Blog Assignment #3

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Technology in Special Education

    After the YouTube video Technology in Special Education, I came to realize how vital technology is in the classroom. In Ms. Cook's class, she expressed in realistic detail how technology improved and saved her student's education. Ms. Cook mentioned that a major hurdle she faced with her students were communication barriers. With technology, relationships and barriers are being smashed down. 

    In the video, Ms. Cook uses some of her students to show how technology in the classroom improves their learning experience. Corbin uses an audio book to read during quite hour. Before this, he had to have a staff member read to him. Kris, who seemed to communicate with blinking, and Sherea used their computers to fully communicate in a more advanced fashion. Hopefully, with more technology, will come more efficient learning for students with special needs, and will allow educators to better understand what their students need.

Educational Apps

   With technology becoming the main way to educate students; it is only natural that technology is becoming more dominant in schools. Special need students are using technology more in more in schools and at home to better improve their lives and education. Computers are the more popular forms of technology that special needs teachers/students are using to communicate and complete work faster. Thanks to the iPad, iTouch, and iPhone learning is becoming more accessible without having to tote a full size computer around. 

     The application that I found for special needs children is called Dexteria. Dexteria is used to improve motor skills and handwriting. This app is easy to use and is for basically all ages. Dexteria is not only for the student, but therapists and parents are being able to monitor/view improvements and areas that need more assistance. The app is also reasonably cheap ($9.99) which is a huge positive note for parents. This game is bright and easy to use. I plan on teaching Kindergarten and I think this would be great to use even if the student is not special needs.

Gary's Social Media Count

    On Gary's Social Media Count, in the time 1 second occurs media technologies can increase by 1,000s. The world is filled with 6.8 BILLION people and a majority of those people are connected to some sort of technology. We are seeing technology improve life in the real world, but what does technology really mean for educators? How will this change the teaching norms?

    Well in my opinion, this increasing use of technology means educators need to keep up with times. If students are spending more time on the computer or phones then they are in the classroom then maybe we should use that as a resource for learning. With that being said, educators need to become more familiar with how technology is used and at least the main programs in them. 

     Like I said, the times are changing and every second their are more people using technology and everyday there is an increase in technologies. We must keep the old teaching techniques, but implement and blend the new technology techniques. The sooner the better too because with every second we sit twittering our thumbs the more people are logging into some sort of technology. 

 A Vision of Students Today

   Wow! After watching, A Vision of Students Today, I am completely shocked. I live the student life that the students expressed in the video. The college student day lasting 26.6 hours instead of 24. Above this section, I watched and commented on many other videos about technology, and I supported it. However, after watching this video I am starting to understand technology from the view point of an educator. 

   Technology can be helpful and beneficial, but it can also be very distracting! As a student, I am constantly pulled away from schoolwork to be distracted by a silly iPhone app, but as an educator I can see how technology can improve and assist in learning. That is the million dollar question I suppose...how can technology be balanced in the classroom?