Sue Rubin uses assistive technology(AT) and alternative and augmentative communication(AAC) to express her thoughts, feelings, and emotions. There are several different levels of tech that she uses to support her needs. For low-tech she points to letters on a printed out board to form words and sentences. Additionally, for low-tech she has two spoons that serve as a comfort and grounds her when in high intense and over stimulating environments. For mid-tech, Sue has a one to one aid that travels to school with her and helps verbalize Sue's answers to the questions asked in class.  This is beneficial to Sue because she has someone to help her communicate, participate, and navigate such a complex world and environment such as college.  Finally, for high tech she has a communication device where she types in the letter and  it speaks out sentences, this is also known as text to speech. This is beneficial to her because it allows Sue to be independent, engage in social interaction, and have quicker communication.

Sue's use of assistive technology posed very few issues for her college instructor.  The first issue is that since Sue has to point or type each letter at a time this scan be time-consuming and the professor has to wait for her to finish pointing until she can answer.  This made it difficult for Sue to participate in inclass discussions. The professor had to be patient and adapt the pace of class to include Sue's time it took for her to communicate.  However despite this, Sue was able to succeed and even graduated college.

First, the best way to support students is to have a mindset that all students are capable of being successful and reaching their goals.  By having a proactive approach /mindset such as researching the best ways to support students with autism(Sue) and to discover what assisitive technology may help these students be successful.  Having a growth mindset which can help educators like myself have the framework to believe that all students can grow with adequate support and work ethic. Having a proactive approach will allow me to create an inclusive classroom where all students are supported and valued. I can do this through various methods such as slowing down the pace of class, adovating for my students to get assistive technology,  allowing extra time and whatever supports with help my students succeed. 

My understanding of technology has greatly increased this semester. Creating interactive class websites will be made easier for me now that I know how to use instructional technology resources like Weebly and Google Sites. Additionally, I learned how to use VoiceThread, Magic School, Seesaw, and more which provided different approaches for enhancing accessibility and student participation. Along with learning more about key tech-integration models like TPACK, SAMR, I also learned how to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) to support students with disabilities.

In reliance with the ISTE Student Standards, my content knowledge has increased.   I learned how the ISTE- Student standards promote student agency, teamwork, digital citizenship, and creative thinking is related to technology use. Additionally, I learned more about the NYS Next Generation Learning Standards and how to create lessons that correspond with them using the Understanding by Design  framework. The NYS Code of Ethics for Educators, which directs my professional conduct and accountability in the classroom, was another document I reviewed.

I gained a deeper understanding of teaching methods and learning theory in EDUC 202 and EDUC 204. In order to support all students, I investigated the ideas of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction. I also learned how to use Bloom's Taxonomy to design successful learning objectives. I worked on teaching techniques that encourage critical thinking and teamwork, such as Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, Concept Mapping, 3-2-1, Snowball Discussion, and Dialogical Discussion. Using the SIFT framework for ethical digital research, I also learned how to assist students in assessing online sources.

The TPACK Framework is the most important concept I took away from EDUC 204. It made it easier for me to comprehend how to carefully combine technology with content and pedagogy to produce engaging and successful learning opportunities. As a future teacher, TPACK will continue to direct my lesson planning and instruction, making sure that my use of technology is intentional and focused on the needs of the students. 

I believe all around that taking the education course, "Educational Technology," help improve my skills in abilities for when I have my own classroom. I learned several different ways to engage my students such as snowball discussions, think pair share, and dialogical discussions. Additionally I learned how to integrate technology into my classroom while ensuring that technology does not take over my role as educator.  Finally, I learned about different applications and programs that exist for both teachers and educators to enhance and make learning easier and more enjoyable. 

Education 204 has helped me prepare myself for my future job of being a teacher by providing me with the skills and abilities to be an empathetic, engaging, and flexible teacher. I have appreicated and consumed  all of the knowledge, techniques and skills I was taught during this class. I will use all of the knowledge and lessons to help me become the best possible teacher.