*Educational Technology

Flashback to the year 2000 (circa) and I accepted my very first job was working for my district's technology facilitator. I can tell you that the server room at that time certainly is much different than it is today! Even before graduating from high school, I had an interest in ed tech.

As I develop this section of WrightPsych.com, I hope to add additional information about current trends in educational technology. Of course, keeping up with these changes and trends will be quite a task. For now, just allow me to give you a few resources to get you started on your journey to educational technology nirvana. Most of the content listed below is free for educators.

    • FreeTech4Teachers provides recommendations for many Web 2.0 tools. The author also posts under other domains: iPadApps4School and Android4Schools if you would like specific mobile learning recommendations.

    • Here's a list of 10 ways you can display your iPad onto your classroom projector and/or large monitor.

    • The Tar Heel Reader allows educators to create simple texts which can be illustrated to teach lessons. This would be especially useful for creating social stories. You can also search for stories from other users. They are also compatible with adaptive switches and other assistive technology services.

    • Here's a good article which recommends several ed tech (and assistive tech) resources for students with severe physical disabilities.

    • Need a free text-to-speech solution? Check out NaturalReaders. You can use the service for free online or as a free software download.

    • Need an online library full of digitized books? This site has hundreds of thousands of books available (for free with approved membership) to download. (Be warned, "adult" titles are present in this collection; teachers should monitor students' use of this site.)

    • For the serious professional (school administrators and IT pros), I'd recommend checking into EdTechTeacher's site. They offer professional development training as well as reviews of many apps and tools.