Teaching with Technology 1

Reading various materials regarding students using technology tools for learning, constructivist teaching and learning models enhance student engagement and productivity. Students are highly motivated. It changes their role in the classroom to self-reliance and teachers to facilitators. Some of the differences in how learning occurs in technology-rich classrooms as compared to traditional ones may account for consistent findings that technology can be especially effective with at-risk and special needs students (Barley et al., 2002; Page, 2002; Pitler et al., 2012 Page 3 and 4).  As a special education teacher, I completely agree. Technology has been a great supplemental tool in my classroom. It has definitely helped in making individualize instruction more accessible and creating a multisensory learning environment.

Technology also helped in students developing positive learning relationships, enabling them to work together on projects and/or presentations. The students have helped each other learn, as well as, engage in the self-reflection process. The students with special needs may need more assistance with computer-based assignments. However, they have benefited from the two-way learning experience among their peers. At-risk and special needs students feel very successful when using technology tools in a classroom because of authenticity.

Pitler, H., Hubble, E., and Kuhn, M., (2012) Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works 2^nd Edition. Denver, Colorado: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.