3.4 Adaptive & Assistive Technology
Candidates facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs. (PSC 3.4/ISTE 3d)
Artifact: AT Report
Reflection:
This artifact was created during the fall of 2013 for ITEC 7445, Multimedia and Web Design. I worked closely with student with special needs in order to best help him grow based on his individual learner needs. This student in particular has dyslexia and I wanted to help him in my English course. I have taught several dyslexic students previously, but my instruction of those students was very hands-off and passive compared to the interaction I undertook with Henry. Because my school is a private international school in Costa Rica, there are little to no laws or responsibilities for our school to provide support for students with learning differences (LD). Therefore, when I met with Henry, he was in great need of some very basic strategies to improve and work with his dyslexia.
Standard 3.4 states that candidates facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs. My work with Henry, and subsequent assistive technology (AT) report demonstrates my ability facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies. I first took stock of Henry’s IEP and list of accommodations before deciding on the best took to help him improve. As a part of this process, I met with Henry to identify personal struggles and goals he had for the course.
After establishing Henry’s learning characteristics, chose an assistive technology application for his iPad that would help him meet his goals. Of course, before making any decisions regarding the best method for helping Henry, I researched a myriad of online tools that could help address his individual learning needs. After finding what I believed to be the right tool, the Quizlet application, I designed a series of sessions in which I could work with Henry one-on-one toward vocabulary acquisition.
My sessions with Henry were all similar, but they required a bit of adapting on both of our parts as we worked through the application. In order to best facilitate Henry’s use of the adaptive and assistive app, I worked hard to research and learn the nuances of Quizlet; however, there were aspects that I was not accustomed to when we first began working together. With Henry I was able to facilitate his use of technology to work through difficult vocabulary that was essential to further understandings in the unit of study.
The first part of the AT artifact is a clear representation of my growth. It is my initial thoughts regarding learning different students and then a reflection after learning and working with Henry more carefully, it represents the beginning and end of my experience in this course of study, although it doesn’t mark the end of my learning, which I believe and hope will never stop. The second half is the report I submitted regarding my work with Henry, which was invaluable to both of us. However, when I look back on this experience, I do wish that I had more time and attention to give to Henry. In the same breath, if I could do this work again, knowing what I know now, I would certainly expand my work with Henry to other students who would benefit from one-to-one assistive technology help.
Overall, the learning that this unit of study, and subsequent artifact, afforded me is essential to being an effective educator. The meeting of both technology and individual student needs is crucial. And the power that technology affords educators to facilitate using adaptive and assistive tools is crucial. The efficacy of this partnership is most potent, and learning these benefits was a first step for me in becoming a better educator.
Reflection:
This artifact was created during the fall of 2013 for ITEC 7445, Multimedia and Web Design. I worked closely with student with special needs in order to best help him grow based on his individual learner needs. This student in particular has dyslexia and I wanted to help him in my English course. I have taught several dyslexic students previously, but my instruction of those students was very hands-off and passive compared to the interaction I undertook with Henry. Because my school is a private international school in Costa Rica, there are little to no laws or responsibilities for our school to provide support for students with learning differences (LD). Therefore, when I met with Henry, he was in great need of some very basic strategies to improve and work with his dyslexia.
Standard 3.4 states that candidates facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs. My work with Henry, and subsequent assistive technology (AT) report demonstrates my ability facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies. I first took stock of Henry’s IEP and list of accommodations before deciding on the best took to help him improve. As a part of this process, I met with Henry to identify personal struggles and goals he had for the course.
After establishing Henry’s learning characteristics, chose an assistive technology application for his iPad that would help him meet his goals. Of course, before making any decisions regarding the best method for helping Henry, I researched a myriad of online tools that could help address his individual learning needs. After finding what I believed to be the right tool, the Quizlet application, I designed a series of sessions in which I could work with Henry one-on-one toward vocabulary acquisition.
My sessions with Henry were all similar, but they required a bit of adapting on both of our parts as we worked through the application. In order to best facilitate Henry’s use of the adaptive and assistive app, I worked hard to research and learn the nuances of Quizlet; however, there were aspects that I was not accustomed to when we first began working together. With Henry I was able to facilitate his use of technology to work through difficult vocabulary that was essential to further understandings in the unit of study.
The first part of the AT artifact is a clear representation of my growth. It is my initial thoughts regarding learning different students and then a reflection after learning and working with Henry more carefully, it represents the beginning and end of my experience in this course of study, although it doesn’t mark the end of my learning, which I believe and hope will never stop. The second half is the report I submitted regarding my work with Henry, which was invaluable to both of us. However, when I look back on this experience, I do wish that I had more time and attention to give to Henry. In the same breath, if I could do this work again, knowing what I know now, I would certainly expand my work with Henry to other students who would benefit from one-to-one assistive technology help.
Overall, the learning that this unit of study, and subsequent artifact, afforded me is essential to being an effective educator. The meeting of both technology and individual student needs is crucial. And the power that technology affords educators to facilitate using adaptive and assistive tools is crucial. The efficacy of this partnership is most potent, and learning these benefits was a first step for me in becoming a better educator.