Group items tagged

Students in elementary school are not too young to benefit from 1:1 technology. Care must be taken, however, to ensure that the benefits of 1:1 are maximized for young students without taking away physical books, manipulatives, and opportunities for physical movement. 1:1 is all about students having ubiquitous access to technology when it is beneficial; it certainly does not mean that students will use technology for every single minute of their classroom experience.

As tablets have become more prevalent, a new debate has formed over whether K-12 school districts should switch from print textbooks to digital textbooks on tablets.

Proponents of tablets say that they are supported by most teachers and students, are much lighter than print textbooks, and improve standardized test scores. They say tablets can hold hundreds of textbooks, save the environment by lowering the amount of printing, increase student interactivity and creativity, and that digital textbooks are cheaper than print textbooks.

As tablets have become more prevalent, a new debate has formed over whether K-12 school districts should switch from print textbooks to digital textbooks on tablets and e-readers.

googletag.display("adSponsor_610x30"); GS = GS || {}; GS.FB = GS.FB || {}; GS.FB.subscribes = function() { FB.Event.subscribe('edge.create', function(response) { omnitureEventNotifier.clear(); omnitureEventNotifier.successEvents = "event36;"; omnitureEventNotifier.send(); }); FB.Event.subscribe('message.send', function(response) { omnitureEventNotifier.clear(); omnitureEventNotifier.successEvents = "event38;"; omnitureEventNotifier.send(); }); }; window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({appId: "112862918759431", status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true}); GS.FB.subscribes(); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); jQuery(window).load(function() { jQuery.getScript("//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"); }); GS = GS || {}; GS.twttr = GS.twttr || {}; twttr.events.bind('tweet', function(event) { omnitureEventNotifier.clear(); omnitureEventNotifier.successEvents = "event39;"; omnitureEventNotifier.send(); }); var GS_googlePlusOneClicked = function() { //requires /res/js/omnitureEventNotifier.js omnitureEventNotifier.clear(); omnitureEventNotifier.successEvents = "event50;"; omnitureEventNotifier.send(); } (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); 13 commentsEmailPrintEn españolRelated articlesE-ssential tips: A parent's guide to assistive technologyAccommodations, Modifications, and Alternate Assessments: How They Affect Instruction and AssessmentConsumer Tips for Evaluating Assistive Technology ProductsBy Marshall Raskind, Ph.D. , Kristin Stanberry

AT for kids with LD is defined as any device, piece of equipment or system that helps bypass, work around or compensate for an individual's specific learning deficits. Over the past decade, a number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of AT for individuals with LD. 1 AT doesn't cure or eliminate learning difficulties, but it can help your child reach her potential because it allows her to capitalize on her strengths and bypass areas of difficulty. For example, a student who struggles with reading but who has good listening skills might benefit from listening to audio books. In general, AT compensates for a student's skills deficits or area(s) of disability. However, utilizing AT does not mean that a child can't also receive remedial instruction aimed at alleviating deficits (such as software designed to improve poor phonic skills). A student could use remedial reading software as well as listen to audio books. In fact, research has shown that AT can improve certain skill deficits (e.g., reading and spelling).2,3 AT can increase a child's self-reliance and sense of independence. Kids who struggle in school are often overly dependent on parents, siblings, friends and teachers for help with assignments. By using AT, kids can experience success with working independently

Children need real-life experiences with real people to truly benefit from available technologies. Technologies should be used to enhance curriculum and experiences for children. Children have to have an integrated and well-balanced set of experiences to help them grow into capable adults that can handle social-emotional interactions as well as develop their intellectual abilities.

Unfortunately, technology is often used to replace social situations and I would rather see it used to enhance human interactions. And I think that can happen.