EdTech & Innovation

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation April 25, 2017

How to Teach with Your iPhone

Many schools support a Bring Your Device (BYOD) policy for teachers. Other schools provide products like iPads and iPhones for teachers to use in their classes. Either way, there are plenty of apps that can be used in the classroom on an iPhone or an iPad. Some apps work well for different things, but they all are designed to do one thing: make the teaching process easier and more productive at the same time. Here are some apps that are essential to use on an iPhone in the classroom to gain that easy productivity to meet all needs and desires a teacher may have.

MasteryConnect

MasteryConnect is a great app for keeping aligned with Common Core State Standards. It keeps the information for each standard right at a teacher’s fingertips for ease of use. These standards are organized by grade level and subject, so they are easy to navigate. Other resources exist within the app, too, such as tools needed for teachers who work with English-Language Learners and students with special needs. The interface is easy to use and lessens the need to make endless photocopies or having to reference the app every, single time a lesson or unit is made.

Pick a Student

Students must be held accountable for their participation in class discussions, so it is important that everyone has a chance to speak his or her mind. Coffee can with popsicle sticks is a thing of the past now. Apps like Pick a Student does much of the same task without having to make a physical means of tracking information about who has and who has not participated. Multiple class lists with students’ names can be made with ease, and even smaller groups of students can make into lists. The randomize button on the screen picks which student should answer. These apps are great for review sessions or Socratic circle discussions.

All the Timers

Using a timer to keep students focused and on topic with their answers is essential for preparation for state exams or making sure students do not cut themselves short or take too long. Certain iPhones and iPads come standard with both of a Sand Timer and a Traffic Light. These apps are interactive and visually appealing, but they do not use numbers like normal countdown timers. This visual aid is less pressing than watching numbers count down. The Traffic Light is especially helpful because it sections off the time visually, thus making students focus on what to say and when to wrap everything up.

Organize the Classroom Library

Organizing a classroom library according to student interests is one thing. However, making sure the books are also organized according to the level of difficulty is important, too. The BookLeveler does exactly this task without having to do a lot of research in the meantime. By scanning a barcode on a book, users can locate the level of a text with ease. Typing in the name of a book and the author works just as well, too.

GroovyGrader

The iPhone also has an app that can make grading all the easier. GroovyGrader allows teachers to figure out the percentages of questions that students struggle with rather easily. In other words, it does the math for teachers when it comes to converting grades into percentages.

Scan those Documents

Keeping track of paperwork can be a trial in patience for teachers. However, there is an iPhone app that will make tracking paperwork so much easier. DocScan HD allows pictures of documents to be turned in PDFs or JPGs without much of a hassle. This app comes with an upgrade that then stores the files automatically in Dropbox, a cloud sharing service.

Conclusion

There are so many apps that are available on the iPhone for teachers and students to use. These are necessary for a functional classroom at all costs. Ironically, most of these apps do not cost anything to use, and those apps that do charge a fee are relatively affordable compared to other programs that do not operate on a mobile device as easily. A teacher living in these modern times simply cannot live with iPhone apps such as these.

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation April 24, 2017

EdTech Classrooms: How to Manage Them

Classroom management is a skill that educators struggle with daily. Management strategies have to be adapted to fit different classroom sizes, age group, and behavioral patterns. Technology brings with it excitement, but in edtech classrooms, it is another aspect that educators have to police. Younger students naturally require more observation, but regardless, classroom management is an important aspect of any successful class. So, below are some ideas on how to use technology in but still be in control of the happenings behind the screens.

Historically, the classroom has changed very little in its layout. Teachers speak at the front and students are aligned in desks towards the back. Technology aims to bring students to the forefront of education and so a traditional classroom set out is not conducive to this new type of learning nor does it aid in classroom management. Educators need to now have an eye on their students and their screens. In higher grades, this can be accomplished by walking around and teaching from the back of the class, but with younger children, it proves more of a challenge.

Station rotation is a classroom management tool that is explored in Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools by Michael Horn and Heather Staker. This classroom management technique is encouraged in K- 12 classes and has shown to have positive results in regards to classroom management and overall effectiveness of technology use. By having a number of stations with different tasks, educators can keep an eye on smaller groups using technology and can walk around and do micro-teaching. Students are given the freedom to work on a task but not without the control that comes with the job at each station. This method also changes the classroom set out and allows for student-centered learning.

