Diversity
Children arrive in our classrooms with wide ranging backgrounds. These differences include ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, special needs, etc. This diversity among students is a reality that should be considered when teachers design lessons. Students have different needs, and the technology facilitator should be able to support teachers as they strive to meet the different needs of their students. Through my coursework in the ITEC program I have acquired the knowledge, skills and disposition that will help me promote the use of technology to meet the needs of this wide ranging group.
When lessons are set up to meet the different needs of the students the learning activities will be more relevant, engaging, and meaningful for that individual. Students are likely to enjoy the activity and perform better. The power of technology to individualize and customize content is a powerful rationale for its use. Technology’s greatest asset is its usefulness in encouraging cooperative learning and communication among all students. By providing English language learners a means to work along with their English speaking classmates in the acquisition of both content knowledge and language proficiency, technology is transformative. It can also be a great equalizer. Technology can provide a means for students who speak a different language to stay on par with their English speaking classmates. It can be used as an alternative input to allow visual learners another avenue to receive content. Likewise, technology can provide auditory learners an alternative means to acquire content knowledge. By using technology to deliver content is different ways, as opposed to the traditional one size fits all method, students’ learning preferences are accounted for. Technology can make content delivery and student learning much more targeted and personalized.
The following is a list of activities I have taken on that demonstrate my ability to address diversity:
• I have assessed my students learning style and delivered lessons geared toward their preferred modality.
• I have implemented technology based assignments that group students from diverse backgrounds.
• I have used technology to deliver targeted learning opportunities to individuals based on their current proficiency and need.
• I have coached English language learners and special needs students to use word processors to improve their writing skills.
• I have designed technology based lessons that address language acquisition and literacy skills, while simultaneously extending learning opportunities for students who have the ability, motivation and desire to extend their learning to a higher level.
• I have used web based digital translation services to prepare materials and communicate with both parents and students who do not speak English.
• I look for opportunities to connect students of similar cultural backgrounds so that they may feel comfortable in the school setting.
• I have created a Data Overview for my school that highlights specific demographic areas to be addressed in our school improvement process.
• I frequently infuse multimedia technologies to make abstract subject matter more concrete through pictures and audio, which assists students who have difficulty with theoretical concepts.
When lessons are set up to meet the different needs of the students the learning activities will be more relevant, engaging, and meaningful for that individual. Students are likely to enjoy the activity and perform better. The power of technology to individualize and customize content is a powerful rationale for its use. Technology’s greatest asset is its usefulness in encouraging cooperative learning and communication among all students. By providing English language learners a means to work along with their English speaking classmates in the acquisition of both content knowledge and language proficiency, technology is transformative. It can also be a great equalizer. Technology can provide a means for students who speak a different language to stay on par with their English speaking classmates. It can be used as an alternative input to allow visual learners another avenue to receive content. Likewise, technology can provide auditory learners an alternative means to acquire content knowledge. By using technology to deliver content is different ways, as opposed to the traditional one size fits all method, students’ learning preferences are accounted for. Technology can make content delivery and student learning much more targeted and personalized.
The following is a list of activities I have taken on that demonstrate my ability to address diversity:
• I have assessed my students learning style and delivered lessons geared toward their preferred modality.
• I have implemented technology based assignments that group students from diverse backgrounds.
• I have used technology to deliver targeted learning opportunities to individuals based on their current proficiency and need.
• I have coached English language learners and special needs students to use word processors to improve their writing skills.
• I have designed technology based lessons that address language acquisition and literacy skills, while simultaneously extending learning opportunities for students who have the ability, motivation and desire to extend their learning to a higher level.
• I have used web based digital translation services to prepare materials and communicate with both parents and students who do not speak English.
• I look for opportunities to connect students of similar cultural backgrounds so that they may feel comfortable in the school setting.
• I have created a Data Overview for my school that highlights specific demographic areas to be addressed in our school improvement process.
• I frequently infuse multimedia technologies to make abstract subject matter more concrete through pictures and audio, which assists students who have difficulty with theoretical concepts.