Differentiated Instruction with Technology-A Good Idea

 

Differentiated Instruction with Technology

     Since the inception of NCLB (No Child Left Behind), educators have been faced with ways to ensure that all children are proficient by 2014. That is an enormous feat. However, many teachers are embracing this challenge by using differentiated instruction with technology to meet this goal.

     One of the first ways technology can be used in differentiated instruction is by assessing the students' skills before the unit is taught Pre-assessment. Teachers can use this information to formulate different instructional models to help each student be successful.

     Another way technology can be used in a differentiated lesson is what Dr. Carolyn Burleson calls the Intake Option (2003). This tool allows how the instruction is received by the student. Various models appear in this option appealing to the different intelligences ranging from visual, auditory, and even kinesthetic learners.

     Following this course of action, the next step in utilizing this technology is to give the students the means to process the information. A few examples of the processing piece are thinking maps, Web Quests, interactive maps, and graphic organizers (Burleson, 2003). By offering multiple means of obtaining the information, this allows the teacher to meet the needs of the individual student.

     Finally how the student presents their knowledge of the material is a beneficial aspect of technology. Students can use many different media tools to demonstrate their mastery of the concept. Introducing new forms such as the prezi gives the students the avenue in which their learning is highlighted.

     One of the barriers however to differentiated instruction with technology is the knowledge of the teacher. Many schools are now instituting professional development specifically targeting technology and differentiated instruction because of NCLB. As an educator myself, this is an area I feel that education needs to pursue. Differentiated instruction with technology is a valuable tool in the classroom.

Key words:

differentiated instruction, NCLB

References:

Burleson, C. (2003). Using Technology to Differentiate Instruction.

Retrieved from

http://www.lausd.net/lausd/offices/di/Burleson/workshops/differentiate/index.htm

Stansbury, M. (2009, February 2). Technology Empowers Differentiated Instruction

Retrieved from

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2009/02/02/technology-empowers-differentiated-instruction/

Technology will help reluctant readers

Reluctant readers have been a reality of schools for many years. These readers struggle to comprehend, engage with the text, or just plain find reading cumbersome. Technology is one avenue to increase the success rate of changing reluctant readers into enthusiastic ones.

One mode of technology that turns on reluctant readers is the Kindle. Kindle is the trademark of Amazon and it is an electronic book. What is wonderful about the Kindle is that many books may be stored on it. Amazon is also adapting its technology to add page numbers to go along with the printed text Kindles go to school. Students that were hesitant to read a hand held book find the Kindle to be user friendly. They can easily change pages with a finger swish and the print is easy on the eyes. E-readers are also popular. The audio component and the highlighting capability offer other ways to engage the reluctant readers.

Another mode of technology for the reluctant reader is the Digital Book Talk book trailers. This device allows students to view videos and listen to a preview of books. This enables the student to choose a novel that they are interested in. Of course, just like any preview, the trailer leaves off where the student is going to want to find out what happens next. This technology can be utilized in the classroom effectively introducing new books to students and engaging the interest of those reluctant readers.

Technology for reluctant readers doesn’t stop with these two devices. An equally exciting electronic solution is the website Storybird - Collaborative storytelling. This site allows the students to create their own books to share with others and it is free. Illustrations enhance the stories and the print capabilities grant the ownership of having a published product. This site works with any age. Universities have also employed this technology for students presenting projects.

Of course a tool that is available to many schools is Smart technology. Smart tools are visual and hands on. Students enjoy the graphics of these tools. As the people from Smart say, “Kids learn better when learning is interactive” (SmartBoard, 2006). Reluctant readers are just that-reluctant. By making the reading more interactive, the success rate of the student completing the reading is higher. Textbooks are also available online which appeals to many students as well because they are able to use technology to do their reading.

To close my thoughts on reluctant readers and technology is this. We have the technology. Isn’t it to our advantage to take advantage of these tools to change our reluctant readers into enthusiastic ones? The only question we should have is which electronic tool will we use.

Key words:  reluctant readers, technology

References

Basten, A. (2011, March 9). Kindles go to school in a big way this month.

     Retrieved from

     http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/kindles-go-to-school-in-a-big-way-this-month/

Gunter, G. and Kennedy, R. (2010, Aug. 8). Digital Book Talks: Book Trailers for

     K-12. Retrieved from http://ilearntechnology.com/?tag=reluctant-readers

Smart Technologies Inc. (2006). Interactive Educator. New Technology Trends

     for Education. Retrieved from

     http://downloads01.smarttech.com/media/education/pdf/ieautumn06.pdf

Is Texting Ruining the English language?

