Technology Vision
As many professions have evolved with the times, technology has taken its place on the forefront of most industries. Education has progressed with the times and many technological platforms have been developed for the betterment of teaching all students, especially students with disabilities. Since each student has their own unique way of learning, those who have developed digital educational platforms, have made sure to consider multiple types of learners. These platforms range from digital learning management systems, to online bulletin boards, to interactive type quizzes; these platforms allow the users to utilize tools that go beyond text and typing. Often times, these platforms allow for the users to create multimedia content that allows them to express what they have learned instead of having to write or type. I think that this evolvement of technology within the classroom has brought many benefits to different types of learners and I am excited to utilize them within my future classrooms.
One digital platform that I plan on using out the gate is the learning management system, Google Classroom. I want my Google Classroom to be a place for me to upload daily lessons and assignments so students and their families can always have access to what is going on within the physical classroom. I also would like my Google Classroom to be a place that I store educational resources for my students and differentiated content, so that all my students can utilize scaffolds for their learning. I like that Google Classroom is compatible with other applications like Google Forms and Google slides, it makes sharing information with my students easy. Another learning management system that I think is a great tool for communication with my students’ families is Class Dojo. Class Dojo is a great way to implement behavior management within the classroom. I like that teachers and parents can give their students or children Dojo points. I also like that in Class Dojo a teacher can have direct communication with their students’ families. Dojo also has the ability to translate for those who do not speak English. I will also use Class Dojo as a place to post events and pictures from our classroom, kind of like social media. This way families can see what fun things we are doing in our class.
For my lesson planning, I think that Google Slides is a great tool to create visual slides for my class. I plan on using these slides to present the daily lessons and have visuals for my students that will assist with their learning. I can also utilize Google Slides as a tool for students with disabilities. I can have differentiated interactive slides that allow students to work on classwork that best fits their learning styles and assist them in their understanding of the content. I can translate information on the slides using Google Translator to help my ELL students, I can add audio for those who may have hearing impairment, I can adjust fonts and sizes for those who are visually impaired, and students can utilize images instead of typing. Another tool I would like to utilize for assignments and assessments is Google Forms. Google Forms allows me to create assessments or assignments using a variety of answer formats. I can also add pictures and audio to help as many different types of learners understand what is being asked of them. I also like that Google Forms has the ability for grading to be built in, creating more time for me as an educator.
For brainstorming and informal assessments I think Padlet is a great tool to see where my students are at with their understanding. I really like how students can create posts using different forms of media. This allows students to demonstrate their understanding in ways that they are more comfortable and that may be beneficial to their disabilities. Another great tool for informal and formative assessment is Kahoot. I will use Kahoot in differentiated ways to allow all students to utilize the platform. I think that Kahoot is a great way to create a fun game for my students which creates an opportunity for me to gage my students understanding. I can also create Kahoot quizzes for my students with disabilities and not have them be timed. Kahoot lets me add pictures and aides to assist my students. Both Padlet and Kahoot are tools I am looking forward to utilizing within my classroom.
As a future educator I want to be able to differentiate content for all of my students. Utilizing many different technological platforms within my classroom will allow me to ensure my all my students have the ability to access and understand what is being taught in different ways. Technology in the classroom allows me to provide access to content, resources, and differentiated scaffolds to my students and their families. By embracing technology as a teacher, I hope to provide all my students with the best education possible.