Educational Technology

1. Educational Technology Emerald Cousin Computer Literacy

2. Using Technologies • Technology is a tool, just as a pencil and paper, and should become a seamless part of the learning process • At first, teachers and students do need time to practice using the technology to become fluent users of the technology

3. Later, when the use of technology is seamless, the focus is exclusively on learning and instructional practices

4. Using Technologies • Assistive Technology vs. Instructional Technology • Assistive Technologies are programs and devices students partner with during the learning process • Instructional Technologies are programs and devices teachers partner with during the teaching/learning process

5. Writing Support:Word Grids • Wordbar by Crick Software is a software program that runs along with a word processing program (ex., Microsoft Word) • Custom grids can be developed • Students navigate between grids to identify the terms or phrases they want to use Ex. Grid for a Science Unit

6. Wordbar • Wordbar sits under a user’s word processing program • Wordbar Online Guide • Example: • Grids containing phrases and vocabulary for an activity • Grids with vocabulary specific to a unit of study or course This is potentially a success-making accommodation for mainstreamed students, not yet researched with deaf/hard-of-hearing learners.

7. Vocabulary Development:Word Prediction • Word Prediction software offers word prompts for students to chose from while typing: • Specific to the subject-area • Specific to the unit or title being read • Specific to the student’s reading level and writing needs • Allows students to focus on their ideas (getting them down on the computer) and not be limited by spelling abilities, especially in content areas with specialized vocabulary • This is a more common Assistive Technology and can be used on computers and “Alphasmart-types” of portable devices (ex. Alphasmart or Neo)

8. Word Prediction Programs • Adaptive Technology Resource Center • The above site explains the definition of word prediction software, lists many products, research and other resources • National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP)’s Word Prediction Collection • The above site has a wealth of resources, links to different company’s products, research reports, and user profiles • A few programs not exclusively used for word prediction have incorporated this feature (ex. IntelliTools Classroom Suite)

9. Word Prediction Programs

10. Portable Word Processing • Dana (or Neo) by Alphasmart help when students need extended time reading and writing • The ioPen by Logitech records everything that is written and then a user will sync the pen with their computer to download all the files • Both wonderful for documentation of student work for digital portfolios

11. Vocabulary Development: Image-to-Text Support • Many Image-to-Text Programs provide supports for students who may have ideas about what they want to write but who have significant reading or writing limitations • These programs present text along with image/symbol supports, usually in grids below a word processing part of the screen • Some programs allow for animated images, signed and action animations Ex. Picture It/Pix Writer, Writing with Symbols, Clicker 5, Boardmaker Plus and Signing Exact English Interactive

12. Picture It and Pix Writerby Slater Software (left) Picture It - Type and have images associated with text. (right) Pix Writer - Fill the grid with words (with or without pictures) for students to select from when writing.

13. Image-to-Text Programs • Picture It was used to develop recipe directions, which are printed on the board in front of the teacher • Print out materials • Schedules • Class Books • Make computer-based materials

14. Image-to-Text ProgramsSigning Exact English Interactive • Signing Exact English Interactive is a program that can be used to print out sign images with text

15. Image-to-Text ProgramsClicker & Cloze Pro Top two are Clicker activities and bottom two Cloze Pro

16. Digital CamerasStill and Video • Activities can be documented for student portfolios • Images or video can be used for additional student activities, such as captioning images or video-clips • Video-clips can be made into digital dictionary items

17. Digital Image for Portfolio • Student completing a Kidspiration activity on the SMART Board

18. Videocameras & Literacy • Students can capture their ideas prior to putting them down in print to focus on meaning and creative thought • Students can then review their video and write their content in English, focusing on their intended meaning and English vocabulary and grammar • Students can record themselves reading to self-evaluate or peer-evaluate reading fluency

19. Multimedia Authoring Programs • Students with low writing and reading skills benefit from using multimedia authoring programs to assist them in demonstrating their knowledge (ex. PowerPoint, iMovie, KidPix) • Students can put together the sequence of digital images and supplement with less text and more through-the-air explanation • Students can add more text content over time with guidance and instructional support • Students can demonstrate their understanding of content without being penalized for their lower English abilities

20. Graphic Organizers • There are many uses for graphic organizers across the curriculum • Templates are available for Planning and Thinking Skills and research-based strategies including: • Venn Diagrams • Compare and Contrast • Vocabulary Development and Book Reports • Timelines • Cause and Effect • Experiment Design and more

21. Inspiration Software • Above is the Template for Scientific Method • The yellow note provides additional information, examples, resources or whatever is put into the note

22. Graphic Organizers • Computer-Based Study Strategies (CBSS) are research-based learning strategies that utilize Graphic Organizer and Outlining software • Examples include: • Chapter and Book Reviews • Notetaking • Summarizing • and many others

23. Graphic Organizers • Graphic Organizers can be used during brainstorming and pre-reading activities • Students can list predictions or things known about the topic which are then organized and categorized • Organization can be enhanced by shape and color coding

24. Checklists • In Outline or Graphic form checklists can be used in Inspiration

25. Graphic Organizers • Custom templates can be created for note-taking or subject-area activities • Graphic Organizers can be used on the computer or as printed guides to help students remember strategies • Diagrams of processes can be printed out to guide students implementing new strategies

26. Classroom Presentation • Digital White Boards (ex. SMART Boards) are making a tremendous impact in classrooms • There is an increase in motivation and participation • There is an increase in retention of content learned • There is an increase in engagement and modeling by teachers and students • There is an increase in the diversity of curriculum materials used

27. Digital White Boards • Content can be presented to students in a manner that allows the students to view both content and sign language and/or speech at the same time • Content can be manipulated • Annotations over content • Use of highlighting over content • Hotlinks can be integrated to immediately bring up related content as other files, programs, or websites • Text-books now come with CD-ROM or web-based Companions that can be used with student groups • Curriculum materials can be scanned into the computer for use with the digital white board

28. Document Cameras (Ex. Elmo) • Materials, print-based and 3D objects, can be presented to students through a projector allowing for both content and sign or speech to be seen simultaneously

29. Document Cameras • Many incorporate magnification (zooming in on content) • Many allow for a “screen capture” of what’s being projected to be saved onto the computer • Related devices that connect to a computer to document content: • Probes • Microscopes