Keeping students on task is hard for any educator. Devices bring with accessibility to the internet and other apps. As much as the classroom management is necessary, the upkeep of the technology is equally as important. This means ensuring that security functions are up to date, search options are child safe and that no additional apps are downloaded to act as distractions. Clearlock and AppBlock are free apps that allow educators to manage what apps a student can access and for how long. Apps such as they aid in curbing

In 2014 only 16 % of students were provided with a personable tablet by their schools and the statistics on other devices is not much better. What this suggests, regarding classroom management, is that sharing of devices is a reality. Educators need to be ready to ensure that every student has a chance to engage with edtech if they are to reap the rewards. The station rotation method works well here as does group work. By encouraging students to work together, educators foster relationships and make the use of a technology a social and an educational tool.

Another tried and tested classroom management technique is the policing the types of technology that are allowed in a particular class or lesson. “No Phone Zones” and rules around when technology is appropriate, ensure that educators have control on what can be out on desks and what can’t. Students need to understand that technology is not a free pass and that there are rules that exist around their use. This

So, new technology comes with new classroom management obstacles. Classrooms need to adapt to include technology, and if this is to be done effectively, then the traditional classroom will not do. Station rotation, group work and ensuring that the technology is secure is a good place to start. Students need to know what is expected of them and how technology is an aspect of the classroom and not a replacement of one.

Matthew Lynch published in Digital & Mobile Technology, EdTech & Innovation, EdTech Policy & Reform, Higher Education April 23, 2017

What Would Happen if Learning Materials Were Provided to All Students on or Before the First Day of Class?

Mike Hale, Ph.D. VP Education North America

VitalSource

Why Doesn’t this Happen?

If all required learning materials, including textbooks, were provided to all students on or before the first day of class, the average price per student of learning materials would drop and students would be more successful.

Then why is it the vast majority of college students do not come to class with required content on the first day of class, and a significant number never get their core textbooks at all?

First, because required doesn’t actually mean required in higher education. Is this because colleges and faculty do not care about the success of students? Of course not. Ask any academic leader on a college campus if students would be better off if they had all required learning materials and the answer will be a resounding, YES. Faculty spend valuable time planning their courses and choosing resources; however, in the end, after all that work, most institutions and most professors are willing to leave it up to the student whether or not they actually acquire and engage with the content.

The actual content domain to be mastered in the course is, astoundingly, practically the only thing left to the whims of student choice. It is absolutely required that all dental students MUST have an articulator for class (an instrument for studying tooth and jaw). You cannot pass; you cannot even come to class, without one. But is it absolutely required that students possess the material detailing the various bones, muscles, nerves, and tendons involved? It is not.

Traditionally, little thought was given to the price of the resources or whether the students will purchase them. Why didn’t professors pay attention to price if they are so carefully choosing these resources?

One reason is that resources used to be reasonably priced and another is that professors don’t have to pay for the content. Economists call this the Principal Agent Problem, meaning that the decision-maker (agent/faculty) is not the one affected (principal/student). This doesn’t mean that faculty don’t care about the price of textbooks, it is simply that it has not been the predominant factor in their equation for determining course materials. Certainly some instructors care strongly about cost, but the means they use to address the problem—think third-generation scans of articles, not properly licensed, or two copies of a book in the library for a class of 400 students—reduce the quality of instruction and are in the long term not effective against cost.

What is preventing all colleges and universities from including the course materials in the cost of the course given that is guaranteed to cut student costs of learning materials and increase student success?

Ironically, one reason is that institutions are sensitive to the perception of adding any cost tied directly to the institution. The cost of tuition has more than doubled (measured in constant dollars) over the past 30 years and institutions are reluctant to be perceived as increasing student costs. However, students spend an average of $1300 per year on textbooks and supplies alone. That’s the equivalent of 39 percent of tuition and fees at a community college, and 14 percent of tuition and fees at a four-year public university on average. Including textbooks in tuition would save students at least $800 per year, a more than 60 percent reduction in cost.

