Special Education & Technology

The use of technology in special education is extremely valuable.  When we think of special education we tend to concentrate on the bare essential of instruction.  We must recognize that students with learning disabilities tend to rely on interactive ways of obtaining information.  By using extensive amounts of technology in lessons, students will not only be entertained through the learning process but will also be learning skills that they can one day use.  

The video provided on Blackboard did bring up some useful points.  Regardless of one's cognitive ability it is extremely important to learn the necessary skills needed to succeed in life.  With everything relying so much on technology today we might as well adapt with the times and apply it to educational instruction as much as possible. 

The fallowing article stresses the importance of technology in special education - let me know what you think - http://www.thecatalyst.us/zDoneArticles/22_2_Vitali.pdf    

Technology In The Classroom

Over the past few months I have learned that technology plays an extremely vital roll in present day education.  Children depend more on technology now than ever before.  Possibilities are virtually endless with vast improvements being made in computers, video games, communication devices, ect.  Technology simply serves as another means of reaching our students to obtain the best results.  New educational opportunities will not only be available but they will also contribute to making the teaching experience more exciting.  

Here is a site that has some articles related to technology/education 

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/technology/front_tech.htm

Starfall.com

The Starfall website is a great source for learning when it comes to the fundamentals of reading. The site is extremely easy to navigate and it provides many helpful activities that teachers can use as reinforcement to the lessons that are taught in class.
The program requires students to sound out letters and words correctly as they progress through different skill levels. It appears to be an appropriate program for grade levels pre - K through 1st/2nd. Starfall can be used with multiple intentions. Teachers can use it to introduce new sounds/skills or to simply review information that was taught earlier in the year.
There are also a large number of additional activites that relate to important subject areas in early childhood education. Students at this age need repetative instruction to ensure that they understand the necessary skills to advance. Prgrams such as this would also be beneficial of used at home along eith the homework that is usually assigned.

http://family.go.com-WebsiteReview:Starfall.com

Rocket Reader Kids

It appears that "Rocket Reader Kids" utilizes a rather thorough approach when teaching fundamental reading skills. The program is effective in how it uses phonics lessons that use strong auditory and visual components. In early stages of cognitive development it is extremely important to include as many of the multiple intelligences as possible.

The software is appropriate for all skill levels because it makes adjustments based on each students' performance. This allow for each student to get a "personalized instructional experience." It's extremely important that students on every academic level are constantly challenged.

When children are given the opportunity to work on such programs, it is not usually considered class work. With the use of positive reinforcement from both teachers and similar computer programs, students will motivated to reach higher scores. Educators must work every angle in order to keep learning fun, especially when dealing with younger students.

Unfortunately I was unable to find any websites that offered any outlooks on this program.  If anyone finds anything let me know.

SuccessMaker

SuccessMaker serves as another form of technological means that a teacher can include into to their daily instruction.  It specializes in major content areas such as English, reading and math.  Students are given a precise number of questions and are required to answer them in a given time frame.  The questions are directly related to the subjects they are learning and fallow content standards of the present curriculum. 

It is a great tool to use at the elementary level.  The program serves as an additional way of assessing students beyond what they accomplish during instructional periods.  Student progress and measurements are constantly tracked so teachers know exactly how each student is doing on an individual level.  Student performance results in appropriate skill level adjustments made by the program so that work is always challenging but not overwhelming.  

Students unfortunately do not usually react to the characters in which the video portrays.  Although the animation does serve as an entertaining gap between problems, most students do not appear to use it as motivation.  The majority of children are concerned with the final percentage that is provided at the end of the lesson.  

Overall, the positive aspects of Successmaker do in fact outweigh the negatives.  Students love to work on interactive programs on the computer which can also contribute to formative assessments in relation to a student's progress.  

  

      

Reading and Video Games ?

Educators constantly try to find new and innovative ways of reaching children.  We tend to develop educational methods and procedures based on prior research and popular trends related to the field.  Students are often expected to mold to the curriculum, where it would be more beneficial for the curriculum to be modified to the needs and comforts of our children.

In recent years, progression has been made by utilizing one of the most influential means of entertainment, interactive video games.  Companies are now developing games that are directly related to popular children’s stories.  With popularity constantly rising in the gaming industry, it only makes sense to use the success as a means of reaching more students. 