     The other day at church I had a parent who asked me if I taught spelling anymore. I asked why and he said because when he received a text message from his niece he couldn’t believe all of the misspellings that he saw. So is the English language suffering because of texting?

     According to one of England’s linguist, only 10% of the words used in texting are misspelled Linguist. Some of the most typical words misspelled are you (u), are (r), see (c) and to (2). Why are the words misspelled? Cell phones have a limited number of characters per message that you may use. Abbreviating words helps keep the message short Abbreviations.

     However, this still does not answer the question of whether or not texting is ruining the English language. This debate is being pursued heavily. One recent poll shows that 62% of the people feel that yes texting is destroying the English language Poll. The claim is there will be a direct transfer into the written language of the academic and business worlds. Also because of the abbreviated style of texting, understanding pieces of literature will suffer as well as there will not be the context of standard English in a person’s repertoire to use. The opposition has some words in rebuttal. Texting language makes it possible to write more in a text than fully spelled out words. This language also allows messages and answers to be received and returned quickly. Does this mean that the English language is suffering because of the shortening of words and phrases? The debate continues.

     From an educator’s viewpoint, texting offers some strategies for students such as phonemic awareness Aide. What is really interesting about this study done on 11 year olds is that in text messaging these students were using their skills of phonemes for the abbreviations. These students were better spellers because of their texting skills.

     In broadening the educator’s viewpoint, I had an epiphany the other day during my freshman English class. The students were taking notes on literary genres. A student asked if she could use texting language for her notes. I paused and asked if she would understand the notes later. She replied in the affirmative and I agreed. For her the note taking process in class just became doable and something less mundane. I know I use shorthand in my note taking and I figured that as long as she and the other students who use the texting on their notes can understand them for later use, so be it!

     Is texting destroying the English language? The question is still being studied. I believe that as a community we need to emphasize when texting is appropriate language to use.

Key words: ruin, English language, texting, phonemes

References:

Al-Homaidi, Colby. (2009). Is text messaging causing the destruction of the

English language? Retrieved from

http://www.helium.com/debates/187960-is-text-messaging-causing-the-destruction-of-

the-english-language/side_by_side?page=4

E-How contributor. (2011, Sept. 1). How to Abbreviate Words in Text Messages.

Retrieved from

http://www.ehow.com/how_2319839_abbreviate-words-text-messages.html

Masnick, M. (2008, Sept. 17). Linguist Explains that Txting Isn't Ruining Spelling

or the English Language. Retrieved from

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080916/1957542289.shtml

Smith, A. (2006, Sept. 11). Education Guardian. Texting slang aiding children's

language skill. Retrieved from

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/sep/11/schools.uk1

Twitter-What's the Tweet all about?

Do you tweet?  When my rural electric company turned off my power for repairs this summer, I called complaining about not having notice given about the outage.  I had four sump pumps pumping water out of my basement and new baby chicks that needed their heat lamp.  I needed to know that the power was going out!  They, my power company, informed me that the outage was tweeted on Twitter Mountrail Williams Electric Company.  So hearing these words from the power company, as well as on the radio and tv, I decided I needed to investigate what Twitter and tweeting were all about in this social networking society of ours.

Twitter is a new sensation in social media that is gaining popularity although it was developed in 2006 Twitter created.  According to Pew Internet and American Life Project, "13% of online adults use Twitter" (2011, June 1).   So what is Twitter?  Twitter is a social networking device that allows you to send small quick messages Twitter.  These messages are called tweets.  There are also retweets that you can use when you copy and paste tweets received to send to others Retweet.  People use Twitter for a variety of reasons.  Sometimes it is used for information; sometimes it is for business and other times for personal reasons Uses. 

So why Twitter?  Twitter allows you to obtain links to individuals, businesses and other pieces of information Why Twitter?  What is amazing is the networking capabilities.  Family and friends can sign up for your Twitter page.  In return you can sign up for theirs.  All of the tweets and retweets from family, friends, businesses and so forth are now part of your networking system.  The network that you started with one small tweet keeps growing.  The other incredible part to this system is the messages are limited to 140 characters.  Through researching Twitter, the common theme that was clear is to keep the message concise as you only have 140 characters.  Of course you want to make sure that your tweets are useful Tweets.   People that tweet just to tweet may be filtered as irrelevant information Noise. 

