Describe issues related to training Special Education teachers to use technology.
Teachers tend to have problems in technology due to minimal experience. Teachers who have been teaching for years have little technology experience maybe because they didn't grow during the technology stage we are in now. Soon to be teachers are required minimal amount of technology hours. Since the requirements are low and usually entry level technology, future teachers struggle with being prepared for their future teaching. Time is another major issue. Even if the desire is there, time isn't. Time to learn and put the hands on to learning the equipment is difficult to fit in.
Give examples of no-tech, low tech, and high tech solutions for special students.
No tech are ways to use the body in a different way to make the best of their abilities. The textbook gave the example of using one hand to type. The use of one hand may be slow but the student is still able to type.
low tech is non-electrical. Keeping the student organized by using highlighters or maybe word lists can be a way to keep the student on task.
High tech - are complex electrical devices. The items can be electrical wheelchairs or voice activated controls.
Being aware of these different tools or strategies can be beneficial to the student. Staying up to date will be important in being an effective instructor.
April
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Graet point on the time constraints of learning technology for the older teachers. I wonder if technology is such a vast part of society why the school districts don't try to train teachers more vigoriously on technology use. i know time is a big issue, but I think all teachers would benefit from this.
ReplyDeleteHello April,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments on teachers not having enough training in technology. I am sure that it is difficult for an instructor to be out of school for so long and then have to attend workshop and training, but they must go outside of their comfort zone to integrate technology more in the classroom. For example, let’s think back to when teachers used grade book to document students progress and then average them out manually. Now, school districts have online grading software than calculates and saves teachers a lot of time.
As far as the no-tech, low-tech and high-tech I like school use assistive technology devices to help improve the capability of a student’s disability.