AbleNet Online Professional Development Sessions:
http://www.ablenetinc.com/emails/Newsletters_2012/AN-Univ-April2012x2.html
AbleNet Online Professional Development
Monday, April 30, 2012
BubCap Pro for iPad, iPod Touch, and iPhone
I find this low-tech tool from RJCooper's website:
http://rjcooper.com/bubcap
The Problem: Autistic, young, difficult, cognitively 'early' individuals press their i-device's Home button and exit the app you want them in.
The Solution: Cover your Home button with a special BubCap Pro that I have tested and adapted. BubCaps are small aluminum 'tab's (the manufacturer actually makes a variety for different purposes, but the aluminim "Pro" model is the only one I've found all-around success with). They self-adhere to the cover your Home button. The Home button cannot be pressed directly now, by anyone! It works great! :) Problem solved!
http://rjcooper.com/bubcap
The Problem: Autistic, young, difficult, cognitively 'early' individuals press their i-device's Home button and exit the app you want them in.
The Solution: Cover your Home button with a special BubCap Pro that I have tested and adapted. BubCaps are small aluminum 'tab's (the manufacturer actually makes a variety for different purposes, but the aluminim "Pro" model is the only one I've found all-around success with). They self-adhere to the cover your Home button. The Home button cannot be pressed directly now, by anyone! It works great! :) Problem solved!
 |
| A Picture of Two Hands Putting a Self-Adhesive Pad on the Apple iPad Home Button |
What, it costs about 12 USD?... Find out if it is worth it!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Two critical things to do & remember each day as a teacher
Can't help but recommend this article from TECH&LEARNING
When I speak to teachers and parents of students and ask them if they are doing work that is meaningful, relevant, and worthy of the world, I often get puzzled looks or disappointing answers. Sometimes this is because there is a belief that we’re only preparing students for work worthy of the world. Actually doing is reserved for adults. Other times it’s because some believe that teaching their subject content is worthy in and of itself.
I generally get a variety of answers. An answer might be something like...
"Sure I am. My kids dissect virtual frogs in science class."
Or
"My kids turn in response to literature essays."
Yawn.
A worse answer will be, something like...
"Sure I am. My kids are going to be very well prepared for their standardized tests."
The answer some people think I want to hear might go something like this...
“Oh, yes I am! I use Smartboards and I have my kids come up and tap it.”
Ugh!
For those who know I think Smartboards are dumb, they may say something like this...
“We are using technology to publish student work.”
Good start but when I ask where the work is published and what is happening as a result of the work?
I often get answers like...
“It’s published on our website, blog, wiki, or maybe YouTube.”
Okay.
That’s nice, but if it’s meaningful and worthy of the world how are adults supporting students in getting this work out from just reaching a school audience and into the world? Publishing it to your school or class is nice, but it’s not the world. It doesn’t help young people feel like they matter. It doesn’t help them understand how they have the power to change the world. Publishing something and doing nothing is usually not empowering students to do as much as they can.
Unfortunately, in this age of accountability, many have lost sight of what really matters. In many schools it no longer matters what students, teachers or leaders are doing to change the world. What matters today is how well you help students fill in bubbles.
And, frankly...
That's a skill that doesn’t matter!
It's time to get back to the basics and by that I don’t mean reading, writing, and rithmetic. I mean, the basics of why we decided to do this work. We didn’t enter this field to help kids fill in tiny bubbles. We want our work to matter. We want to make a great impact on the lives of children. We know students won’t remember their favorite teachers or best times in school from the teachers who talked, textbooked, and tested. They will remember their teacher who told them they mattered. They won’t fondly remember the one who lied and answered that "you need to know this and take these tests to be prepared for the world." They will remember the teacher who told them they can change the world today.
How can you become that teacher? By doing and remembering two important things.
Here they are:
Every day educators must remember two things.
1) We are not teaching subjects. We are teaching children.
2) Children are more than test scores.
Every day educators must do two things.
1) Be aware of how you are supporting your children in doing work that is worthy of the world.
2) Ensure each child knows that they matter.
What does this really mean? Well, I’m bringing to you the two best people in the world that I know of to explain what I’m talking about.
Kiran Bir Sethi - Kids take charge
Watch this video to learn what happens when we empower kids to take charge and do work worthy of the world.
More videos of teachers can be found here: TECH&Learning (Teachers Matter)
or www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&EntryId=4119
Angela Maiers - You Matter
Angela Maiers empowers youth to figure out why they and their peers matter. This reading and videos show how.