Rather than consider the total cost of education, which includes required learning materials it is easier to give students a list of “required materials” and leave that decision-making to them on how, when or whether, they get them. While conveniently allowing institutions to wash their hands of the costs of course materials, this model has directly led to the massive increase in cost of learning materials: an 82 percent increase in the cost of textbooks over the last 10 years. This number is more than three times the rate of inflation.

How can this be? The economics are simple. Education publishers invest tremendous resources into the creation of textbooks working with experts in the field – often leading professors – to author, curate, organize and deliver content and assessments in a package designed to facilitate learning. They then sell this print book into the market to students through a variety of channels including student bookstores and online sellers. However, unlike the food these same students may have purchased, that book does not get consumed and most students sell this book back into market. Sure, some students do keep for future reference and I do have a section on my personal bookshelf dedicated to titles from my formal studies. However, a quick review of that shelf will find that most of these were actually used when I purchased them.

The other issue here is scale. A textbook, regardless of how widely adopted, has a limited market. A New York Times bestseller has to hit an average of 9,000 copies a week to make the list. That is about 500,000 books a year. For a book to reach Amazon’s top seller list, that number is about 3,000, which equates to approximately 150,000 copies a year. A college textbook would be lucky to sell one-tenth of that number, concentrating the development cost across fewer anticipated sales.

This textbook, for which the publisher received revenue one time, may then be resold another six times without the publisher receiving any revenue. Making matters worse, rental textbook programs have grown significantly over the past five years as well, reducing the sell through of “new” titles even further. As a result, publishers have to maximize the price of their initial sale to cover the lost sales. It also reduces the number of years between new editions, since a new edition represents another opportunity for publishers to make a sale again before that title enters the used and rental markets.

When publishers sell new textbooks at absurdly high prices, it is easy to make them out to be the greedy villain in this story. However, publishers are just responding to the economic realities of their business and they are ready to participate in a better solution.

That solution is absurdly simple. Breaking the cycle and lower the total cost of education by eliminating the print textbook. Do this and students will benefit both economically and educationally.

With a digital learning solution, there is no used or rental market, so the publisher gets paid for every student and can significantly lower the price of the content. You might say, digital textbooks are available today and students can simply choose them and that is true. However, the retail price of digital textbooks is simply not as competitive with rental and used. Again, this is due to the market…if institutions ensured every student had access to the content, the publishers would make the sale on every student, and they can significantly lower the cost of the content. Education publishers can then go back to what they were originally founded to do: compete to create the most effective learning solutions.

A quick note about Open Education Resources (OER), which have been touted as an answer to the high cost of course materials. Without question OER materials can significantly lower the cost to students. However, no materials should be adopted primarily because of cost. We want students to get the best materials available, be they OER or commercially produced. Students shouldn’t receive inferior materials just because they are cheap or free.

By far the most important reason to provide students with the required materials they need is to level the playing field for success in college. According to the last data from the National Center for Education Data, the six-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time undergraduate students at four-year degree-granting institutions is 60 percent. Thirty-nine percent of those enrolled in two-year programs complete within three years. These statistics are worse for students who are the first in their family to go to college or have financial challenges. The high cost of course materials is particularly egregious for lower income and disadvantaged students. Fifty-two percent of those whose families earn less than $50,000 feel that avoiding or delaying purchasing the materials negatively impacted their grades, compared to just 39 percent of those whose families make more.

Beyond lowered costs and assuring the students get their materials, there are many other educational benefits to providing digital learning materials on or before the first day or class. Once all students and faculty are in a digital learning environment, the content can evolve from static pages to interactive learning solutions providing formative and summative feedback opportunities as well as insight into student learning behaviors. There are fantastic digital learning solutions available and in use today that I will discuss in a future blog post.

What would it take to implement a program that significantly lowers the cost of learning materials and ensures all students get them at the beginning of the course? Nothing more than institution to simply say yes to a course fee model. The federal government has responded to the rise of these programs and by publishing new rules that allow any institution to include learning materials in a course provided students are given the option to opt-out on a per course basis.

These programs have been implemented in pockets around the country and VitalSource is powering them at more than 400 institutions around the United States saving students more than $100,000,000 in the past 12 months. To break that down a little bit, students are saving an average of $60 per title and we delivered more than 1,700,000 titles through inclusive access programs at traditional 2/4-year programs. Our technology powered these savings through our VitalSource Access program, but also through programs run by some of our partners Barnes and Nobles Education, Pearson, Follett, and more than 20 other partners serving higher education institutions.

