Hello all my new classmates!
I am excited to overcome my technology challenges throughout this semester. I have really started to notice that classrooms do use technology a lot. I guess until the first day of the class, like many students, I just took it for granted and did not realize the importance of technology in learning. I have learned a lot about my general computer skills through the EdTech assessment that I completed. I have become competent at working with Microsoft Word because of my classes but never really have had a use for spreadsheets and such things, which will be useful information for when I beginning teaching. In this growing age of technology keeping up to date with technological advances is important for myself as an individual and also because I do not want my students to not have access to the best education they can have or know more about computers than me!
There are two main ways I have really noticed a difference in a students life and learning through technology as it related to my field of interest. I want to teach special education so how technology can help some individuals overcome their challenges is amazing to me. The first example I can think of is when visually impaired students use what is called a CCTV. This allows students to place their books and work under a machine that then enlarges the print instantly, which is then displayed on a screen in front of them. This allows for visually impaired students to feel more independent and as though they are functioning on the same level as their peers. Another program I have seen is a program called Write Out Loud. This allows students to type who are either visually impaired or lower in their writing abilities to type and make sense. After the student types a word the program reads it back to them and then once they are done typing the entire sentence is read aloud. Visually impaired students can catch errors in their typing by hearing the words out loud. It also allows students who lack spelling or grammar abilities to hear the words they type to verify the word they wrote is what they meant and to hear their work aloud to try and edit their own work if something does not sound right. Finally, in the classroom I assist in currently we use a program called Reading Naturally. Reading Naturally is a computer based reading program. Not only are students able to move and read at their own pace, the computer actually tracks and records the students speed of reading and comprehension for the teacher.
