Technology Integration

It's that time again readers! Welcome back! Today our topic is Technology Integration in SPECIAL EDUCATION, so stick around. <3

Advantages of Integrating Technology
Integrating technology can literally be life changing for students with disabilities. According to Roblyer (2016), the value and significance of assistive technology can be best understood when a person with a disability encounters a task she is unable to complete and an appropriate assistive technology device allows the person to successfully complete the same task (p.408). Integrating technology into the lives of students with disabilities can enhance the performance of everyday life. So, an advantage to this technology is the freedom they gain, they find independence like never before. They are able to communicate or have an easier time communicating. Below is a link to a video that shares the advantages of integrating technology in Special Education, I got chills watching.
Technology In Action

Disadvantages of Integrating Technology
As I wrote above there are great advantages to integrating technology in the classroom, but there can also be disadvantages. Because Special Education is where my heart is, I hate to say this, but sometimes teachers let students become dependent on IPads or talkers to communicate with their kids. They solely rely on buttons to speak for students and forget to try and make the students communicate for themselves. Below is a video on some advantages and disadvantages on integrating technology in the classroom.
Pros and Cons of Technology in the classroom

Specific Activities, Programs, Etc. 
In Chapter 15, Roblyer (2016) discusses simplifying the physical or cognitive demands on interacting with the computer using alternate keyboards (Intellitools) that are custom for the students(412). Text-to-speech was also mentioned in the text, this helps students with poor decoding skills by reading the words aloud (p.411). I can not wait to use these cool technology devices in my own classroom someday!

Until next time bloggers!

Roblyer, M.D. (2016). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (Seventh ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Software Tools

Materials Generators

Material Generators are very beneficial in the classroom. Roblyer (2016) says some benefits are improved efficiency and productivity and better accuracy and timeless information (p.141).  A good Google Add-on to use in the classroom is Google Docs it allows student to share their work with the teacher or each other. A link with information about Google Docs is: G Suite Learning Center . Another generator is Puzzle Maker. This is a free resource generator that allows the user to make authentic puzzles. It is a great way to bring instruction to life for students.  

Testing & Grading Tools

Roblyer (2016) says that testing and grading tools help teacher collect and track assessment information to measure students progress (p. 141). A Google Add-on for testing and grading that I look forward to using in my classroom is Orange Slice this is great for making Holistic and Analysis rubrics for day to day use. This allows a teacher to make rubrics that correlate with the unit he or she is assessing. Another grading tool to utilize on Google is docAssist. It allows a teacher to create custom rubrics and allows students to peer review. It is a great tool for both teachers and students.

Graphics Tools

Roblyer (2016) says graphic tools allow manipulation of images to illustrate documents and Web pages. A cool graphic tool to use is Pictographr, this allows you to find the perfect pictures for a project any anything else you might be working on. Another graphic tool is Gliffy this website allows the user to make flowcharts, network diagrams and more. This would be an asset to a classroom. Both links can be accessed through Google which is another plus.

Planning and Organizing Tools

Roblyer (2016) says planning and organizing tools help teachers and students conceptualize, organize, and communicate their ideas (p.141). A great way to use organizing tools in the classroom is to allow student to share documents and allow students to use Highlight Tool . This could be a tool to help them organize ideas and edit others documents. A great planning tool is Sign Up Genius it allows the user to enter dates and create pages for donations. This could be beneficial for donations to a classroom. Planning and organizing tools are vital in a classroom!  

Research & Reference Tools

Roblyer (2016) research and reference tools let student look up information in electronic versions of encyclopedias, atlases, and dictionaries (p.141). A good tool to introduce students to is EasyBib, it allows them to cite information correctly for research papers and create bibliographies. Another tool is Thesaurus, this is another  Google Add-on. It allows the user to explore words and find the synonyms and antonyms. Both links are great tools that benefit students with daily homework and research papers.

Roblyer, M.D. (2016). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (Seventh ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Online tools, Uses, and Web-Based Development

Search Engines & Web Navigation:

Search engines and web navigation are great tools for finding better information. Learning to use them properly can help me, as a student and my future students, with subject index searches, keyword searches, and advanced searches. It allows web users to hone in on resources for lesson planning, research papers, or annotated bibliographies.