Source: TECH&LEARNING
http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&EntryId=4119
When I speak to teachers and parents of students and ask them if they are doing work that is meaningful, relevant, and worthy of the world, I often get puzzled looks or disappointing answers. Sometimes this is because there is a belief that we’re only preparing students for work worthy of the world. Actually doing is reserved for adults. Other times it’s because some believe that teaching their subject content is worthy in and of itself.
I generally get a variety of answers. An answer might be something like...
"Sure I am. My kids dissect virtual frogs in science class."
Or
"My kids turn in response to literature essays."
Yawn.
A worse answer will be, something like...
"Sure I am. My kids are going to be very well prepared for their standardized tests."
The answer some people think I want to hear might go something like this...
“Oh, yes I am! I use Smartboards and I have my kids come up and tap it.”
Ugh!
For those who know I think Smartboards are dumb, they may say something like this...
“We are using technology to publish student work.”
Good start but when I ask where the work is published and what is happening as a result of the work?
I often get answers like...
“It’s published on our website, blog, wiki, or maybe YouTube.”
Okay.
That’s nice, but if it’s meaningful and worthy of the world how are adults supporting students in getting this work out from just reaching a school audience and into the world? Publishing it to your school or class is nice, but it’s not the world. It doesn’t help young people feel like they matter. It doesn’t help them understand how they have the power to change the world. Publishing something and doing nothing is usually not empowering students to do as much as they can.
Unfortunately, in this age of accountability, many have lost sight of what really matters. In many schools it no longer matters what students, teachers or leaders are doing to change the world. What matters today is how well you help students fill in bubbles.
And, frankly...
That's a skill that doesn’t matter!
It's time to get back to the basics and by that I don’t mean reading, writing, and rithmetic. I mean, the basics of why we decided to do this work. We didn’t enter this field to help kids fill in tiny bubbles. We want our work to matter. We want to make a great impact on the lives of children. We know students won’t remember their favorite teachers or best times in school from the teachers who talked, textbooked, and tested. They will remember their teacher who told them they mattered. They won’t fondly remember the one who lied and answered that "you need to know this and take these tests to be prepared for the world." They will remember the teacher who told them they can change the world today.
How can you become that teacher? By doing and remembering two important things.
Here they are:
Every day educators must remember two things.
1) We are not teaching subjects. We are teaching children.
2) Children are more than test scores.
Every day educators must do two things.
1) Be aware of how you are supporting your children in doing work that is worthy of the world.
2) Ensure each child knows that they matter.
What does this really mean? Well, I’m bringing to you the two best people in the world that I know of to explain what I’m talking about.
Kiran Bir Sethi - Kids take charge
Watch this video to learn what happens when we empower kids to take charge and do work worthy of the world.
or www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&EntryId=4119
Angela Maiers - You Matter
Angela Maiers empowers youth to figure out why they and their peers matter. This reading and videos show how.
Source: TECH&LEARNING
http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&EntryId=4119
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
UDL and Common Core FAQs
More about UDL and Common Core Standards -- from National UDL Taskforce
http://www.udlcenter.org/advocacy/faq_guides/common_core
Exerpt:
UDL is included in the section of the Common Core Standards called “application to students with disabilities”. In this section the authors referred to the definition laid out in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (PL 110-135).The reference to UDL in this section may give the impression that UDL is just for students with disabilities. However, UDL not only applies to students with disabilities, it applies to all other learners as well...
There are many ways in which the Common Core Standards align to the UDL framework. Curricula (goals, methods, materials, and assessments) designed using UDL put an emphasis on creating effective, flexible goals, and the Common Core Standards provide an important framework for thinking about what goals will be most effective.
UDL emphasizes that an effective goal must be flexible enough to allow learners multiple ways to successfully meet it. To do this, the standard must not embed the means (the how) with the goal (the what). What do we mean by this? One good example is from the Mathematics standards: “apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division and of fractions to multiply and divide rational numbers.” (Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Grade 7, The Number System, 7.NS, item 2, p.48) This standard is flexible enough that all learners can meet this goal because it does not specify how it must be done...
http://www.udlcenter.org/advocacy/faq_guides/common_core
Exerpt:
UDL is included in the section of the Common Core Standards called “application to students with disabilities”. In this section the authors referred to the definition laid out in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (PL 110-135).The reference to UDL in this section may give the impression that UDL is just for students with disabilities. However, UDL not only applies to students with disabilities, it applies to all other learners as well...
There are many ways in which the Common Core Standards align to the UDL framework. Curricula (goals, methods, materials, and assessments) designed using UDL put an emphasis on creating effective, flexible goals, and the Common Core Standards provide an important framework for thinking about what goals will be most effective.
