by Adam Steiner
Chair, Social Media | Massachusetts Council for Exceptional Children
@steineredtech
Schools’ strengths are often derived from their diversity, from the collaboration of students with different beliefs, cultures, languages, socio-economic status, educational backgrounds, and learning styles. These connections should be fostered, in particular for students with unique learning needs, and technology can play a key role in ensuring that students of all backgrounds work well together.
Many schools are making aggressive moves to enhance teaching, learning, and collaboration with technology. This is taking a number of forms – one to one laptop or tablet programs, blended learning with online platforms, curriculum that is adjusted to include digital components, etc. All of this has the potential to improve the educational experience of some students. However, deliberate measures are needed to ensure that technology works to make connections among all students – and not just for select groups. Here are five such measures:
1. Develop a caring and collaborative school culture
This first item is not directly related to technology, but it is absolutely essential to the success of a technology program. Students and teachers must be comfortable seeking out and offering help in any form, but in particular in relation to technology. Often, peers will be the best resource for any student with a learning challenge, and can be supportive to teachers who are not as tech-savvy as others. If tech expertise remains in silos, everyone loses, and students with unique learning needs are particularly vulnerable.
2. Develop curricula that offer flexibility and choice to students
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a philosophy of curriculum design that emphasizes that students best learn in a variety of different ways, and that educators should offer choices to meet the needs of all students. UDL is absolutely key to the successful implementation of a school digital conversion because it allows students to demonstrate learning in their own way. UDL also empowers each student to celebrate their expertise with technology that works best for that student.
3. Train all staff on digital tools that support a variety of learners
Too often, special education staff including classroom aides are treated like second-class citizens in a school environment. This sometimes takes the form of less intensive computer training and/or unequal access to technology tools. Teachers who work with students with learning challenges MUST be well-versed in the digital tools that will support those students. In addition, classroom aides, who often work side by side with students on a daily basis, should have access to the same tools that students are using in order to be most helpful to those students.
4. Offer one to one access to a common device for middle and high school students
In some schools, students with individual learning needs are provided with their own digital device that is intended to support their learning. However, older kids in particular are often uncomfortable with being singled out as one of the only students with a device. This sometimes leads to resistance to using technology, or outright technology abandonment. Teachers may even feel reluctant to provide access to a tool that could be interpreted as providing an unfair advantage to some students. Wireless access is becoming more common in schools, and has made it easier to ease students into individual technology use, especially when coupled with the relatively low cost of mobile devices such as Chromebooks and iPads. These conditions help schools to more easily adopt one to one technology programs, which support the provision of an identical device to every student. Devices can be customized to match student needs, but are identical on the surface – the best of both worlds.
5. Encourage teachers to embrace common learning management tools
For students with a range of learning needs, digital learning management tools such as classroom organizers, calendars, and assignment “books” can be a game-changer. These tools can provide structure, organizational support, and reminders. However, too much can be overwhelming - for example, if every teacher is using and/or promoting different tools, technology advantages can quickly turn into disadvantages. Giving teachers choice when it comes to technology is valuable, but nudging colleagues and staff toward common tools will pay off in spades for students.
Chair, Social Media | Massachusetts Council for Exceptional Children
@steineredtech
Schools’ strengths are often derived from their diversity, from the collaboration of students with different beliefs, cultures, languages, socio-economic status, educational backgrounds, and learning styles. These connections should be fostered, in particular for students with unique learning needs, and technology can play a key role in ensuring that students of all backgrounds work well together.
Many schools are making aggressive moves to enhance teaching, learning, and collaboration with technology. This is taking a number of forms – one to one laptop or tablet programs, blended learning with online platforms, curriculum that is adjusted to include digital components, etc. All of this has the potential to improve the educational experience of some students. However, deliberate measures are needed to ensure that technology works to make connections among all students – and not just for select groups. Here are five such measures:
1. Develop a caring and collaborative school culture
This first item is not directly related to technology, but it is absolutely essential to the success of a technology program. Students and teachers must be comfortable seeking out and offering help in any form, but in particular in relation to technology. Often, peers will be the best resource for any student with a learning challenge, and can be supportive to teachers who are not as tech-savvy as others. If tech expertise remains in silos, everyone loses, and students with unique learning needs are particularly vulnerable.
2. Develop curricula that offer flexibility and choice to students
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a philosophy of curriculum design that emphasizes that students best learn in a variety of different ways, and that educators should offer choices to meet the needs of all students. UDL is absolutely key to the successful implementation of a school digital conversion because it allows students to demonstrate learning in their own way. UDL also empowers each student to celebrate their expertise with technology that works best for that student.
3. Train all staff on digital tools that support a variety of learners
Too often, special education staff including classroom aides are treated like second-class citizens in a school environment. This sometimes takes the form of less intensive computer training and/or unequal access to technology tools. Teachers who work with students with learning challenges MUST be well-versed in the digital tools that will support those students. In addition, classroom aides, who often work side by side with students on a daily basis, should have access to the same tools that students are using in order to be most helpful to those students.
4. Offer one to one access to a common device for middle and high school students
In some schools, students with individual learning needs are provided with their own digital device that is intended to support their learning. However, older kids in particular are often uncomfortable with being singled out as one of the only students with a device. This sometimes leads to resistance to using technology, or outright technology abandonment. Teachers may even feel reluctant to provide access to a tool that could be interpreted as providing an unfair advantage to some students. Wireless access is becoming more common in schools, and has made it easier to ease students into individual technology use, especially when coupled with the relatively low cost of mobile devices such as Chromebooks and iPads. These conditions help schools to more easily adopt one to one technology programs, which support the provision of an identical device to every student. Devices can be customized to match student needs, but are identical on the surface – the best of both worlds.
5. Encourage teachers to embrace common learning management tools
For students with a range of learning needs, digital learning management tools such as classroom organizers, calendars, and assignment “books” can be a game-changer. These tools can provide structure, organizational support, and reminders. However, too much can be overwhelming - for example, if every teacher is using and/or promoting different tools, technology advantages can quickly turn into disadvantages. Giving teachers choice when it comes to technology is valuable, but nudging colleagues and staff toward common tools will pay off in spades for students.
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