Beyond the cost savings, all of these students received the content on the first day, and their faculty and institutions now had brand new insights through our analytics product as to exactly what each student was doing with the content. Print can’t do that, and students choosing digital won’t either.

Everything is in place to improve learning and cut student costs. If just half of all universities implemented these programs across campus, no less than $1 billion dollars could be cut from student costs. What are we waiting for?

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, EdvocatePD April 23, 2017

The A-Z of EdTech Literacy: Letters S-W

Click here to access all of the articles in this series. In this series, we are discussing all of the terms, concepts, and technologies that you need to know to be literate in all thinks edtech. In the previous article, I introduced letters N-P and in the part of this series, I will discuss letters S-W.

Sensory enhancers. Depending on developmental patterns, children may need to learn differently than their peers. Instead of ABCs and numbers first, a child with language delays may benefit from bright pictures or colors to learn new concepts. Sensory enhancers may include voice analyzers, augmentative communication tools, or speech synthesizers. With the rapid growth of technology in the classroom, these basic tools of assistive technology are seeing great strides.

Screen readers. This technology is slightly different from text-to-speech. It simply informs students of what is on a screen. A student who is blind or visually impaired can benefit from the audio interface screen readers provide. Students who otherwise struggle to glean information from a computer screen can learn more easily through technology meant to inform them.

Simulations. Simulations are akin to video games, which automatically make them more attractive to your students. There are many types of simulations that can help instruct children, teens, and college students. For example, there are flight simulators that can be used to help highlight different areas, such as the historic flight of Amelia Earhart across the Atlantic Ocean and various Physics concepts. Simulations can be made as presentations or be provided on different devices

Social Networking refers to the ability and platforms that allow users to interact online, often in real time. Users can conduct live chats, and create or leave comments on blogs or discussion groups.

Software. refers to the programs and applications that make use of the hardware to direct the functions of a computer. Software allows users to give instructions to the computer hardware and receive feedback.

Speech-to-text options. This technology is making mainstream waves through its use in popular cell phones like the Android-platform Razr M. While it is a convenience tool for people without disabilities, speech-to-text provides a learning advantage for students who have mobility or dexterity problems or those who are blind. It allows students to speak their thoughts without typing and even navigate the Internet. speech-to-text options can also “talk back” to students and let them know about potential errors in their work.

Time-management tools. These tools are variations on calendar software. They can be used to schedule your appointments, or you may want to take advantage of more complex features. Some tools can be viewed online, affording access for more than one student at a time. A teacher can arrange appointments or make a note of due dates for assignments so that all students in a class can keep track of such details. Most of these tools allow the option to put some information in private mode, too, so the administrator can choose which calendars people can see and which cannot. Most of these tools include a feature allowing teachers to arrange meetings and groups.

Technology. refers to use and application of technical means, drawing from advances in various fields of science and engineering, to change a person’s interaction with the physical world.

Virtual classrooms. Are a brand new technology that’s quickly spreading to teacher education programs across the nation. The concept is a bit like a flight simulator that a pilot might use before getting into a real plane. Teachers are placed in a virtual classroom full of virtual students and must teach as if they were really in the classroom.

Virtual laboratories. These Web applications give students the chance to perform physical science experiments over and over, from anywhere with Internet access. As in a physical lab, the performance of the student will determine the results of the experiment. While not a replacement for all in-lab exercises, the virtual version can provide extra practice and guidance. There is no pressure to “get it right” on the first run, and mistakes are allowable because the technology lends itself to no-cost repetition. It also may prove a smart solution to rekindling the American public’s interest in the scientific.

Virtual reality. refers to a computer-simulated environment, which may be a simulation of the real world or an imaginary world.

Wearable technology. Can be used for a variety of purposes. Most common are fitness trackers, which have taken over the tech world. Fitness trackers, like the popular FitBit, are more than just fancy pedometers. While they do track the number of steps you take, many are stepping up their game and keeping track of heart rate, calories burned, and even sleep patterns. These advanced features have made fitness trackers a trend on college campuses and elsewhere.

Wiki. is a collaborative website, which can be directly edited by anyone with access to it.