Is this all there is to Twitter?  Absolutely not.  This is just a brief overview of this social networking system.  I have begun following two organizations on Twitter and yes one of them is the power company!  I hope to keep developing my Twitter capabilities.  I encourage you to tweet if you have not.  Just remember to tweet appropriately and succinctly.  You only have 140 characters and you don't want to be filtered!  Good luck tweeting.
.



Key words:  Twitter, tweet, retweet



References:

Cromie, J.  (2009, Jan. 9).  8 Sure-Fire Ways to Tick Off the Twitterverse.  Retrieved from
    http://www.twitip.com/8-sure-fire-ways-to-tick-off-the-twitterverse/#more-973

Lasic, T.  (2009).  Why Twitter?  Retrieved from
    http://www.slideshare.net/moodlefan/why-twitter

Minz, T.  (n.d.).  Power Tweeting:  101 Everyday Uses for Twitter.  Retrieved from
     http://www.insidecrm.com/features/101-twitter-uses-052008/

Newsblaze LLC.  (2011).  What is Twitter?  Retrieved from
    http://tweeternet.com/

Parr, B.  (2009, April 16).  How to:  Retweet on Twitter.  Retrieved from
    http://mashable.com/2009/04/16/retweet-guide/

Pew Internet and American Life Project.  (2011, June 1).  Twitter Use.  Retrieved from
    http://www.pewinternet.org/Static-Pages/Series/Twitter.aspx

Sagolla, T.  (2009, Jan. 30).  How Twitter was Born.  Retrieved from
    http://www.140characters.com/2009/01/30/how-twitter-was-born/

Wauters, R.  (2009, Jan. 29).  Too Much Noise on Twitter?  Filttr Will Tell You What's Worth Reading.
    Retrieved from
    http://techcrunch.com/2009/01/28/too-much-noise-on-twitter-filttr-will-tell-you-whats-%20worth-reading/

YouTube-Is it for the classroom?

YouTube-Is it for the classroom?

     YouTube is a media tool that permits people to view videos on just about any topic. This device also allows you to upload videos that you create. So this new media poses several questions for me: What are the benefits in the classroom and why is it denied access at some schools?

     One benefit of YouTube is its engagement factor. The videos are entertaining. Teachers may use them to begin class with to stimulate their students’ writing Bell ringers. In presenting new material to a class, videos are one way to capture the students’ attention. The sound and graphics are appealing to the viewer. YouTube provides videos with these qualities Top 10 Videos. Engaging the students in the lesson through videos is one benefit of YouTube.

     Another benefit from YouTube is its informational aspect. Seeing how new machinery runs Informational or how to create a blog, these videos provide visual information. The best part of this visual information is the ability to stop and replay a segment if needed. What a great tool to use in the classroom when illustrating key points with your students about the Periodic table as an example. The videos are generally short and can be worked in as part of your lesson easily.

     So why do schools deny access to this media if there are many benefits for the classroom? One answer is because some of the videos are inappropriate. If schools did not have filters on to block this site, students could access videos that may contain explicit language and content. YouTube also has many useless videos for the classroom. Teaching standards is part of an educator’s job. Some of these videos do not provide educational material and are not appropriate for the classroom. The other concern for YouTube is previewing the material before it is shown in class. Schools do have the power to override the block on YouTube, but if the teacher does not plan accordingly, what looks like an appropriate video with the content the teacher desires to show may in fact backfire on her. An example of this was when an Ag teacher wanted to show information concerning mammary glands and the video displayed a woman’s breast. The link was appropriate as women do have mammary glands, but it was not the desired outcome the teacher wanted.

     YouTube is a viable option for the classroom. Planning and preparation on the teacher’s part would make this a terrific media tool to use for engaging students in the lesson and providing information in an appealing way. Filters at schools can be overridden, but the educator needs to be prepared with the content of the video shown. Check out YouTube to see what it offers for your classroom.

Key words:  YouTube, classroom use, benefits, school access

References:

John Deere Round Baler 990-960. (n.d.).  Retrieved from
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBj7Z2PlXLk

MacManus, R. (2011).  Top 10 YouTube Videos of All Time.  Retrived from
     http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_10_youtube_videos_of_all_time.php

Piper, J. (2011).  Writing is Immortality-YouTube Videos as Writing Prompts.  Retrieved from
     http://msjessicareeves.edublogs.org/2011/08/04/youtube-videos-as-writing-prompts/

The Element Song. (n.d.).  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFIvXVMbII0