Educational Technology Tools:
Many technology tools exist that help foster and support self-directed and independent learning. These tools allow students to be in control of their learning and to work independently without a teacher standing over them or helping them every step of the way. The skills fostered by self-directed and independent learning are ones that carry over too many other aspects of life and only become more relevant as the student progresses. Two tech tools that are very popular and have highly customizable features to help create empowered learners are Google classroom and 3D printers.
Google Classroom:
Google classroom (edu.google.com, 2022) has many features that make it an outstanding technology tools for both the students and the educators to allow for secure and safe collaborative environments. Through Google classroom, educators can monitor progress, communicate securely with students, introduce new materials and use template content or create new content from scratch. Classroom lets students set their own pace and work on projects when they wish. Educators can monitor how well students are working on their project, how well they collaborate with others, and facilitate through direct communication with students. An educator can receive snapshot reports and give immediate feedback.
For students there are encouraging prompts and the ability to show their work so that the teacher know their level of understanding. Built in resources also provide tutorials, skill cards and the ability to check their answers at any given time, allowing the student to ensure they are headed in the right direction. With Google Classrooms, students also have the flexibility to access their work on a multitude of devices which offers further flexibility in doing their work and progressing at their own pace.
3D Printers:
3D printers give tangibility and flexibility to classrooms like no other device. Very few methods exist to bring forth ideas from concept to physical reality in a classroom like a 3D printer can. Students in classes from science to math, STEM programs and art, to name but a few, can work on projects collaboratively that utilize a variety of skills sets, to design and build real-life, working prototypes. Bringing an object from concept to reality foster an innovative mindset and drive student engagement. Fabrication labs are being developed in schools nationwide to let students bring ideas to life in real-time.
Such labs have even helped communities during times like the recent pandemic and filling needs when other supplies were not available. Having the ability to see a creation/concept come to a physical reality is a major driving force for students and helps them cement an innovative and empowered learning desire. This is how future leaders can be thoughtful and build consensus to work together and solve real-world problems (Stone, 2020).
Assistive Technology:
Assistive technology comes in all shapes and sizes. In today's classrooms, nearly all have integration with special needs and mainstream students working together side by side. Assistive technology allows students have more independence, helps with teacher shortage and strain, and allows all students have input and be able to collaborate with each other. From basic assistive technologies such as worksheets, to readers and apps, there are so many diverse tools at an educators disposal. Two diverse and increasingly helpful technologies are text-to-speech (TTS) software and assistive listening systems (Neese, 2022).
Text-to-Speech (TTS):
TTS tools assist with a diverse array of student difficulties. From ADHD to visual impairments and other disabilities, TTS systems can synthesize speech in any given context including various languages and dialects, text magnification, graphics and pictures for word recognition and even differing voices to sooth and ease transitions into using the technology. TTS software can turn many of todays devices into a TTS tool, including laptops, tablets and smart phones. These devices can then read aloud documents, books or teacher created worksheets to help guide students in their understanding and participation with their work. Some tools also have OCR, or optical character recognition and can be used to read images through photos and turn them into audio (Reading Rockets, 2022). through these tools, students can both see and hear the text which gives them a multi-sensory experience which improves word recognition and increases the ability to pay attention and comprehend, amongst other benefits.
Assistive Listening Systems:
Assistive listening systems enhance the "reach and effectiveness of hearing aides and cochlear implants" while also helping others that have trouble hearing or may have various levels of inner ear damage (Neese, 2022). Two popular assistive listening systems are FM systems and sound-field systems. FM systems help those with sensorineural hearing loss by utilizing radio broadcasts using a transmitter and receiver. These devices are typically ALDs, or personal listening devices that a student can wear or carry around to help them interact. They have individualized control over volume and usage and can use uni or omni directional microphones.
Sound-field systems work as a whole classroom system that can raise the teacher's voice in an unobstructed way that allows more consistent voice coverage through out the classroom. In this way, the entire class can hear the teacher the same way so that no one misses the information no matter the class size. This type of system is beneficial for those with auditory problems, language delays and English language learners, as well as others. By utilizing a microphone that projects through speakers around the classroom, sound travels more evenly and eliminates distortion between speaker and listener. This keeps the frequency of the instructor intelligible, especially for vowel and obscure consonant sounds (Teachlogic, (2022). As with FM systems, the enhanced sound allows students to pay better attention and increases comprehension, however Sound-field systems are not individually adjustable as are FM systems.