Many of the games created with educational interest, require children to fallow a story line and answer questions that directly apply to the story (character development, setting, plot, ect.).  Many will argue that simply playing such a game will make students rely less on the written word.  Through professional development and staff meetings, districts should be able to find a way to utilize such programs.  It would be smart to have students read a story from its original text and then use the program to reinforce/review the material. 

As we continue to move forward in a technological era it is important for students to work with programs that improve on their digital literacy.  It is not only imperative that students learn subjects up to the most recent educational standards, but they must also be familiar with the most modern forms of technology.     

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/books/06games.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

My Access

The My Access program is a helpful tool in relation to the development of one’s writing ability.  The program is available from grades 4 and up which is when they begin to learn concepts and techniques to further their writing capabilities.  As students progress in their education, it is crucial that they develop the skills needed to express themselves in various types subject matter. 

It is a great interactive tool, where students don’t have rely strictly on the feedback from their teacher.  My Access provides guidance that students can constantly work off of.  Allowing students to have such access will allow them to work on compositions when it is more convenient for them.  Here teachers can implement a program, such as this one, that can be used in addition to a particular lesson. 

My Access is another form of technology that should be embraced through all districts to help improve the writing skills of their students.  The use of developmental programs should be encouraged along with the proper professional development necessary to make it as affective as possible.             

Internet Safety

The videos posted on blackboard were all informal in there own way.  The internet is a form of technological means that should be utilized when it comes to student development but at the same time monitored strictly.   

Video 1:  This video does not particularly serve as a means of educating one on new views related to internet safety.  It easily explains the proper steps that should be taken when a internet predator has made possible contact.  Its significance lies in the fact that all children should know these steps when there is a possibility that there personal space is being violated. Children have more than one means to accessing the internet which makes it extremely hard to monitor their use.  This is why it is extremely essential that they know the the dangerous possibilities that exists with the internet along with the best ways to avoid them.    

Video 2: The second video portrays the cruel reality that exists when it comes to preditors on the internet.  The video does not serve as a means to new vision or perspective on this particular topic, but rather reminds us that not all people have the same intentions when it comes to internet activity.  It also shows how children are quite naive when it comes to communicating on the internet, which is why parents have to not only monitor but also teach about the possible dangers. 

Video 3: The last video does a great job of of showing how children use large amounts of technological means through their everyday lives.  With children having such strong dependence on various forms of the media along with technological based electronics, it is extremely important that educational standards include these forms of communication.  Educators are constantly working to find the most effective ways improve cognitive development and motivation with their their students.  Wikis, blogs, podcasts, interactive websites and other programs could all be used to improve student productivity.  With high standards being implemented on the federal and state levels regarding education, it is extremely important that districts use the most effective approaches.  Educators must understand that we are in a technological era that should be embraced and used as a means to reach our children.

Here is a site that has some steps to improving internet safety - http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html

Technology and education - this site takes a while to search through but has some good info - 

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/technology/front_tech.htm

NJCCCS / NETS

Guidelines in the form of the NJCCCS and NETS are extremely important to the technological development of schools throughout the state.  Similar to other major subject areas, it is crucial that districts  work with the same standards and pace throughout the entire state to ensure that all students are given a similar opportunity for technological growth.  The guidelines serve as the groundwork in which educators build upon when creating basic lesson plans to a year long curriculum.  

The NETS (2008) do in fact set standards when developing technological based lessons.  Technological benchmarks are explained in detail of what should be carried out through a technological curriculum.  The main problem is that the terminology used could be considered confusing and hard to fallow.  It would be understandable if teachers did have difficulty implementing these standards into specific strategies and assessment tools. 

The NJCCCS on the other hand tend to accommodate educators quite a bit more when it comes to terminology and construction.  The NJCCCS standards were created with consideration so that they could easily be applied to lessons regarding all age groups and grade levels.  They include precise instruction on skill levels that should be obtained along with recommended actions that should be taken throughout one's lesson.  This would be a great source of guidance for teachers who are new to using technology in their daily schedules.  

Standards such as these must be created on the state and national level so that students are abbe to keep up with the technological demands of the present day.

 

Thoughts on GE 570

Overall, this was one of the most informative classes I have taken in regards to education.  I never knew there were so many angles that could be taken when instructing students.  Sometimes as teachers, you tend to forget that innovation and an imagination can go a long way.  Throughout this class I have realized that teaching is a learning process very much like the lessons we are responsible for.  We learn from our mistakes, then use them to better ourselves and become more effective.  

