Blog Assignment 3

Technology in Special Education

The thing that makes this video so wonderful is how excited the kids are to use their new technology. It goes to show that we are wrong in thinking that some special education children are unable to communicate with us very well, or understand what's going on. They just haven't known HOW or had the means to do so. Not only that, making their work easier and providing a way for them to get their assignments done faster allows these students to accomplish more during the school day and have a better, more rewarding experience while doing so. In addition, if this technology can be given to them in their daily life outside of school as well, it can greatly help them with their communication skills and in the long run will provide them with a much better quality of life.

I will most definitely be using the full extent of technology for special education children when i get my own classroom. There are no downsides to using it; they will be able to accomplish more, they can be more independent, it can help me (as a future teacher) interact with them more effectively, and most importantly it will give them more opportunities to be integrated into the regular education classroom with their fellow peers. I am going to try to get every special education student in my classroom a computer and adjust it to fit whatever their special needs may be: whether it be bigger text for their visual impairment, reading assistance to help them comprehend, or simpler functions to type out sentences so that they can communicate if they have physical limitations which make it hard for them to write or type regularly. Every student has the right to an education and it's up to us to find the tools to help them do it!

How the iPad Works with Academics for Autism

First of all, I have to say how thrilled I was to see the iPad work wonders for Braden, and how happy he was to be learning! That being said, I would have to choose the app called OneVoice - AAC as an addition to my learning environment. It is used as an alternative communication device which can help a child read and learn how to pronounce words correctly. The really great thing about this device is that you can control the speed at which the person on the device talks, so that it's not too fast or too slow, and you're not limited to the pre-set words and phrases on the app...you can add your own! I would use this app in the classroom for any special education student that was having difficulties reading or speaking. It would be a great learning tool because, while it doesn't replace human interaction and reading with the child, it will allow them to have independence as well and be able to start learning on their own. I think it would be a great addition to any classroom.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count

This social media count just absolutely blows my mind! As a future teacher, it would be just ignorant of me to ignore this astonishing growth in the way we communicate. In order for my students to be successful in today's world, I am going to have to teach them ways to interact on the internet. Not only is that the main form of communication for many everyday people, colleges, and workplaces; it's often the only one! If I don't teach them to interact on this scale, no matter how smart they are or how much I have taught them otherwise, they are going to be left behind by the same technology which is supposed to make life so much easier.

When I was a kid, no one had cell phones, no one had a computer in their house, and we only watched TV when we were bored with playing outside. If we wanted to get in touch with someone, we either called their house phone and hoped someone would answer, or made a trip to visit them. Whether we like it or not, those days are long since over. The internet runs the world, and we can contact someone no matter where we are with the push of a button. As a teacher, I've got to familiarize my students with these methods. Not only will it enhance the speed and effectiveness with which they communicate and get work done, but it will also prepare them for future improvements. The technology ten years from now will be nothing like what we have now, probably beyond what you and I can even imagine at this point. Not to mention the kind of revenue it's bringing in; in the future technology improvement might be the main way to make money! The key here is adaptation: we've got to teach them how to handle what they've got and what to do when changes come!

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

The bottom line is: students today just don't interact. At least, not with what the teacher is saying. Is part of this the students' fault? Yes. Is part of this the teachers' fault? Most definitely. Some teachers don't try to get students to learn. They expect them to memorize what they have lectured on for an hour and a half and then regurgitate it onto a test which they will promptly forget about a few days later. This isn't teaching anything except for how to recognize what the teacher wants in his/her classroom and how to do the bare minimum to achieve it. As stated in the video, only about 26% of the things we learn will be used later in life. That's a sad number, considering how highly education is valued when trying to get any kind of job.

Administrators, teachers, and students alike have got to start learning to use technology as a tool to benefit them rather than a source of wasting time while class is going on. Obviously, students are going to use social media regardless, so why not implement it so that it's beneficial? As a future teacher, I plan to get my students involved. That is the only way they are really going to learn. As I've said before, application is the key. If we can learn to apply knowledge to their everyday life and make it interesting to them, they are going to learn what they need to know and they are going to actually remember it. Just like on-the-job training is the best way to learn a trade, on-the-scene teaching could potentially have the same impact.