Conclusion

Well, that’s it for my guide. Take the time that you need to become familiar with all the buttons and wires of the modern age, and you’ll become a resource as invaluable to your students as Wi-Fi. What concepts or terms did I leave out?

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, EdvocatePD April 21, 2017

The A-Z of EdTech Literacy: Letters N-P

Click here to access all of the articles in this series. In this series, we are discussing all of the terms, concepts, and technologies that you need to know to be literate in all things edtech. In the previous article, I introduced letters G-M and in this one, I will discuss letters N-P.

Natural user interfaces. In its simplest definition, a natural user interface (NUI) uses the body’s movements to achieve certain outcomes. In the consumer market, examples of NUIs include the Nintendo® WiiTM, Xbox KinectTM, and the iPhone virtual assistant, Siri. The potential in the field of K–12 education is still being realized but will certainly lead to developments in the next half-decade. Students who are blind, deaf, or have physical disabilities or autism can better learn through the use of this still evolving technology.

Next Generation Science Standards. NGSS have been developed by education experts in several states. They are not an official part of the new Common Core standards but are meant to layer on top of the standards in place for stronger science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outcomes. These standards are intended to teach the overlapping nature of science subjects, rather than to present lessons in topic isolation. In states like California, the value of a strong STEM foundation is critical to individual and state success. Over the past decade, STEM jobs have grown at a rate three times faster than other industries. By equipping K-12 students with better STEM knowledge, the long-term economic outlook will improve.

Open-source software. refers to software that is usually free of charge to the public, with the source code available for modification and use.

Online courses. Not every student has the luxury of being able to afford to live on campus and attend college full-time. Nor, in today’s flexible climate with people still chasing the American dream, are college rosters comprised solely of recent high school graduates. In many situations, therefore, online education is an ideal opportunity. Online colleges offer flexible schedules to accommodate other responsibilities and commitments, the lower overall cost to students, and the ability to telecommute from wherever you are to whatever institution in which you wish to enroll. With online educational portals such as BlackBoard, Moodle, and Google Classroom, it is easy to receive instruction, turn in work, and collaborate with the professor and other students through a digital medium.

Personalized learning. The idea behind personalized learning is simple. Students guide their own learning, going at their own pace and, in some cases, making their own decisions about what to learn. Ideally, in a classroom using personalized learning, students choose what they’re interested in, and teachers fit the curriculum and standards to the students’ interests. This type of learning completely reverses the traditional structure of the classroom. Instead of the teacher being the center of attention and leader of the classroom, the students are in the spotlight. Personalized learning gives students a voice and allows them to take ownership of their education. For teachers who want to bring more personalized learning into their own classrooms, it can seem intimidating. Giving up control of the classroom can be scary. Teachers might wonder, will the students really get engaged? Will they learn everything they need to know for the tests at the end of the year? Will I completely lose control over my classroom? Personalized learning doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Teachers can start by talking a little less and letting students have more of a voice. Allowing students to make some choices in the classroom can have a powerful effect.

Well, that’s it for N-P. Did we miss any?

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation April 21, 2017

Creating an Edtech Ecosystem in your Classroom

It has long been known that edtech is a key tool in improving student’s productivity and overall learning experience. In today’s modern society, technology is a crucial element within our educational landscape, and yet this resource has remained relatively untouched in the classroom.

Finally, in recent years, it seems that the US education system is tapping into the potential of edtech by implementing 1:1 ratios for students and technology. But is this enough to create a thriving environment for students to grow?

Students having access to technology is, of course, the first step in creating a thriving edtech ecosystem. However, once technology becomes readily available, teachers must create their own landscape in which students are free to explore, create and grow.

Ecosystems, as a rule, are unique and yet susceptible to change. A teacher looking to build an edtech ecosystem in their classroom has the distinct role of creating a landscape that will nurture each individual students with maximum success. In this day and age, the raw materials available to edtech focused teachers are extensive and can be cherry-picked to suit the needs of their classrooms.

Start From The Ground Up

A classroom is essentially a place where the sharing of information can take place. Typically, it is the teacher who provides the information which is then distributed to the students. This exchange is still the foundation on which an edtech ecosystem is built. A teacher looking to build an edtech ecosystem from the ground up needs a reliable source of sharing information. Google Drive, iCloud and Dropbox are all sharing services available for teachers to use as the groundwork for their edtech ecosystem.