Another eye opener for myself was the amount of technology that is available for cognitive growth.  It does appear that many districts are timid of the idea, but many of the programs shown great promise in being affective.  We must remember that technological programs will not be implemented to replace to performances of teachers, but rather to compliments their strategies and thoughts.  I am excited to see the programs that will surface in years to come.

Lastly, I just wanted to say that I could tell that everyone in class makes contributions to the profession of education in some way.  Just by meeting everyone a couple times per week, I was able to tell that everyone shares that special passion that all educators should have.  I have learned from all of you in some way, and I thank you for that.

Thank you once again and have a great summer. 

How To Measure Performance

Today I noticed an article posted by the New York Times that was about drastic improvements by students in New York relating to standardized testing.  The article is a little bitter sweet because even though it does speak of improvements in test scores it also argues the the accuracy of the percentages/claims that are being celebrated.  It does in fact seem that there have been improvements, but it should not overshadow the fact that work still needs to be done.  

If anything, this article just shows that the percentages that are formulated for state and national standards may not in fact represent the actual skill level that most students are at.  It seems that every state/district has its own way of determining scores to some degree.  

Here's the link.  Let me know what you think - www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/education/24scores.html?_r=1&oref=slogin    

Reciprocal Teaching

Through our class discussion yesterday it was very interesting to see the potential that reciprocal teaching can have on many levels of education.  Once students know what is expected of them in regards to the four different jobs that can be assigned.  Regardless of the task one is asked to complete, all students must think critically and break down the subject matter at hand.  Allowing them to work in small groups they are also given the opportunity to run ideas off of one another.  Many times students are able to explain ideas on more understandable terms because they are able to find better connections.  

One of the better features of this approach is when students get to develop wuestions that coincide with the topic being dicussed in class.  This is the perfect oppurutnity for the teacher to assess whenther thier studtns have understood the material.  This will also give them the chance to assess whenther they have presented the material in an affective manner.  

More importantly this techniques allows the students to be interactive rather than having them sit there and take notes.  The best way to have students understand a particular text is to have them learn it on their own terms and them give assistance where they may be having difficulties.  Through personal experience, students tend to retain information better when they learn information on their own.  Similar to that of multiple intelligence, students may not learn well strictly from the way you deliver information.

Reciprocal reaching is a method that allows teachers to better themselves based on the feedback they receive from their students.  This in fact helps an educator become the best they can be, which should be the goal of all educators.  If anyone has any feedback please let me know.

Online Programs To Assist Learning

I found it very interesting last week when we looked at various online programs that were developed to assist in a child's cognitive growth.  www.flocabulary.com was the most unique out of the group.  At this day in age it should be encouraged for districts to use any means in order to keep students motivated.  The proper precautions must be made in order to ensure that students are not exposed to content that may be inappropriate.  With the right measures taken, programs such as these may be contributers to reaching the NCLB  standards.  

At times I feel that teachers and administrators are afraid of giving such programs a chance because they do not fit the standards that most districts are custom to using.  Implementing such programs will also require proper training and the necessary precautions.  The time and effort put into these programs might be worth the gamble when considering the possible outcomes.  Teachers may have to leave their comfort zone and begin to use methods such as freestyle/hip-hop to reach their students on a more understandable level.  If meeting the children half way is going to make a difference, there should be no debate.

Here is a little background info on those who are responsible for this approach - 

http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2006-04-04/winter-hiphopinclass

http://media.www.wilkesbeacon.com/media/storage/paper533/news/2006/09/17/Opinion/This-Is.How.We.Do.It.learn.That.Is-2280702.shtml

Who Suffers From NCLB

As we all contemplate over the effectiveness of NCLB, there is no doubt that it was implemented to "bridge the gap" between students of various academic levels. As stated in an earlier blog, in theory it seems like a great idea, and is proving to actual work in most cases (just not necessarily in the unrealistic time frame given).
Recently there was an article in the New York Times that brings up a point that most people never think of, which is the lack of attention that the more privileged children are getting. So much focus is being put on the students who are struggling, that we begin to forget that all children need to be motivated and challenged on a regular basis.
For some teachers this may be a Major dilemma. Teaching jobs are at times put into jeopardy based on the results students get on test scores. If this is the case, a gifted student's interests may be put off to the side for the simple fact that they are going to score well regardless on standardized tests throughout the year. Recent studies have shown that while lower scoring students have been increasing test scores at a high rate, gifted students have shown little or no improvement.

