Issues+in+Educational+Technology,+KH

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= = =Using Technology to Support Higher Order Thinking=

Technology can be very useful to support higher order thinking because it can gives students the opportunity to take what they have learned in class and apply it to new ideas and create other scenarios. Technology can support this type of thinking by using programs such as Inspiration, where students use the computer to create concept maps. This type of assignment could be used for students to learn a certain topic, then take them material and apply it to creating a story of their own.

=Using Technology to Affirm Diversity=

Diversity in the classroom can be addressed in three main ways: Celebrate it, Model it, and Respect it. Students want their differences to be celebrated and respected, rather than ignored and pushed to the side. Technology can play a role in this by the use of diverse websites that help other students understand the backgrounds of cultures other than their own. Some websites have certain features that allow students to listen to the material presented on the website (usually a story) being told by native speakers of that culture. For example, if a classroom was learning about the Native American culture, the Living Voices website through the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian would be an excellent website to show students. The website "talks" to the students using pre-recorded voices of actual American Indians. This type of effect creates a more realistic way for students to learn the material, and therefore makes them excited to learn.

=Using Technology to Support All Learners= In every school, teachers encounter students with all kinds of disabilities, both physical and learning. Because of this, teachers need to be able to incorporate technology to support students that learn in all different ways. When students struggle in learning in a certain area, they are not open to learning. Technology that translates, or helps a student learn in any other way, will also help them to be more open to learning.

An example of assistive technology is shown in the video about Angie. She has a device that speaks the words she can't say herself. By simply pressing the buttons on her device, she is able to feel a part of the classroom by being engaged in class discussions. Her self-esteem is boosted and she will be able to access the regular curriculum. Helpers can program certain information into her device so that Angie can keep up in the class and continue to be a part of everyday discussion.

Other examples of assistive technologies are: Pencil grips/holders, booklights, screen readers, electronic alternative communication devices, and Text-to-Speech devices such as reading pens, Firefox Browser with Speech, cast.org, Gelboards, etc.