By choosing and sticking to a sharing service that the whole class is connected to, both teachers and students can easily share and transfer information and resources. They provide organizational tools that allow the class to categorize, archive and share their work as individuals or as a team. This allows all students easy access to their work at all times.

Sow The Seeds of Creation

Now that students have a foundation upon which to build, they need tools that will allow them to create within their edtech ecosystem.

Content creation tools fall into two categories: single-use tools and open-ended tools. While single-use creation tools often only require students to learn one skill which is time efficient, they are also restrictive in the sense that the creative outcome is already determined by the specificity of the tool. This can be a good thing. When you plant seed potatoes, you expect to yield potatoes. And having a field full of potatoes makes sure that no one goes hungry. Yet variety is the spice of life and to create variety and innovation in your edtech ecosystem, you need a handful of different seeds that your students can pick and choose to suit their own preferences.

Open-ended creation tools are the key to producing a variety of work within your edtech classroom. Allowing students the freedom to curate, create and present ideas in their own way results in a more vibrant classroom. There are many content creation apps that support a range of multimedia. From writing, editing, creating visual content such as infographics or data presentation, video and audio, the right tool can open up a student’s imagination. Evernote, Canva, Explain Everything and ThingLink are all great tools that will let students run wild with their content creation.

Connection Creates Community

Interconnectivity is the backbone to many thriving ecosystems. Communication in an edtech ecosystem is also of utmost importance. Edtech tools are a fantastic way for students to connect with each other, as well as their broader community, both in and out of the classroom. Through services such as Google Apps for Education, both teacher and students can stay connected through Classroom. This creates a space where all members of the ecosystem can stay up-to-date with news and announcements, important information or interesting content. Students can create a virtual working space for team projects with Hangout, and the result of that work can then be published.

Keeping your edtech ecosystem connected will mean that all members of the ecosystem are supported and encouraged, no matter where they are. Connecting your edtech ecosystem with others is also a fantastic way to encourage growth. Your students can create and publish content to a personal or group blog that is then available to a wider audience, they can work in conjunction with other classes or for other classes: students can create content such as podcasts or infographics that can aid students in lower grades. This creates a larger sense of community and purpose for your students while actively engaging in their studies.

Maintaining your Ecosystem

It’s true that creating an edtech ecosystem in your classroom shifts the power from teacher to students. Students can now take control of their own learning, their own growth, and their own goals. However, the teacher’s new role is one of the gardener, if you will. Careful observance of the edtech tools used in the classroom is needed to make sure that they work for you and your students. As your students develop their ideas, their needs may change. Light weeding may be needed to uproot edtech tools that have lost their value and introduce new tools that will help your students to take their learning to the next level. While the students are the busy workers in this community, the teacher maintains harmony within the edtech ecosystem.

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation April 19, 2017

Edtech Solutions: Improving Learning Opportunities for Students with Special Needs

The number of students with special needs is on the rise across the United States, making it increasingly difficult for educators to teach effectively to their entire student body. Did you know that there are approximately 7 million students in the United States with disabilities? Did you know that only 62.7% of students with special needs in the US graduate high school? With the increase of students with special needs in the US and the current trend in education to increase inclusion in the classroom, educators are experiencing difficulties dividing their time and attention equally across their students. This is where edtech solutions come in.

Advances in technology are making it possible for teachers to best assist students with special needs and or limited language skills, to learn alongside the average student. Through the use of computer programs and games and other devices, students with special needs can participate in the same activity as their peers or a slightly altered program based on their specific needs and skill set.

What programs are available and how much do they cost?

Although not every teacher has equal access to materials including expensive technology resources, there are some options that are free or are usually provided by the school district to all their teachers. From the cost of free to thousands of dollars, there are edtech solutions that enhance learning in the classroom for all learners, and enable special education students to express themselves more completely and to learn more effectively.

Here are just a few edtech solutions:

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices (AAC)- AAC devices enable students who have limited verbal skills to have a voice. Students can select a picture on a screen that speaks for themselves. These programs also allow deaf students to reply to questions through the use of these devices. The cost of AAC devices can range from as little as $180 to as much as $2,100.