Here is a link to the article - hope you enjoy it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/education/18child.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin

MY Access Writing Software

In today's class it was very interesting to see how much progression has been made in online based software that can be used in a classroom setting.  The My Access program from Vantage Learning not only allows teachers to evaluate progress but also students when regarding writing activities.  The program is extremely beneficial for teachers based that it serves multiple purposes.  Having a program that allows you to develop lesson plans, watch student progress, and formulate evaluations, is outstanding.  The simple fact that a teacher can watch a student's composition progress in stages makes it much easier to make corrections and suggestions.  When considering secondary education, students and teachers are only given limited time to work with each other on a daily basis.  This program allows for interaction to take place when it is the most convenient for both parties.

Another great quality of the program is that students can improve their writing pieces simply by using the tools that the program has to offer.  As long as the student is able to understand the general information and assignment at hand, the program will guide them through the entire writing process.  This could be the extra assistance that most students need but never get the opportunity to receive.  

The only complaint with relying strongly on this program is that there will be students who only have limited Internet access. This will put them at a disadvantage when compared to other students.  If anyone has any solution to this situation, please respond. 

Here is a company that seems to have similar goals to the one we observed in class - 

www.ets.org/criterion

To Blog Or Not To Blog

The article written by David Huffaker does bring some promising information in regards to the use of educational blogging.  With such a rise in technological development within school districts, it would only make sense to allow students to use it to its full potential.  Among the four million published weblogs, almost 53% are created by children and adolescence between the ages 13-19 (Henning 2003).  It may be a more comfortable form of communication when sharing educational based ideas.  For many students, it is hard for them to express their ideas in front of an entire class (this can also serve as another form of assessment for the teacher, especially if a students does not participate in class).  For example, as students read daily requirements in a literary text, they can discuss the readings with one another and help each other out when questions are raised.   

The main problem with the use of educational blogs is the possibility of unacceptable behavior and the unwanted presence of outside participants.  This would require constant monitoring by the teachers who decided to use this form of communication along with the assistance of parents/guardians.  The only way such communication would be suitable for a secondary school setting is if the school set up privately run blog pages that could not be obtained by outside sources.  An easier way of sharing ideas could be done through the use of Blackboard.  Here students can use the program to access email, check assignments, and use discussion boards (which would take place of the blog).  

I can't make up my mind on whether I would use it with my students.  Let me know what you think.  I could use some insight.  The following link has some helpful info.

http://www.tltgroup.org/resources/blogs.htm

Problems With NCLB

The video we watched on NCLB really made me realize how flawed our country's expectations are in relation to educational standards.  For starters, 100% proficiency seems to be an unrealistic goal when you consider numerous factors such as drop out rates, demographics, school resources, district curricula, faculty proficiency, and the closing of a wide range if inadequate test scores throughout an entire nation.  There is nothing wrong with having high educational standards, but different measures are in order along with a longer time frame which exceeds a 12 year time frame.  At times we tend to forget that our main goal as educators is to prepare and mold the future members of our society.

I do in fact feel that it is necessary that districts meet annual goals because all programs should be constantly making efforts towards improvement.  The problem is the fact that these standards have been instituted through federal law.  There doesn't seem to be enough assistance/funds (by the federal gov.) when regarding struggling  districts as a result of social forces.  The 2007 federal education budget was $63 billion, which resulted in the elimination of 42 nation wide programs (resource centers, vocational programs, schools, ect.)  How are low scoring districts, who are usually deprived of the crucial materials needed for reaching these standards, expected to reach them is such little time?  A system must be devised that does not punish the schools, educators and students that are in need of  much needed help.  The closing of schools and distribution of low scoring students is not the answer.   

It would be much more affective if states and districts were able to implement other forms of assessment that included portfolios, exhibitions, student conferences along with the required testing by the state and national governments.  The present emphasis on standardized testing has caused great stress on both educators and students.  Students of not benefiting from spending countless hours on test related material.  This is taking away from the material that well rounded students should be getting through a properly constructed curriculum. 

Let me know what you think - whether you agree or disagree. 

Here are two links that provide some more info and possible direction for this problem 

http://www.qualitylearning.net/strongpractice.htm

http://nochildleft.com/2003/jancov03.html