UDL emphasizes that an effective goal must be flexible enough to allow learners multiple ways to successfully meet it. To do this, the standard must not embed the means (the how) with the goal (the what). What do we mean by this? One good example is from the Mathematics standards: “apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division and of fractions to multiply and divide rational numbers.” (Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Grade 7, The Number System, 7.NS, item 2, p.48) This standard is flexible enough that all learners can meet this goal because it does not specify how it must be done...
A timeline of CAST--from special learners to all learners
I came across a timeline of CAST on its website. This is quite interesting to read because it reveals the history of the organization and how it grows along with the emergence of universal design concept in architecture and shifts its focus from serving diverse learners to all learners. You can also get a sense of how UDL ideas interplay with emerging technologies and federal laws. The timeline shows that CAST has played an active role in advocating for all learners all these years by partnering up with various research and software development agencies to produce free or low-cost software that can benefit all learners.
http://www.cast.org/about/timeline/index.html
http://www.cast.org/about/timeline/index.html
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
How can videos be used for constructive learning?
Are you one of those educators who gives videos thumb-up when it comes to using them in your classrooms? There are many websites nowadays that provide an assortment of videos for educational use, such as TeacherTube, streaming videos at Discovery Education, Khan Academy, WatchKnowLearn (Jane mentioned it in tonight's class I taught), to name a few. What are some effective ways of using these great Internet resources? How can videos be used for constructive learning? Traditionally, films and videos have been shown to students in a passive manner and sometimes as a Friday treat. In that sense, not much effort is made to help students retain information, engage in dialogues leading to deep thinking, and use the content for extended learning.
I believe the following questions can be a quick guide for planning use of videos in classrooms:
I believe the following questions can be a quick guide for planning use of videos in classrooms:
- What is my goal of using the video?
- introduction of a new concept?
- visualization?
- background knowledge?
- additional informational resource?
- provocation of ideas?
- different perspective?
- first-hand account or resources (primary sources)?
- dramatization?
- emotional and/or cultural connections?
- modeling of behaviors?
- other?
- What is the set-up of video viewing experience?
- small groups?
- whole class?
- independent self-paced viewing?
- What comes before, during, and after video/films?
- How can my students be best engaged in the video activity?
- What is the "sinew", "tendon", and "muscle" of the whole activity in which video is embedded?
- What "hooks" do I need to use to get students' interested in/prepared for the video? Worksheets? Think-sheets? Questions? Key vocabularies?
- Establish a focus for viewing videos. Consider having different students watch for different things.
- Where should I pause during video watching (especially if it is a long one)? How can I segment it strategically so that all viewers can take in information effectively without tuning off?
- Review the video content and have discussions after watching.
- Reflect on the video immediately after watching.
- Assign follow-up activities.
- How is it used in conjunction with other resources?
- Make connections between video and other types of resources
- Have students compare and contrast information gleaned from these resources
Edutopia has a page of information on how to use educational videos.
Monday, April 23, 2012
UDL and Research Basis
What are the research bases for UDL? This is a complicated question to answer that would go beyond this one post. The following two videos would hopefully be helpful to you.
Variability Matters--A presentation given by Todd Rose from CAST
David Rose on UDL 5-Part Series (View the rest on YouTube)
UDL and Common Core Standards
A good question came up last week: is Common Core Standards
supportive of universal design for learning?
Well, the Center for Special Special Technology (CAST) came up with recommendations for the Standards to emphasize UDL as a way of encouraging implementation that supports all learners while the Standards were drafted back in 2010. CAST has argued that, without an explicit reminder of the need for those implementing the Standards to take all learners into consideration from the outset via UDL, teachers might create lessons that pose barriers for diverse learners. For example, CAST pointed out that terms like "write" and "draw" in the standards may be taken literally when "compose" and "create" are meant and that the Standards should be clear that "write" includes the possibility of using a variety of composition tools and methods to compose text and express content knowledge. More details of CAST's recommendations and rationales can be found here: http://www.cast.org/library/statements/standards/index.html
Regardless of the results (Common Core Standards did not explicitly use the language of UDL), it is important to note the implications UDL can have for teachers who are the directly involved in implementing the standards and designing inclusive lessons. The purpose of UDL is not so that teachers teach according to a prescribed approach. UDL is a pedagogical framework that guides teachers to think inclusively the following structural aspects of curriculum and lessons from the inception of the process: how do I create goal and objective statements that can be accessible to all learners? What potential barriers to learning should I anticipate, given my knowledge about my students? What do I know about content and pedagogy that I can use to help construct meaningful, engaging, and well-sequenced lessons? What tools and activities allow me as a teacher to assess students on an ongoing basis? What tools and activities allow my students to demonstrate what they learn? What features of my lessons allow my students some degrees of autonomy in learning? How can they be motivated in the entire learning process? etc.
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