MangoMon– MangoMon is free for many educators, and provides interactive reading and mathematics lessons. This program also makes it possible to specialize education plans for each student using the program, and it offers direct parent access for viewing student progress.

Photo Vocabulary– Typically funded through the school, Photo Vocabulary enables students to learn through vocabulary flash cards and audio pronunciation. This program enhances learning opportunity for students with multiple types of disabilities.

Sounding Board- Sounding Board is an app on the iPad which changes a student’s iPad into a storyboard This program enables students with a variety of writing disabilities such as Dyslexia, and communication disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, to develop their message through the use of pictures. This program offers an endless supply of pictures and symbols and helps largely non-verbal students express themselves. *Note: Some schools are now offering iPads to all their students as a way to enhance their curriculum. One iPad per student can cost $500-$950.

VoiceThread – The VoiceThread program functions as a substitute for the traditional way of writing. This free software program records students’ voices with the intention of allowing students to narrate their project or task.

TechMatrix – TechMatrix is a program sponsored by the National Center for Technology Innovation, which describes information and details links and resources for a wide variety of subjects for students with special needs.

Limited budget? What are other possibilities?

If your school’s budget is limited, try considering using the technology you may already possess in your school. To assist some students, it may be easier than you think. When working with a student with a visual or a fine motor disability, you can use a regular desktop computer that your school already has, and purchase only a large-font keyboard, and or a color-coded keyboard. Also, if a student is experiencing difficulty in pressing computer buttons due to their size, switches are available to serve in place of the “enter key,” or of a computer mouse.

Why Use Edtech Solutions?

When it comes to teaching in the classroom, technology can serve as an equalizer. Edtech in the classroom is making it increasingly possible to offer equitable learning opportunities to students with special needs. Even if your school may not have sufficient funding to purchase iPads for every student, there are computer games and programs that are available for free on the internet. As technology continues to march humanity through the 21st-century smartphones, iPads, mobile devices, and computer programs that identify speech patterns are just a few of the widely accessible tools that teachers now have access to. Other equipment such as screen reading tools, specialized keyboards, Braille displays, and text-to-speech solutions are additional ways that we can assist all students with all levels of ability to learn and improve their life opportunities.

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, EdvocatePD April 16, 2017

The A-Z of EdTech Literacy: Letters G-M

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

In this series, we are discussing all of the terms, concepts, and technologies that you need to know to be literate in all thinks edtech. In the previous article, I introduced letters C-F and in this one, I will discuss letters G-M.

Gamification. Gamification refers to the process of bringing in aspects of video games and using them to increase the intrinsic motivation behind completing certain tasks. Often, these systems include aspects like the ability to earn points, reaching new levels, and even advancing on a leaderboard.

Hardware. refers to the physical elements of a computer system (mechanical, electrical, and magnetic).

Holography. Holography was just science fiction a few years ago, but it’s now becoming a reality in some fields, such as medicine. This imaging technique, which allows one to see a 3-D view of an image, has yet to become a part of everyday classroom activities. Holography introduced in classroom activities would change entirely how some subjects are taught. Biology, physics, astronomy, and chemistry could be taught on an entirely different level.

Internet. refers to a global system of interconnected computer networks to serve billions of users worldwide, which are linked by electronic networking technologies.

LAMP. Language Acquisition through Moor Planning, or LAMP, connects neurological and motor learning in a way that makes communication easier for students with autism and related disorders. These principles have proven especially helpful for students who do not speak or have very limited verbal skills. Paired with technology, LAMP principles empower a growing student population with autism to effectively communicate and reach higher academic achievements. LAMP is present in technology – from specially made computers to learning apps.

Learning analytics. This evolving concept in K-12 classrooms is different from educational data mining in that it focuses on individual students, teachers, and schools without direct implications to the government. Learning analytics is the education industry’s response to “big data” that is used in the business world for improvements and redirection of focus. Learning analytics essentially show students what they have achieved and how those goals match up with their peers. If implemented correctly, this technology has the potential to warn teachers early of academic issues while keeping students more accountable. Using the mobile and online technology already in place, students can better track and tailor their academic experiences.