Website Evaluation:

Website evaluation is so important! According to Roblyer, “The Internet’s vast information storehouse, unfortunately, contains some information that is incomplete, misleading, inaccurate, and/or out of date (2016, p.199).” Letting students run loose on the internet can be dangerous, it is always important to show a video, like the one below, to emphasize the importance of a safe and credible website. This video is kid friendly and shows students that if something is confusing, talk to an adult about it. It also teaches the students to check the latest update, relevence, content source and the websites ending.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aem3JahbXfk

Favorite Professional Websites:

According to Roblyer, “Information must be presented in an attractive, creative, yet readable way (2016, p. 199).”

Kids.gov - Is a great website for kids of all ages, it has links to history, jobs and careers, exercise and eating healthy and government. It is a great website to allow students to explore for any assignment. The content is up to date and the visual design is simple and manageable.

Raz-Kids.com - This website is for teachers to track students reading. It is a fun website that keeps students engaged and reading on level books at home. The websites graphics/ design is kid friendly and the sponsorship is clearly stated- meaning is it a credible resource.

Online Safety and Security:

Online safety and security is vital when allowing students to use the Internet. Cyberbullying has become overwhelmingly common today. According to Roblyer, “Several sites have been set up to document and combat this problem, but the first line of defense remains school-based programs to raise awareness among students of what constitutes cyberbullying and to teach how to respond if they observe or are victim of this online mistreatment (2016, p. 175).” This statement stands out to me because it is important for students to know how to combat a bully.

Roblyer, M.D. (2016). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (Seventh ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

The Basic Three

Word Processing Software

Word Processing Software helps teachers and students all over the world. Word Processing Software enhances the way teachers can share things with parents and each other more efficiently. By using Word Processing Software people are able to create documents for notes home, newsletters, permission slips and so much more. It is impacting education by allowing teachers to save time, enhance their documents appearance, allowing the sharing of documents, and the allowing of collaboration (Roblyer, 2016).  I will use this software in my future classroom for exactly the reasons just stated. Despite its many pros there are some cons, students might not understand how to keyboard or it can effect their handwriting (Roblyer, 2016).

Spreadsheet Software

Spreadsheet Software puts numerical information in row/column format; allows fast calculations, and recalculations, which are key functions for taking data in the classroom (Roblyer, 2016). In my future classroom I will use Spreadsheet Software for gradebooks and teaching math concepts. According to Roblyer (2016) Spreadsheet Software saves time, organizes displays of information, supports "what if" questions and increases motivation to work with mathematics. Sometimes this software can be confusing because it is something new or unfamiliar, but the more a teacher practices or uses it in his or her classroom the more comfortable student will become.

Presentation Software

I cannot wait to use Presentation Software in my future classroom, it can be a fun way to keep students engaged and learning. According to Roblyer (2016) the functions are to display text and graphics in teacher demos, support for lectures, student projects, book reports, and practice items. Though, at times, it can be fun sometimes it can hinder students from learning.

Classroom Use

Teachers use Word Processing, Spreadsheet, and Presentation Software in their classrooms every day. I would use Word Processing Software for notes home, newsletters, and exit slips. I would also use Spreadsheet Software in my classroom to collect data from students. I am mostly looking forward to using Presentation Software. I can use it for a morning routine which would include, date, weather, class schedule, etc. Or I can use it for virtual fieldtrips. Growing up Presentation Software was boring and now it doesn’t have to be! Below is a video of a virtual field trip I would take my students on.

Virtual Field Trip- Statue of Liberty

Roblyer, M.D. (2016). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (Seventh ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Welcome Friends!

Welcome to my blog! 

My name is Emily, I am a senior at the University of Montevallo. I am a traveler, sister, student, photographer, and a new blogger.

I will be graduating on December 8th of this year with a Elementary and Special Education Degree and I can not wait to begin this new journey! This blog is mainly for a technology course I am taking this semester, so it will have fun filled files relating to education today. I can't wait to have my own classroom in the future!