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Serious Gaming

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  One of the constant challenges for teachers at any level is the struggle to keep students engaged in the learning process. Accessibility to technology is a given for most students outside of school, so when we use it in the classroom, it seems like a natural component. Determining what technology to use and how often to use it can be a daunting task. When implemented in a thoughtful manner, it can have a positive impact on students’ willingness to participate and engage with the topic and with classmates. Serious Gaming is a variation of the idea of gamification. It utilizes the idea of games, but they are created to teach a skill. One main advantage of using Serious Gaming in the classroom is its ability to make learning seem more fun. By doing this occasionally, teachers may help students regain their motivation to engage in class, and give them a break from what could feel like a monotonous routine. For certain students, using serious gaming and adding a competitive element ma
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Collaborative Technology

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With the implementation of 1:1 technology in many schools in my area, students have the ability to access personalized learning based on their individual needs. However, it can be difficult to make decisions about the best resources to provide for students related to their needs and what is available as a school or a district. Teachers are constantly striving to find the balance between using technology just because we can and using it to help instruction be more engaging or effective.   The cost of devices has decreased, especially considering organizations that buy in bulk, but there is still a discrepancy between students who are introduced to creative ways to use technology rather than for passive content consumption (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2017). If devices are available, but students only utilize them for the Substitution level of the SAMR model, it is difficult to justify the cost. Since my caseload of students all have very diverse needs, one of the most adaptable tools I h
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Learning Management Systems

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Learning Management Systems It is estimated that around 60,000 classrooms currently use Google Classroom as their LMS  in 2023 (Todorov, 2023).  As the world has turned more to digital resources and more schools are prioritizing digital devices in school, the need for an organized learning management system has risen.  In 2015, one year after it was released, my school district implemented Google Classroom as they also started a 1:1 device initiative.  One of the things I liked about it then and would still appreciate is the ability for teachers to create individualized classrooms that could be tailored to fit various groups of students. For example, for the special education teacher who has a student who has significant difficulties maneuvering multiple classes, the teacher could create one Google Classroom with links to that student’s individual assignments as a supplement. It could help minimize the number of clicks required by the student in order to participate in the class. If we
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Digital Learning

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MacBooks in the Classroom In my district, the secondary level students have had access to MacBooks on a 1:1 basis since 2015.  The district initiative started in 2014 and initially gave middle school students an iPad, but quickly determined that middle school students needed more accessibility in the form of a MacBook. I think it is very important for schools and parents to be informed about how the students should and could be using these tools that are just handed to them.  Each school gives their own introduction to the devices themselves as well as lessons on digital citizenship throughout the year to start the process.  The inclusion of digital devices for each student helps with equal access to resources, but it comes with an extra level of monitoring by teachers and accountability for students. Due to the experience of seeing how easily students get off task when given access to a MacBook, most of the co-teachers I have worked with give very specific guidelines on how the device
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Digital Citizenship

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Digital Citizenship Of all the types of conflict that occur between students at the middle school level, I believe the rise in technology use has created the biggest problem. In his article, "Digital citizenship is more important than ever",  Mike Ribble describes three core elements that should be considered when teaching students how to navigate their online presence.  Respect Educate Protect These three factors, along with their subtopics, when taught explicitly as well as referenced in daily activities, could help students have a positive online experience. As a special education teacher who co-taught core subjects at the middle school level, much of my time in class was spent monitoring students' behavior as well as their technology use during class.  Judging by the information they were willing to type out on their school-issued devices, I have no doubt students did not have good boundaries online on their own personal devices. Teaching responsible digital citizensh
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Social Emotional Resource Tools

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     After seventeen years teaching middle school special education in one district, I have accepted a new position at a high school in my home district.  My new role will be Social Emotional Resource Teacher, so along with creating learning plans with the team for each student, I will be helping my students maneuver some additional challenges.       My new district has been a 1:1 technology district at the secondary level for many years, so most of my students should be experienced with their given technology.  In this case, they use Surface Pros. Due to the variety of grade levels and subject areas my students will have, I anticipate there will be a need to use technology to help my students monitor their grades and their progress. Though I am very comfortable using the Google suite along with Canvas to create, share, and monitor course materials with my current students, I recognize there are many other tools that may be more beneficial to the needs of high school level students.  I
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