Blog Post #3

TECHNOLOGY IN SPECAIL EDUCATION
Technology in Special Education was a very informative video. I was not aware that this type of technology was available and can make such a difference in a student with physical and cognitive limitations. I never saw this type of technology in a rural school I attended. I would be interested to know how the funding of these resources was obtained.
It was amazing to see that this technology is not a “one-size-fits all.” Each computer was personalized for the need of that student. It was a great example of differentiation by using computers. As it ended, I wondered just how successful her students have been in transferring these skills into the real world. It really made a difference in the classroom.

HOW THE iPAD WORKS WITH ACADEMICS FOR AUTISM
After watching How the ipad Works for Autism, the special education app I chose is called Scene Speak. What caught my eye first was the ability to upload personal pictures from a computer. So many autistic children need familiarity and routine and anything strange or unfamiliar can be a set-back. This app allows you to create scenes of real places and real people that they will come in contact with everyday.
For example, you could upload pictures of their school, teachers, and friends and place them in order of the school day so they are familiar with what they will do, the order in which they will do it and the people that they will interact with. The computer can be programmed with a familiar voice that talks to them about the picture they are looking at and explains to them the order of their day. I think it is a great recourse to have in the classroom.

SOCAIL MEDIA COUNT
The numbers and statistics are astounding in the video Social Media count. There certainly is no doubt that social media is a global explosion that is changing the way people interact with the world in which we live. As with past generational changes, we as teachers must embrace the power of technology in order to help our students succeed.
The ever-changing advancements in technology offers teachers not only help when utilized correctly, but also the challenge of being familiar with what is available. We would do our students an injustice if we didn’t expose them to what is available in the world but we will also do them injustice if we make them totally dependent upon it. Teachers today are challenged with the task of helping their students find the proper balance between the real world and the virtual world of technology.

A VISION OF STUDENTS TODAY
As a student looking at the video

A Vision of Students Today, I can relate. It was all truth. I have experienced it. Looking at this video as a student wanting to become a teacher, I better be prepared to engage technology into my style of teaching.
The days of notes and lectures alone are becoming obsolete. Students will be looking to attend universities that offer them the opportunity to learn and express themselves through the use of technology. They want to learn in a way they can express some creativity and not just note memorization of facts. They want to learn the skills of technology so they will be prepared in jobs that require them. Technology of some kind is required to survive in the world today, any teacher no willing to learn some and use it is setting a very poor example.