Digital Blog Post #G - Chapter 10 - How and how much technology to use in the classroom.

Today I am going to go over three concepts that are related to technology use in the classroom, based on how, and how much it is needed. These concepts are technology use with Linguistically Diverse Learner, universal design for learning, and adaptation for classroom learning with technology.

Using technology with Linguistically Diverse Learner, still gives learning opportunities to English speaker students. As an example, iReady uses big pictures and phonics on activities like finding rhyming words. This method will help students who need to learn the words by associating visual and auditive parts of the lesson. Still, it has the same impact for English speaker students.

Universal design for learning is mainly the use of different representations, expression, and engagement. The objective here is that students have different ways of learning the subject. Perhaps, besides using letter-by-letter spelling, the educator might add rhyming words, and pictures, so that students understand, learn, and memorize the subject.

When making adaptations for classroom learning with technology, the educator plays a designer roll, and is to evaluate and decide what type of accommodations is suitable for specific students: low-tech, with no digital material; mid-tech, with the use of some digital material; or high-tech, which includes the use of computers in the classroom. But whether the  student is more or less capable to use technology, I think modern educators should push students in that path, since technology is moving forward rapidly, and like it or not, our functionality, individually or in groups, is becoming more and more dependable of technology.

References:

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.