one of the computer labs open for 30 minutes before school each morning so students could watch the lesson at school.
While I'm not sure this approach would be as useful in my classroom, it was exciting to see another teacher and an administrator embrace something so different. Sometimes I feel people use technology to make the old way fancy or there is some complex project involved. This is definitely using technology in a completely different way but it makes sense. It is not anymore time consuming but it will help students be more successful. Now to get my name on next year's conference list...
*SDAS is HPISD's alternative teacher evaluation program to PDAS. Each teacher develops a question that they study throughout the year. The question must relate to improving student achievement. Teachers are divided into groups that meet 6 times throughout the year to discuss progress on their questions.
Stacey attended a technology conference in Boston last summer where this idea was presented. Her plan is to record her lessons using the Promethean Board record feature. She will then post the lesson online. Students will watch the lessons at home and take notes. The next day students will bring their notes to class for Stacey to check. She will then answer questions about the lesson and help students as they work problems. This structure allows her to be more of a facilitator.
Stacey, David, and I discussed the benefits and possible problems. We thought the benefits would be that students would practice working problems correctly rather than incorrectly at home. The teacher would be there to facilitate learning rather than lecture the students. This would hopefully decrease the amount of outside tutoring students would seek. Another benefit would be that math would be more like the other subjects where class time is for practice and homework is preparation. The possible problems are backlash to change, students not watching the lesson, and technological issues. While some students and parents may initially not like the new approach, they will accept it if the student is more successful. David assured Stacey the administration would support her with parents. Some students won't do the lesson at home, but they also wouldn't do homework. The student could always watch the lesson during class instead of receiving help with problems. David solved the technology problem by offering to make one of the computer labs open for 30 minutes before school each morning so students could watch the lesson at school.
While I'm not sure this approach would be as useful in my classroom, it was exciting to see another teacher and an administrator embrace something so different. Sometimes I feel people use technology to make the old way fancy or there is some complex project involved. This is definitely using technology in a completely different way but it makes sense. It is not anymore time consuming but it will help students be more successful. Now to get my name on next year's conference list...
*SDAS is HPISD's alternative teacher evaluation program to PDAS. Each teacher develops a question that they study throughout the year. The question must relate to improving student achievement. Teachers are divided into groups that meet 6 times throughout the year to discuss progress on their questions.
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