After working on a skill with these students in class, they can continue to develop and work on them through Odyssey. This technology best fits with David Warlick's 5th idea of a personalized learning environment. Students are allowed to safely make mistakes. They can continue to make mistakes and can be given numerous chances to solve the problem correctly.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Tech. Transformed Learning Environments
One use of technology that works well in my special education math classes for 6th and 7th grade is a learning program called Odyssey. Here students are given the core subjects and they are personalized to their ability level based on standardized testing completed in the beginning of the year.
4 things we don't teach, but should
In the article written by Alan November, there are references to four main skills students need to learn about technology and the internet. I agree with the need for kids to know the dangers and how to avoid or stop cyber bullying. I think a large part of that lesson for students can be applied to real-life bullying as-well. Bullying could be reduced if student's internet activities were monitored by responsible parents too.
Another point November made was the permanency of anything posted on the web. It is forever, and students need to understand that what they post or do on the internet can be tracked and archived. Students who only think about 5 minutes into the future have a hard time grasping the potential consequences of their actions as teenagers and how it can affect their life as adults.
The final point I agree with November on is the desperate need to show how to find relevant websites off a Google or Bing. The first site must be the most reliable right? It can save them time, and prevent headaches for teachers and teacher's aides.
Whether we are empathetic to the global needs is one issue, but the importance of teaching students the wide variety of cultures and values they hold onto is important. Students need to know about the world which rotates around the sun, not around them.
How should we do this in schools (All levels)?
At Beloit Turner Middle School we have an 8th grade class called Transitions. It teaches students to respect diversity, discover who they are, and begins to prepare them for high school. An option to include in that course would be a technology unit in which these things are discussed and practiced.
I think the four points November makes is something that should be included in all curriculums at all levels as a part of the classroom philosophy or mission statement. They don't need to focus on the technology part, but more on the moral, ethical, and character building skills. Yes, researching valid websites doesn't really relate to being moral or ethical, but that could be done as a separate activity.
One thing I could work on in these points for next year
Finding relevant information for students with learning disabilities is a painful activity for everyone involved. Aides and teachers just want to click on the site for them, and the students would rather be looking at pictures. Teaching them how to read a brief description and understand what it is they are looking for is very hard.
What I will need to start doing is getting the students to stop waiting for the aide or teacher to tell them they are right or to step in and do it for them. Enabling these students is the worst thing for them. It's hard to stop, because watching them fail makes you feel like a failure. Students with LD need to realize they have a brain and they can make wise decisions. It just might take a long, long, long time before its mastered.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
del.icio.us what?
I have got to be honest. I have no clue how to use del.icio.us. I understand the concept, but am so frustrated with the website that it has turned me off to the idea of ever using it in my classroom. As it is, I have no time, and trying to understand and get acquainted with this site is not worth it.
After working a little more with del.icio.us, I have begun to get the hang of it. I still don't know how to created the icon that will allow me to bookmark it to del.icio.us without having to open a new page, sign in, search, and then add it to the bookmarks.
Although I didn't do too much exploring with Diigo, I notice differences between the two. With Diigo, you are given many more options and control over what you can do with your bookmarks. You can highlight, attach messages, and even save expired website pages forever. Unfortunately I am not anywhere near comfortable enough to attempt using it. Del.icio.us is enough for me.
With that said, either site can be used both for students and faculty. The best idea I can think of is collaboration between special education teachers. Special ed. teachers can share sites that give good ideas for constructing IEPs or provide effective strategies to motivate students.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Wikis (Week 3)
How might you use wikis for your own professional development?
Wikis are good options if you want to get other's opinions and include your own opinion. I just got the connection that Wikipedia is exactly what this is. I think it is great to find resources or ideas to try in your classroom or coaching. I question the reliability, but in your professional life, there aren't many instances when providing a work cited is required. At times when you do need to cite your sources to administration or others, wikis again can provide you with links to published, peer reviewed, and reliable sources.
The following sites are great for me and for my students to use for their basic math skills. There is vocabulary and step by step instruction on how to solve simple math problems. This can give me an opportunity to instill personal responsibility and self advocacy for my students. It can put the ownership of their education on their shoulders and not on their learning disabilities.
Another great option for wikis is to keep your classroom on the same page and use it as a community page within your classroom. It is very similar to a blog posting, but allows for editing and submitting of new text within the post itself.
What wiki(s) have you found that relate to your area of professional interest?
This wiki can give me, parents, or the students the ability to understand what a learning disability is, and how to deal with it.
I'm not just a special education teacher. As a track coach this wiki is just one example that coaches can use to coach and inform their athletes.
How does this differ from following blogs or RSS feed?
Following a wiki gives you the option of editing or adding information to the site itself. It gives you the ability to contribute to the discussion. In an ever changing field of education and/or technology, this contribution can help both you and the corresponding community. Wikis can give you some control.
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