Blog Post #3

The video Technology in Special Education uploaded by lacecook was an informative way at looking at special needs students, who without technology, would be unable to achieve any measurable accomplishments in their classroom. The teacher walked you through her classroom showing how students interacted without technology and then with technology. In the case of the special needs students in her classroom, you could see a significant difference in how they interacted in that environment. The achievements were measurable and there was a defined improvement in the students academic day.
I was moved after watching this video. When I was in school, special needs students were in a learning resource area, not included in the general education population. I did not realize how different it must be for a special needs student trying to use the same tools as general education students take for granted everyday. But technology evened the playing field, even made students with special needs increase by leaps and bounds. As a future teacher in general education I will definitely look at technology to improve the lives of my students, especially the special needs students.

How Apple-Education-Apps can be helpful in our classrooms. I looked through the education apps offered by apple and I was asked to find one I would use to help future students. All of the apps for education seem to help in each area of education and all had there places, but the one I liked the most was Virtual History Roma. The helpful interface of a virtual world set up in the past would be a significant help in understanding that time period. In the case of a special needs student this app would allow them to interact like other students in class. This would create an inclusive feeling for the special needs student. As for the general education students I believe the interaction with a 3d world of that time period would not only help those students grasp concepts, but also help them feel dynamic in their learning experience. 





The explosion of social media since the 90's is outrageous. According to that counter on Gary Hayes Social Media Count I would estimate by the time we are set as teachers social media will have touch almost all human life with access to electricity. This means we as educators must really take into account the impact that social media has on our future students. In order for us to not be left behind or surpassed by our students, we as professionals should invest ourselves in as many aspects of technology as possible. We do not have to be experts in social media, but we should be able to talk and work with it in an educated manner.

The video A Vision of Students Today uploaded by mwesch an the cultural anthropology class of Kansas State U. opened my eyes to how students are being lost in our schools. In classrooms were there is 1 teacher and 115 students, teaching becomes very broad and general. This leaves a lot of the learning up to the students. Some students see the errors and try to overcome, but it seemed that most of the students just did enough of the material to get by in the class. I believe if we as future educators purse technology based education the students will be less apt to just do enough to get by. I believe we could reach all of our students, while teaching them the basics of technology in order for them to succeed in those future jobs that do not exist now.