This document discusses various topics related to using technology in the classroom in a collaborative manner. It covers collaborating with students to troubleshoot technologies, using technology as a collaborative learning tool to connect students globally, the importance of culturally responsive communication, and using assistive technologies to support students with disabilities. Specific tools and strategies are provided for planning with colleagues, solving routine technology problems, and developing culturally responsive lessons. The document emphasizes that technology allows extending student learning through real-world experiences and global collaboration.
2. TEACHER AS
COLLABORATOR
COLLABORATING WTH STUDENTS TO EXPLORE AND TROUBLESHOOT
TECHNOLOGIES
-Solving Routine Problems
PLANNING TOGETHER
TECHNOLOGY AS A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
TOOL
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE COMMUNICATIONS
-Understanding your Culture and the Culture of Others
-Working with Students to Develop Cultural Understanding
Respecting Cultural Diversity in the Classroom
Assistive Technologies
3. Planning
Together
-PLC’s are very effecting when planning together. PLC
stands for Professional Learning Communities. A PLC can
be described as a group of educators who get together to
improve their own practice so that their students can
succeed.
-Video recording yourself could also be a great tool
to master your skills.
-Technology plays a large role in team planning. We use
technology to collect data, communicate, and share
lesson plans in order to identify best practices.
-When planning together, everyone has a job they need
to do and things they should share with the group in
order to establish things that worked well, didn’t work, or
patterns they noticed through student samples.
4. Collaborating with students to explore
and troubleshoot technologies
ISTE expects you to “collaborate and co-learn
with students to discover and use new digital
resources and diagnose and troubleshoot
technology issues.”
-It is ok to learn from your students about the
technology they are using. Our students
today have grown up surrounded by
technology and it is ok for them to be
thought of as a technological assistant at
times.
-BYOD (bring your own device) is an
approach some schools have accepted and
allows students to bring their own electronic
device as long as they can access the internet
through it.
Learning from BYOB Initiatives:
1) High-quality instruction that engages kids is the
Best classroom management strategy.
2) Stat the year with structured activities and provide
more flexibility over time.
3) Respect the knowledge and skills your students
bring to the classroom.
4) Develop lessons that require technology
5) Determine when tech is and isn’t used. This may
also be called an on/off policy.
6) You’re in charge of the classroom.
7) Model and promote transparency
8) Develop a system for students who are having
problems.
9) Capitalize on teaching time
10) Monitor, Monitor, Monitor!
5. Solving
Routine
problems
When working with technology you WILL run in to a few issues. When
That happens you need to have a game plan to help solve those problems
without losing too much instructional time.
-Do not assume you know if the problem is a hardware or software problem.
There are too many factors that could be causing the issue.
There are a four major steps to follow:
1) Identify the problem- when you are troubleshooting difficulties, you do not
know what the problem is. First try and find out what symptoms are. What
is happening and where? What might be causing this. You should use what
you know about the issue to help come up with possible solutions.
2) Apply a solution- start applying solutions one at a time, starting with the
best solution. Before you try another solution you should return your
computer to its original settings. This is so you do not cause more
problems to occur.
3) Check the results-If you fixed the problem, well done. You are finished and
can move on. If not try another solution.
4) Repeat as necessary.
6. Technology as a collaborative learning
tool.
Technology allows your students to extend their learning through authentic real world experiences
By engaging virtually with experts, teams, and students locally and globally.
These activities not only engage students on a different level, but also teach them how to work
Together. It is so important for our students to know how to communicate, and collaborate globally.
These skills are of the top 5 skills that employers seek from their employees.
Web conferencing tools have now become much easier to use, and less expensive. This means we
Now have the opportunity to allow our students to collaborate and connect with people from all
Over the world.
7. Types
of
tools
• Facetime, skype, hangout, zoom and many others are low cost
tools that could allow web conferencing. Some schools use these
type of tools for homebound students or students in the hospital.
• Although all of these tools are great to use for more of a face-to-
face interaction, text based conferences are very helpful as well. In
some ways it is better than video based conferences, but in other
ways its worse.
• Email, listservs, newsgroups, and forums all offer additional
possibilities for collaboration.
• Some students even work harder when working on these online
forums. Like most of us, if the world is our audience we work
harder and try harder.
8. Culturally Responsive Communications
• As the digital world helps you collaborate and communicate within your classroom and beyond,
ISTE expects that you will “demonstrate cultural competency when communicating with
students, parents and colleagues and interact with them as co-collaborators in student
learning.” For this reason, there is a large need for greater cross-cultural understanding.
• With the Hispanic population growing, we must be even more strategic about communication
with families. When our students come from a different culture, background, communication
styles and different experiences than ourselves, miscommunication is going to happen. It will
often make everyone feel frustrated and disconnected.
• Culturally responsive teacher: one who understands and capitalizes on the unique cultural
attributes, prior experiences, and performance styles of students to legitimatize what students
already know and promote student achievement.
9. Culturally Responsive Instructional
strategies.
1)Acknowledge students’ differences as well as their commonalities
2)Validate students’ cultural identities in classroom practices and instructional
materials.
3)Educate students about the diversity of the world around them.
4)Promote equity and mutual respect among students.
5)Use valid measures to assess students’ ability and achievement.
6)Foster a positive interrelationship among students, their families, the
community, and school.
7)Motivate students to become active participants in their learning.
8)Encourage students to think critically.
9)Challenge students to strive for excellence as defined by their potential.
10)Assist students in becoming socially and politically conscious.
10. Assistive Technology, Or AT: any item, piece of equipment, or product
system, wheather acquired commercially or off the shelf, modified, or
customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional
capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
• It isn’t the device it’s self that makes it
assistive Technology, but how it is used to
support the individual. Therefore, some
technologies may be considered assistive
technology for some students, but not for
others.
• A teacher must follow the written IEP and
allow for the assistive technology that is
assigned in the IEP, if there is a need.
• Assistive technology tools can be classified
along a continuum that moves from devices
that are considered “low tech,” to tools and
devices that are more complex or “High tech”.
• Low Tech: generally less expensive tools
lacking moving parts and having limited
functionality. Usually they require little to no
training to use.
Ex: clothespins, paper clips, sticky notes, spell
checkers, timers, calculators, etc
• Mid-tech: use some form of power source,
moderately priced, and may require initial
training for use.
Ex: tape recorders, CD players, talking
dictionaries, etc
• High-tech: more complex and expensive.
Multifunctional tools often can be customized
to meet individual needs and may require
extensive training to use.
Ex: Computers, voice-output devices,
environmental controls, etc.
11. One of the major challenges confronting educators working in inclusive classrooms is ensuring
that no child is left without the support needed to fully realize her/his learning potential. (Scott, et
al., 2008)
Commonly Available software
Word-processing applications- almost universal on computers found in schools and provide a
variety of supports to help your students.
Word-prediction software-helps students identify words quickly based on common usage
patterns, arrangement of letters. Or suggestions based on grammar, and can be found on some
smart phones.
Augmentative and alternative communications devices- allows students with disabilities to
communicate through pictures, words, and symbols.
12. Works cited
• Scott, J. C., Nichola, S. C., Brinson, S. A., & Legard, C. (2008). Utilizing Assistive Technology In
Inclusive Classrooms: Leaving No Child Without. I-managers Journal of Educational
Technology,5(1), 59-65. doi:10.26634/jet.5.1.569