How Can I Help You?

this is a blog post about assistive technologyright now I’m using a program called read write and GoogleI am dictating this paragraph into my document and it’s typing it outbut it’s a little finickyI will have to go back later and add capitals and periods and spacesalthough I’m sure there’s probably a trick to it

new sentence
I figured out how to make a

Okay now I’ve stopped using Google Read&Write.  I confess, I couldn’t figure out how to get it to type the words  ‘new paragraph’ without it just starting a new paragraph!  The special Education teachers at our school have been learning to use and teach this tool to several students this year. They like it.  It has replaced Dragon Dictation for most students because it is accessible through their Chrome Desktop and in their Google Apps for Education account, therefore, text doesn't have to be transferred from one place to another.  I have only had a look over my student’s shoulder a few times to see how it's going.  They are much better at it than I am!  It has been a real asset to many students with Learning Disabilities.  Apart from the punctuation errors which were my human error, the word accuracy was right on! (I remember years of using Dragon and having to train the program every year, or version, or every time a student's voice changed, which happened a lot to my 12 year old grade 6 boys!) Students are using Read & Write for almost all written projects.  The reading capabilities are even more impressive.  In the image below, The yellow highlighted words are being read aloud, the blue is the current word.  There are also highlighter tools for collecting jot notes.  I have seen students collect words into a document and then use the speech capabilities to turn the phrases into sentences.  A great lesson in paraphrasing and an opportunity to address plagiarism.

Also at my school are many well used AlphaSmarts. They are portable, battery powered, word-processing keyboards. Students can keep several (8) ongoing files and plug into a printer when needed. For students with fine motor issues they were a great alternative. These were quite exciting until iPads and netbooks came along. I know of a few students still using them but I think I spotted a pile of unused ones in a cupboard earlier this year. While they may be outdated now, they were an important step towards independence for many learners.

The final device to assist learners in my classroom is the Front Row Amplifier System. All the classrooms in the new part of my school are equipped with this sound system. It is fabulous! The 'necklace' is easy to wear and transfers nicely from teacher to student. There is also a handheld microphone. Both devices can connect to any secondary source, such as a TV, DVD, CD, computer, or MP3 player. The sound is clear and evenly dispersed throughout the room. Every student benefits from this technology and certainly the teacher's voice has less wear and tear. I've seen students with weak voices gain confidence, students who need to sit at the back of a group able to hear clearly, students with attention deficits stop what they are doing more quickly and focus on the speaker. Some teachers in the older sections of the school have some type of portable microphone they use occasionally but none are as convenient as the one I am lucky to have.

These are just a few of the devices that are available in our school that I can offer when the student walks in to my room each September. I am grateful for all of the ways I can help them learn whether it's headphones, or iPads, or Chromebooks, or audiobooks, or Learn 360 videos. It is my responsibility to stay up to date with all resources. As well, checking out a few of the links of current research and information about the impact of assistive technology to help students reach their potential is important too. Here are a few links I have visited. I'm excited to see the advancements that will be made in the next few years. While I didn't really like seeing those AlphaSmarts piled up, it was a sign that technology is improving at a fast rate. Perhaps every student will have an assistive device someday!???

http://www.snow.idrc.ocad.ca/content/technology

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/WW_TechnologyTools.pdf

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech086.shtml

http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/04/03/assistive-technology-in-the-classroom

W.O.W.

Recently, Susan Watt agreed to answer a few interview questions for me as part of an assignment.  Here are her Words of Wisdom!

Hello Susan! Even though we’ve known each other a long time now, I’m happy you agreed to answer a few questions for me. I hope you find the experience to be a happy and reflective one.

1. When did we first start using technology to communicate?

Well, this challenges the memory. I believe it was in the later 90s that you and I began emailing on a regular basis and this mode of communication started to take over from phoning. Already at that time, it was the fact that it was a-synchronous that appealed. Flexible, personalized.

2. That’s when you were still teaching in the classroom, can you describe your journey to the role you have now as Technology Support teacher for the WRDSB?

Here’s the short version of the long story……or the long version of the short story.

I was a mathie in high school and didn’t really want to lose this when I settled on music for my undergrad area in university. So, as a first year music student at UWO, I chose as my only elective option - Computer Science! It was a gruelling course, with long hours in the lab ‘on the clock’, but there was something about those programming projects that really appealed to me.  I didn’t pursue this any further due to the conflicts with long hours in the practice studio, but the interest lay latent for many years.

When computers first came into the schools in the mid 90s, I was ‘that teacher’ who signed them out whenever I could. I loved the new opportunities and the engagement I saw in students. I found all kinds of ways to integrate their use into whatever I was teaching. My job at the Enrichment Centre, which came along in the late 90s, provided me with greater access to technology and endless opportunities for learning. McQuarrie became a bit of a hub of innovation and it was in those years that my leadership in the area of IT began to grow. I taught courses and workshops and started offering my first presentations on various aspects of IT integration. When the role of Technology Support Teacher was created in the spring of 2009, I was first in line to apply and was thrilled when the job became mine! I started in the fall of 2009 and am finishing my 6th year.

