Stone

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Assisstive Technology

After reading the articles and viewing the videos about assistive technology, I learned that the use of assisstive technology is extremely beneficial to individuals with disabilities. Assisstive technology can come in a variety of different forms, all serving the purpose to accommodate for physical and mental disabilities. For example, when in the classroom, a student with a hearing disability may use a hearing aide. Another student with a speech or intellectual disability may use a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to communicate with the teacher and other students. All of these can be used in the General classroom so that //every// student may have the same learning opportunity. Assisstive technology provides a hopeful future for integrating all students into the general education setting. I have not had any personal experiences with a student using assisstive technology; however I have taken Special Education 301 and have learned very much about the benefits of using assisstive technology in the classroom. In my career, as a high school math teacher, I will be sure to accept individuals with disabilities into my class and provide assisstive technology in the classroom to any student who needs it. These articles and videos have given me a better understanding of how I can use assisstive technology in the classroom.

Learning Style Survey

After completing the learning styles survey, results concluded that I am a balance of auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning styles. This makes sense, because I like to learn using several different methods, depending on the subject I am trying to learn. For example, when learning math, I MUST have written notes of the work done in class or I will be lost. On the other hand, when taking a history or science class, it benefits me to intently listen to the professor rather than to try and take notes, for I often look back at the notes and don't understand them. Using a balance between all of all the learning styles could help accommodate for every student's learning.

Virtual Fieldtrip Reaction

1. Whaling provided Americans with whale blubber, which could be used for wax on candles. This was very important because there was no electricity at the time and petroleum had not been found as a fuel for candles until later on in American history. Whaling also provided jobs to many Americans, which helped boost the American economy. 2. Whaling also created some problems. During the time the whaling industry flourished, whalers over-fished the whale population nearly to extinction. The number of whales was at a dangerously low number. Fortunately, the petroleum industry later took over the whaling industry, as petroleum proved to be a much more efficient fuel source. Another problem with whaling was that it was an unsustainable industry. The whaling industry relied on live animals as the resource, which is not an unlimited resource. Thus, the whaling industry could only be upheld for a limited amount of time.

Final Reflection

I believe the use of technology in the classroom to be //very// important. Integrating technology into a lesson can benefit both the student and the teacher. By using technology to support a lesson, students can further understand the subject by engaging in the material in a different manner. For example, when teaching a math course, a teacher can use an online interactive website which illustrates how math techniques can be used to solve real life problems. This will give students motivation to understand the material by relating the material to their personal lives. Using technology in a lesson will also help teachers express what they are trying to teach with multiple means of representation.  Further, integrating technology in the classroom will significantly support the principles of the Universal Design for Learning. By using technology in the classroom the material being covered can be represented in multiple forms, giving all students (with different learning modes) to understand the material. Accommodating for students with auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learning modes will ensure that the whole class is engaged in the material and that every student is on the “same page”. Using technology in a lesson will also address the other two principles of the Universal Design for Learning: Multiple means of expression and multiple means of engagement. In addition to traditional teaching methods (lecturing, chalkboard, etc.), using technology will allow students to express themselves in many different formats. It will also gain students’ interest, as most technology based learning can be related to personal situations.  Integrating technology in the classroom is a very effective method to accommodate for students of all learning types. Using technology in a lesson plan will almost always benefit the teacher and the student.

**My beliefs about the importance technology in the classroom** **have not changed much since the beginning of this class. I stress the fact that using technology will significantly help accommodate the learning styles of all students and can be very beneficial in addressing the UDL principles.**

 This is the link to my digital story
 * Digital Story Plan **