Twitter: 21st Century Teachers

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I found value in this tweet because it discusses easy ways to incorporate art in the classroom. Many students struggle with expressing themselves in writing. It is crucial, as a teacher, to give students the material that allows them to best demonstrate their knowledge. This article offers a variety of techniques that could be used in the classroom that incorporate art in a lesson.

 

 

This tweet caught my attention because I have been very interested in how to use social media in a lesson without crossing boundaries. This article shows that most teachers are still very apprehensive about the idea of bringing social media to the classroom. They believe it will cause too much of a distraction for the students.

 

 

 

This tweet is important because it gives ways for teachers to be successful in their classroom while using technology. It is not enough to just give students an iPad and call yourself a 21st century teacher. It is important to follow the tips outlined in this tweet in order to give your students a quality educational experience.

Communication with Students

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http://www.emergingedtech.com/2014/04/its-2014-can-you-text-your-students/

            Thinking back to the first day of class, I remember our teacher, Mike, asking to join our cohort’s Facebook group. I was extremely apprehensive about this and found it a little weird to interact with a teacher over a form of social media. I imagined this form of communication to be very invasive and that it would be crossing a boundary. Still, when I mention to my friends that my teacher posted our homework assignment or answered our questions via Facebook, they are a little weird-ed out. However, after using this form of communication with a teacher for a semester, I am finally able to see all the benefits that it brings to the classroom.

            In this day and age EVERYBODY has a Facebook. Your parents, grandparents, and little siblings are all on this form of social media to connect with each other, play games, and share their life events.Image

In addition to Facebook, everyone is texting. The article that I found discusses teacher-student communication through texting. Why can’t teachers be able to contact their students in the most efficient and effective way possible? Obviously, every 2nd grader is always checking their phone to see if they have a new message. So, this method almost guarantees that students will receive and read a teacher’s message.

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Throughout the course of the semester, a major topic of discussion has revolved around bringing education to students’ everyday devices. Allowing students to see their devices for their educational potential. When allowing teachers to communicate with their students through these forums, students are able to see what they view as fun and leisure can also aid them in their education.

Good Resources from Twitter

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I found this tweet to be very important because it shows four simple ways that teachers can improve the confidence of their students. When I was younger, I had very low confidence because my teachers did not properly highlight what I knew; rather they focused on what I did not know. This tweet gives some suggestions in order to ensure your students have higher confidence.

 

 

This tweet talks about allowing students to choose their own devices in the classroom. I found this interesting because we have not really discussed the idea of having students select the device that they want to work with, but I can see the significance of it. When students can choose the device that they want to work with, the lesson becomes even more relevant and interesting to them.

 

 

I chose this tweet because it is a great resource to have. This tweet offers 17 different tools that students can use to supplement their education and be beneficial to their learning process. Among the list of tools is a wide range of functions. For example, there are tools that can help students study for tests, and there are also ones that help students learn the rules of grammar.

Assistive Technology

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As a special education teacher it is easy to see the importance of technology in our students’ lives. Technology aids our students in their every day lives and helps increase their independence. For example, individuals who use wheelchairs are now able to be more independent through new wheelchair technology. One student who I used to work with that used a wheelchair could steer his chair by moving his head in the direction that he wanted to turn. Another who used a wheelchair was able to steer it himself using a peg, just like on a gaming console, to direct where he wanted to go. These two students no longer had to rely on others for mobility.

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The wheelchair is just one example of assistive technology. The article that I chose to focus on discusses ways in which devices can assist individuals with reading disabilities, specifically, dyslexia. The article evaluates many hand-held devices and how assistive each device is to individuals with dyslexia.

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One key feature that these devices have that help individuals with dyslexia is text-to-speech. Students with dyslexia can use this feature so that they do not have to rely on their poor reading skills to read or other people to read to them. It increases their independence and allows them to be on an equal playing field as their peers.

This past week, a girl named Carly Fleishman posted a video to Facebook that caught my attention. Carly is a teenage girl with autism. She is nonverbal, but has been able to find her voice through assistive technology. Through various devices, Carly has been able to express her thoughts, needs, and feelings.

Thus, there are various different kinds of technology that can aid individuals with special needs. Technology allows individuals with disabilities to gain independence and become more active members of society.

 

 

Twitter Assignment: Bringing and Accessing Technology in the Classroom

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I found this tweet important because it discusses three reasons why having a digital classroom is important. Knowing these three points will help me combat negative reactions from parents and others in the teaching profession of incorporating technology in the classroom. The three reasons why this article says it is crucial to have a digital classroom is because it allows children to have easier access, it provides students with better information, and it provides teachers with alternative means in assisting their students.

 

 

I am interested in this tweet because I find the idea of gamifying a classroom very intriguing. This article provides eight reasons why using games in the classroom can benefit students. As a special education teacher, games are a great tool to use because it scaffolds tasks for students, while also making learning exciting.

 

 

I enjoyed reading this tweet because it is very relevant to our class discussions. Whenever we talk about bringing technology into the classroom, a major concern of it is always that not all schools will be able to afford these devices. This article shows how schools can have access to technology, even if they are on a tight budget.

Gamifying the Classroom

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http://www.emergingedtech.com/2014/03/gamifying-the-classroom-with-minecraft/

I’m sure many of us can recall sitting in our elementary and middle school classrooms listening to our teachers as they stood in front of the class at the blackboard. Thinking back on it, I can only imagine how bored I was sitting statically in my desk.

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What those lessons lacked was cultural relevance. Yes, it was important to learn the basic math facts and to study new vocabulary words, but isn’t there a better way to do it than just copying it down on paper? In all of the classes that I am taking, our professors discuss how we can become more engaging teachers that make our students interested in the material that they are learning. In our math class, we often talk about creating a classroom environment where students feel comfortable sharing their answers, and in language arts class we discuss using alternative methods to show that students have gained knowledge. For example, students could write songs and perform plays to present their interpretations of a book that they read in class.

Now and in the upcoming years when I become a teacher, using technology in the classroom is crucial in making lessons relevant. It is impossible to ignore the significance that technology has in our students’ lives. When using technology as a tool in a lesson, students are able to relate what they are learning to their everyday lives.

Lessons are relevant when using technology, but teachers still need to find ways, using technology, to excite their students about what they are learning. Lessons should be fun and engaging so that students are eager to learn.ipadkids-100603excited_students

One way to do this is by planning a lesson around gaming, or as the article calls it, ‘gamifying’ a lesson. Students are having fun while they are learning. This article discusses the game Minecraft. This game is a popular virtual reality game where students can build and destroy cities and towns. Although I am not very familiar with this game, the article depicts this game as one that any student can become interested in. There is a version of this game for teachers to use in the classroom. They are able to create their own modifications and adaptations to the game so that it applies to the lesson. For example, history teachers incorporate this game as part of their lesson plans by having students build their cities based on the ancient civilization that they are working on. Also, teachers can create blocks and require students to complete an assignment before they can move on in the game. In this image, a teacher uses a teacher block to help students learn how to write topic sentences.

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Gamifying your classroom is important because it makes lessons relevant and fun for the students. As shown in the above examples, any teacher, in any subject, can use games in the classroom through modifying the game. As a special education teacher, I believe that incorporating games in the classroom will be beneficial to my students because it allows me to scaffold the material for them, and it permits me to individualize everyone’s lessons.

Major Challenge One: Scenario Three

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“These students today just won’t sit still and listen to me anymore.  I’m not sure how they are ever going to learn!”

“All they are ever interested in are their GameBoys and their LOLs!”

“And in the days of budget cuts and really having to look at what is absolutely important to teach these kids, I don’t understand why I keep reading about technology as a solution.  What a waste!”

After overhearing this conversation on an elevator, the three of us felt the need to respond and defend our beliefs of the importance of technology in the classroom. Instead of providing a means of distraction for our students, we all agree that technology actually aids our students in becoming more focused. Devices can be used in many educational ways, and it is our job to allow and help our students view technology for the educational purposed that it offers. Although the devices may be a big investment, in the long run, they are more economical than buying new textbooks. Technology and devices can be used for a wide of range of purposed, and therefore are more practical of an investment.

Major Challenge One: Scenario Two

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To whom it may concern,

It has come to our attention that there has been problems in the general education classroom involving the integration of students with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We believe that by implementing a Universal Design for Learning (UDL), these students, and typically developing students, will benefit most from their educational experiences.

According to Cast, UDL is “a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn.” This method of teaching allows every student equal access to the curriculum and provides flexibility for all learners. Through multiple means of representations, expressions, and engagement, all students can learn using methods that support their learning needs best. UDL reduces barriers to learning, so that every child can be successful in the classroom.Screen shot 2014-03-17 at 1.51.28 PM.png

It is important for teachers to be equipped and knowledgeable about how to create a Universal Design for Learning. This can be done through holding seminars and workshops that introduce teachers to this design for teaching and also provides them with ways in which they can implement UDL in their classroom. Four areas of focus of these seminars, as found in Maryland Learning Links, would be the goals and purposes of creating a UDL, instructional materials that will be used, instructional methods used by the teacher, and assessments.

A classroom that incorporates the UDL will be barrier free. According to Globalpost, common barriers for students with disabilities found in a general educational classroom include communication deficits, academic challenges, struggles forming relationships, and sensory overloads. Some suggestions of removing these classroom barriers are found in this article. Simple things like reducing and organizing text on a page can aide students in successfully absorbing information from text.

Also, incorporating technology in the classroom can help structure a UDL. The following video demonstrates the power of technology in supporting students with Autism in a general education classroom.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/ReadAbout/research/webinars_rose.htm

Although some teachers may be hesitant to restructure their curriculum, it is necessary in order to create an inclusive learning environment for every student. With the help of the seminars and workshops, our hope is that teachers become more comfortable with the idea of creating a UDL. One way to alleviate the worries of general education teachers is to encourage co-teaching. This allows general education teachers and special education teachers to work together and combine their expertise to create a differentiated curriculum.

We hope that you will take our proposal into consideration for creating a Universal Design for Learning. We believe that this is necessary for all students to have equal opportunities to excel. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Hannah, Jamie, and Macey

This video is to show to parents in order to inform them on the Universal Design for Learning:

Major Challenge One: Scenario One

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As a teacher, it is part of the job to best prepare our students for the future. Technology is becoming more and more relevant as curriculum is trying to meet the needs of 21st century learners. There is no telling of what the future will demand for our students, but it is best to prepare them in as many ways as possible. According to Forbes, the most common job for our students will be teleportation operators. With this in mind, technology is so important for us to teach our students, for them to be successful in the future.

Technology is something that is being used every day. Whether it be through social media, fun apps, or through gaming, our children are utilizing devices on a daily basis. It is our responsibility, as a teacher, to make learning relevant and engaging to our students. If we power-down our students, it is hard to meet their needs. For most children, technology has grown to be apart of who they are. As a teacher, if we take technology away from our students, it is as if we are not allowing our students to be who they are.

However, with the concerns of our students health in mind, it is important that we teach students how to moderate their own use of technology and become digital citizens. Although the article mentions addiction, sleep deprivation, obesity, radiation, and aggression as risk factors involved in the use of technology, we want to teach our students how to use technology appropriately in order to avoid these potential problems.

In addition to this, we need to teach our students how to become digital citizens. It is our job to educate our children on what is appropriate and what is inappropriate uses of technology. The following article discussed the nine elements of digital citizenship that we hope to instill in our students through the use of technology in the classroom.

Additionally, technology in the classroom helps teachers implement a Universal Design for Learning. Technology is a way for teachers to meet the individual needs of students by using different software appropriate for students’ levels of learning. The Edge Foundation is a proponent of technology in the classroom to benefit students with ADHD. They claim the technology helps students organize their thoughts, engages students in reading, and can help students focus better.

For these reasons, it is crucial to incorporate hand-held devices in the classroom, as long as they are used appropriately in moderation and students are developing into being digital citizens. Using technology in the classroom, students will learn all the benefits of their everyday devices and understand that they can be useful tools for learning and for any aspect of their future.

Effective Teaching: Twitter Assignment

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As a teacher in this age of technology, it is important to find the most effective ways of communicating with our students and our students’ parents. What are the most efficient ways of reaching out to our students? This tweet is a helpful resource because it provides pointers of how teachers should connect with their students.

 

 

In special education classrooms, there is often a very high ratio of adults to students. The classroom size is small, and there are many teachers and aids in the classroom. This tweet shows the importance of classroom size. Could a smaller classroom benefit the students in a general education classroom too?

 

 

In class, we have discussed the importance of using Google in the classroom. It has many applications and can enhance a student’s learning experience in many different ways. This tweet shows 10 more applications that a teacher can use with their class when using Google.