3. Can you give a brief job description?

Briefly, I support teachers and students in our 102 elementary schools in their use of technology to support learning. I work closely with our elementary consultant to support new initiatives (iPad deployment, GAFE, shift to mobile, etc.), plan teacher professional learning, and work with school leaders to promote system messaging. I work with teachers and students in classrooms as often as I can.

4. What are some of the big projects you have been a part of in WRDSB?

In my first year, I was directly involved in 4 projects: Digital Citizenship (it was a pretty new concept in 2009 - no one had heard the term!), an iPod project involving 4 schools, the new Dual Platform image on our computers, and the opening of Ryerson PS - a school with a ‘technology focus’. In my spare time, I visited schools by invitation and supported any number of other projects involving IT. There was a fair bit of interest in SmartBoards at the time - I upgraded my SB training and supported many teachers using their SBs as well.

Since that year, the conversations around Digital Citizenship have evolved but it has continued to be an area of need. The Dual Platform support continued for about 3 years, but has waned as mobile devices have become more common. The iPod project morphed into iPads and grew to be a system initiative which I have continued to support for the past 4 years. GAFE was new last year and has been a big focus this year as well, along with Chromebooks. For each of these initiatives, I have created websites and PD workshops and led ‘train the trainer’ workshops for staff leaders.

The big one now is the concept of ‘shift’ - the shift from desktop to mobile and the implications that this has for teachers and students. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in schools this year helping people see the benefits of mobile devices and social media in the classroom,  and embracing the shift. It’s not easy - there is a fair bit of resistance to change.

5. I know you often get requests to ‘go to a school’, recently what is the most requested reason?

“We are having a problem with SnapChat. Can you come and do an assembly for our students to fix this problem?”

Seriously, Social Media is causing many issues in schools, particularly this year in our senior schools. Some teachers and admin are reluctant to embrace their roles in helping their students see that Digital Citizenship is really about demonstrating good character in the digital world. It’s been a huge frustration this year. They want a quick fix.

6. I also know you’ve worked with a lot of ‘new to technology’ teachers, what is the best advice you can give them?

Relax. You don’t need to be the technology expert. You need to be the pedagogical expert. Kids will figure out the apps. You figure out the learning goals, success criteria and assessment strategies.

7. Social media is a hot topic.  What is your message in this area?

Social media is here to stay. We are never going back to the way things were before SM. It is how we stay connected, learn and share. Embrace it! There is no better way to prevent the misuse of social media than the use of social media!

8. What do you think of BYOD?

Before BYOD is even considered in a school, the teachers and students should have explored many ways to use school-owned mobile technology in a variety of ways. BYOD works best when it is introduced after the NEED for more devices evolves out of use of school devices. I encourage teachers to introduce devices gradually - for a specific project or purpose, on a ‘device day’, for certain times in the day, etc. These gradual steps make all the difference. Introducing BYOD when teachers and students have not considered and explored purposeful use of the device is a recipe for disaster.

9. What technology would be in an ideal classroom?

In 2015 ….. a couple of maker kits, tinkering equipment, an iMac or 2, some Chromebooks, some iPads, BYOD and a variety of mobile, flexible comfy furniture in which to use it all. And of course, the ideal classroom would also have greenery, light, healthy food, kindness, social responsibility, no ‘front’, …...

10. I hear you are retiring this June, what will you miss, what won’t you miss?

Thanks to my wonderful job, I’ve already managed to give up many of the most disliked things in teaching - things like bells, strict timetables, report cards, duty, parent interviews, etc. I’m trying hard to take all the things I might miss and continue them into retirement - things like doing workshops with you, planning professional learning for teachers, promoting the positive use of technology and social media, etc.

11. Any last pieces of advice for teachers?

There is no going back to the days of ‘mind your own business learning’ (@gcouros) and our dependency on paper and pencil for sharing our learning. It’s a new world of teaching which includes innovation, risk-taking and change. So, my advice? Stop resisting! Sign up for workshops! Get a digital life! Embrace the change! Put away your pen!! Explore, tinker, play, try!

Thank you so much for your time and thoughts, we will certainly miss your professional, forward thinking presence in the Technology world of the WRDSB.  

Susan can be ‘followed’ @susan_watt   

Check out her website susanwatt.ca   

And her blog wattsupnext.blogspot.ca (her new retirement blog)

Do You Know Sphero?

photo courtesy S. McKenzie

Who knew a little round ball could be so fun??? Enter Sphero! Sphero and its partner Ollie are spherical robot toys designed by Orbotix.  Sphero is a white orb wrapped in plastic, that can roll around, and is controlled by a smartphone or tablet.   I've been following the tweets of a co-worker in our board who is having a blast using the Tickle App for iPad in combination with this simple device. They are able to program the Sphero to follow various instructions. They even had a 'guest' Sphero one day and they made them dance together! Great possibilities here.  Such a great extension to some of the simpler coding programs on the iPad such as Daisy the Dino, Hopscotch, and Scratch Jr..  Even if your school only had one, the experience would surely be memorable in every classroom!    Check out this video to see Tickle and Sphero in action.
Makes me really wonder about where coding and robotics will go next in the elementary setting.  How do we get more teachers interested in coding apps and programs?  Should we have specialist teachers in this field?  We can not underestimate the abilities of our students. And we better get ready to welcome Sphero family members yet to come!                                                     

                                         

Kahoot! (Gesundheit!)

