One of the biggest successes that technology has offered in classrooms is that of enabling students to learn independently, especially those who benefit from assistive technology, which allows them to participate in lessons and activities that they otherwise may not have been able to (due to a disability, etc).
Educators can create incredible learning opportunities for students when they focus on fostering or supporting goals of self-directed or independent learning. Two ways that teachers can offer these opportunities are: Using Digital Tools along with Goal Setting. Using an online digital tool will allow the learner to become more independent and not rely on the teacher for the entirety of their lesson. With a tool like Quizlet (www.quizlet.com), students can deploy self-directed learning through the use of digital flash cards. Through repetitive practice, games, and personalized goal setting, the students will find themselves being more thoughtful of the content, and therefore absorbing and learning the content more effectively. (The Digital Teacher, n.d.)
Using Choice to Build Learner Autonomy. While it may be one thing for students to be told what they need to learn, many times they may not care for how they are told to learn. With this approach, the teacher should focus on giving the student a choice of which digital tool or app to use. By doing this, you typically will further motivate the student to achieve, as they will likely take more responsibility for their learning. To implement this, teachers may determine that there are a group of apps that would all accomplish the lesson objectives and goals. Students would then be given a choice of which tool/method they use. To take it a step further, teachers could also offer choices of assignments to complete, all of which may demonstrate the same competency or skill. All of these steps further enhances the chance of student success, since most students like tools and tasks that motivate them which keeps them engaged through the completion of the assignment. (The Digital Teacher, n.d.)
Another way to increase the likelihood of student success is the offering of assistive technologies that can help students in need of differentiated/focused instruction, or those with physical or learning disabilities. Both groups of students are prime candidates for the nearly unlimited technology tools and apps at the disposal of educators.
First and foremost, what is assistive technology? Glad you asked! Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities. (Assistive Technology Industry Association, n.d.) Below are two of the many examples of assistive technologies that can be implemented to meet student needs and learning within the classroom: MathTalk - https://mathtalk.com/ - This application is a speech recognition program specifically developed to assist students with math related courses. From pre-algebra all the way up to PhD level mathematics, the learner can perform math problems simply by speaking them into a microphone enabled computer. This app's voice to text capabilities make this a very viable option for students who struggle with the fine motor skills that would otherwise be needed to operate a computer. The assistance that are given to this group of students essentially "levels the playing field" and allows them to be given the chance to achieve at the same levels as their classmates. (TeachThought, 2019)
Assistive Listening Systems - For those students who have a hearing impairment, there are technologies available that can assist them with their struggle in the classroom. With all of the instruction given by the teacher any given day, the need to be able to hear clearly is essential for all students; assistive listening systems help meet this need. One example of a common tool used in this situation is the FM System, which utilizes a microphone worn by the teacher, a specific type of transmission method or frequency, and a receiver worn by the student, usually in the form of a hearing aid. Most of these systems even have the capability to isolate teacher to student audio, essentially eliminating all background noise. (TeachThought, 2019)
Resources
The Digital Teacher. (n.d.). Tips—Using digital tools to develop learner autonomy: Help your learners define their own aims and organise their own study. Retrieved from https://thedigitalteacher.com/training/using-digital-tools-to-develop-learner-autonomy-tips
Assistive Technology Industry Association. (n.d.). What is AT? Retrieved from https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/
TeachThought. (2019, May 30). 15 Assistive technology tools & resources for students with disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/technology/15-assistive-technology-tools-resources-for-students-with-disabilities/
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