Diversity
Throughout this program I have had the opportunity to learn how to use technology to address diversity among students in many different ways. The term "diversity" can cover a wide array of meanings. It can be used to refer to groups of people with different racial, ethnic, economic, religious, political, intellectual, ability, and achievement backgrounds and profiles. It is important for educators to foster an understanding of and respect for diversity and cultural awareness among our students and to model this understanding and respect in our own teaching practice. Technology can be used not only develop this understanding and respect within our students, but also to facilitate those varying needs within our own diverse student populations as well.
One of the biggest takeaways regarding technology and diversity that I will have from this program is the issue of the digital divide. I learned how this term could refer to both physical access to digital media such as computers, smart phones, tablets, etc. and the quality and sophistication of tasks with which these devices are being used among various groups of students. Although I had heard of the digital divide as it applies to physical access to equipment, I had not previously given much thought to the disparity that exists between various subgroups concerning the type of technology-related instruction they receive. In this program, I learned strategies to assure that students in all these diverse subgroups have shared opportunities to learn with technology in a way that promotes higher order thinking skills, engaged learning, and authentic learning, rather than reserving those learning experiences for high-achieving, high-socioeconomic students and relegating others to for simple “drill and kill” technology-related learning activities.
Another major takeaway I will have from this program is how to use technology to support the diverse needs of our learners. I had practice designing several lesson plans and project for students that promoted differentiated learning, mostly by allowing students to choose how to use technology tools to express their learning. This meant that I had to learn how to fill the role of “facilitator” while allowing students to guide their own learning as they filled the roles of “teacher,” “explorer,” and “producer.” I also had practice with learning about, choosing, and implementing assistive technology for students with special needs. The Assistive Technology field experience gave me an in-depth look at the process required to select and implement appropriate assistive technology to fit each student’s specific and unique needs. In this process, I also learned about other assistive technology features that are already in place at many schools but rarely utilized, such as screen readers and speech-to-text tools. I learned that it is important for teachers and technology leaders to know about and be able to implement these tools with students who could benefit from them so that all students have an equal opportunity to learn with technology.
Below is a list of activities that I have completed that demonstrate my ability to successfully address diversity in today’s schools:
One of the biggest takeaways regarding technology and diversity that I will have from this program is the issue of the digital divide. I learned how this term could refer to both physical access to digital media such as computers, smart phones, tablets, etc. and the quality and sophistication of tasks with which these devices are being used among various groups of students. Although I had heard of the digital divide as it applies to physical access to equipment, I had not previously given much thought to the disparity that exists between various subgroups concerning the type of technology-related instruction they receive. In this program, I learned strategies to assure that students in all these diverse subgroups have shared opportunities to learn with technology in a way that promotes higher order thinking skills, engaged learning, and authentic learning, rather than reserving those learning experiences for high-achieving, high-socioeconomic students and relegating others to for simple “drill and kill” technology-related learning activities.
Another major takeaway I will have from this program is how to use technology to support the diverse needs of our learners. I had practice designing several lesson plans and project for students that promoted differentiated learning, mostly by allowing students to choose how to use technology tools to express their learning. This meant that I had to learn how to fill the role of “facilitator” while allowing students to guide their own learning as they filled the roles of “teacher,” “explorer,” and “producer.” I also had practice with learning about, choosing, and implementing assistive technology for students with special needs. The Assistive Technology field experience gave me an in-depth look at the process required to select and implement appropriate assistive technology to fit each student’s specific and unique needs. In this process, I also learned about other assistive technology features that are already in place at many schools but rarely utilized, such as screen readers and speech-to-text tools. I learned that it is important for teachers and technology leaders to know about and be able to implement these tools with students who could benefit from them so that all students have an equal opportunity to learn with technology.
Below is a list of activities that I have completed that demonstrate my ability to successfully address diversity in today’s schools:
- Provided professional development for teachers on how to use Web 2.0 tools for differentiate instruction to meet the diverse needs of all students
- Completed the Assistive Technology field experience where I help select and implement assistive technology to address specific needs of a student with disability (SWD)
- Completed the English Language Learner (ELL) field experience where I developed and implemented a series of strategies to support an ELL student in my music classroom
- Created a shared vision for technology use in our school that discussed how technology would be used to promote higher-order thinking skills in all students
- Created a Data Overview to highlight achievement gaps among subgroups in our school in an effort to bring attention to and close these achievement gaps
- Modeled and promoted the use of technology for higher order thinking skills for all students by coaching other teachers in the school building
- Modeled and promoted equitable access of equipment by planning for strategies such as small groups and cart checkout
- Implemented lessons using technology such as Skype to promote communication between my students and those in communities beyond our own to promote cultural awareness and global perspective