Have you Kahooted yet??? I hadn't. Until recently, I had never even heard of it.
And then twice in one week, I overheard it in conversations and finally someone came and asked me what I knew.  Time to investigate!
In my board, we have teachers that are designated as an LST which is a Learning Support Teacher. The LST assigned to our school suggested Kahoot a few weeks ago to one of our primary teachers. She was keen and checked it out. After trying it as part of her math program with her class she was thrilled. Anytime someone gets excited about anything techie I get interested so I checked it out too.

I went to the link and had several negative first impressions. My first thought was that it was kind of gimicky. It seemed like one of those games they use at a bar where people are asked trivia questions and all the results are up on a big screen for all to see. One winner and many losers! Yuck.

Why would we ever want to do that to students? How is this possibly fair to students' individual needs? Without exploring much further, I went back to the teacher and started a discussion. She quickly agreed with me and said she felt the same way until she noticed another way to use it. Firstly it turns out you don't have to display everyone's scores. You can have scores recorded into a spreadsheet, available to the owner of the Kahoot, by using the program in survey mode. Secondly, if students enter an email they can create a Kahoot to share with their peers. This is the aspect of the program that touts itself as 'flipped'. Technically, I guess so. But I just can't help thinking about all those years that students used to make 'Jeopardy' like game boards as part of a project. Is that really all it takes for a classroom to be flipping?

I like that it is easy to access and students can use any device. So far, the student feedback from that one class has been positive.  The teacher reports that they had total engagement.  I will be curious to watch this one progress, but I am not optimistic that it will have longevity.  So far, for me, it's nothing worth sneezing about.

And the Winner is....

Everyone!
Technology should be a win-win no matter what tool or resource you are using.  Regardless of pros or cons, whatever we try to use is a learning experience and something good can always be discovered if we look carefully.  Since I started leading workshops and interacting with teachers new to technology, I inevitably was asked a lot of 'Which do you like better?' questions. Windows or Mac? Laptop or Tablet? iPhone or Android? I always find these a little tricky to answer. I had more questions than they did.  In my current AQ course, I have been asked to compare some blended learning tools such as Edmodo, Ning, and D2L to name a few.  I started researching and quickly found people who had comparison charts and technical breakdowns of each.  At the end of almost all of them was a similar thought about how it always depends on the purpose of the user or the environment that one will be working in.  There is no 'best tool'.  Someone just needs to look critically at the factors involved and make a decision.  Even if they don't get the perfect match there will be a learning experience that is priceless. After all, isn't that what education is all about?

Take Note

I added Evernote to my toolkit of resources about 3 years ago. It has so much potential. I'd like to share one of my favourite ways to use this powerful app as an assessment tool. It's simple. Upload a rubric and make a copy for each student. As they are presenting, or working or have handed something in, use a highlighter marker to indicate their achievement. Once complete you can then annotate or narrate additional comments. I can also easily add a photo of their work and/or have the student comment on their progress. This can be done on any device that has internet.

In the above screenshot, the audio file is below the picture of the 'student' (aka my son)  The rubric is above and I have added a title. There are other tools such as arrows, shapes and icon tags.  I could also share this file with anyone else who has an Evernote account.  They could view or edit it as well.  Evernote has a very practical filing and tagging system as well.  A portfolio of work can be created by student, by subject or by task.
I confess, I did move away from this tool for a while once Google Apps for Education came along to our Board.  However, I do love the audio attachment capabilities and have again started using it for some formative assessments in the classroom.

Time to Think, again!

http://bit.ly/1C4aVct

Over the next few months I will continue to reflect, pursue and challenge myself in the area of Integration of Information and Computer Technology in Instruction Part II.  As per course requirements, I have identified some learning goals, tools and pedagogy that I want to focus my thoughts towards.  

1.  Personal Learning Goals - continued use of Delicious bookmarking, begin using Flikr and Shelfari.  In the past, I have not been very efficient with my storage of professional readings.  I love to read through Zite, Flipboard and Twitter feeds.
Occasionally I would favourite them or retweet them
but never did I attempt to keep an organized list or collection.  Why now?  I am meeting more and more teachers that I think of as I read these articles who would like these ideas as much as I do. I also am leading a more varied range of Professional Development workshops and would love to have a few more of these facts, graphics, and musings at my fingertips. 

2.  I would also like to identify 'BYOD' Bring Your Own Devices, as a topic that I want to explore a little more.  More ideas for their effective use and more ways to make it equitable.  Who has them?  Who needs them?  

Along the way I have found 2 more educators who have blogs of superior standard that I would like to add to my 'check in with' list.  Hmmm, perhaps that could be a new Delicious Tag?

EduBits authored byKristin Phillips - Principal at Queensmount Senior Public School - a local treasure

The Innovative Educator Lisa Nielsen  - wow!