Lecture capture. Lecture capture is typically used in colleges and universities. It gives professors a way of not only recording lectures (the original intent was as a backup to class lectures), but it lets the lecturer interact and supplement the information they teach in class. For example, a professor makes the lecture available. Students can then go back and post comments at any point during the recording and receive responses almost immediately from other people in the class, as well as from the professor.

Makerspaces. Are creative spaces located in communities, schools, and public and academic libraries. These areas are designed to engage participants in hands-on activities that teach twenty-first-century skills. The emphasis in makerspaces is placed upon educating students in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects as well as digital and information literacy.

Mobile learning. Tablets and smartphones in the classroom are no longer a matter of “if,” but “when, and how quickly?” Administrators and educators can tap into the convenience of mobile technology in the classroom and the potential for student learning adaptation. Over half of school administrators say there is some form of mobile technology in their classrooms and that they plan to implement more when it is financially feasible. School districts should keep in mind that the purchase of mobile devices for K-12 use is only one piece of the learning puzzle. There must be funding for teacher training and maintenance of the devices too.

Well, that’s it for G-M. Did we miss any?

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, EdvocatePD April 15, 2017

The A-Z of EdTech Literacy: Letters C-F

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

Cloud computing. When it comes to greater educational collaboration, cloud computing has unlimited potential. This is true for teacher-to-teacher, teacher-to-parent, and teacher-to-student applications. By using a common location, academic expectations can be better accessed, along with actual student work. Instructors can also share learning materials and experiences through the remote opportunities that cloud computing provides.

Cognitive tools. refers to programs and applications, such as word processors, spreadsheets, and email. When used effectively in a classroom setting, they improve the learning process, enhancing thinking and understanding, and often removing some of the manual effort required in performing tasks.

Cyberspace. is a metaphorical concept referring to the world of information provided through the Internet.

Customized learning experiences. Self-initiated and self-directed learning experiences are based on the needs, preferences, and abilities of individual students. The traditional way to look at learning is via the creation and assignment of work by teachers in a one-size-fits-all approach for every classroom. Customized learning, however, allows students to direct focus on feedback techniques that provide strategies for improvement during the process, instead of waiting for a given test period see if the methods are working.

Digital divide. refers to the societal division in which all people do not experience the same degree of access to modern digital information and communication technologies (ICT), particularly on the basis of their socioeconomic status.

Digital native. is a person who has been raised in an environment of digital technology- such as the use of computers, the Internet, mobile phones, and MP3s.

Flipped classroom. The traditional model of teachers lecturing in the classroom and students completing practice and homework on their own is changing. Instead, students are learning on their own and using the classroom as a place to dig more deeply into what they’ve learned. This model, known as the flipped classroom, is gaining popularity thanks to the rise of EdTech. How does the flipped classroom work? Students watch lecture videos or complete readings at home. The following day in class, the teacher clarifies anything students didn’t understand. Students then work with the information to answer questions, complete projects and do other activities that used to be reserved for homework. The flipped classroom provides benefits for students and teachers alike. Teachers spend more time helping students with the content they don’t understand. This means more one-on-one help for students and less time listening to boring lectures in class.

Freemium models. Following the successful mobile gaming application business model, ed-tech companies are starting to offer free services with paid upcharges. Consider Candy Crush Saga way of doing business. Anyone with a smartphone, tablet or desktop Facebook access can download the game at no cost. As users progress through the addictive, sugar-laden levels, they are prompted to make small purchases (usually between 99 cents and $3) to gain access to higher levels, add more lives or buy level “boosters” to help their luck. But giving away a product for free? What sort of business sense does that make? In the case of Candy Crush, it has proven to be savvy indeed. The game’s owner King brought in $1.9 billion in revenue in 2013 and its initial public offering earlier this year was valued at $7 billion.

Well, that’s it for C-F. Did we miss any?

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Higher Education April 14, 2017

How Technology Can Expand Creativity and Innovation in Education

Creativity has always been a part of a successful classroom, however recent advances in technology are making it possible to increase the ability for students to use their creativity in academia. With the ability to take and store thousands of pictures and videos, and listen to music in the palms of our hands, our students have the ability to be more and more creative in their projects, assignments, as well as group and individual tasks. As universities are encouraging the expansion and use of technology in the classroom, many professors are also encouraging the development of their students’ creative minds.

Getting Creative Through Photographs and Video Projects

One way many professors and teaching assistants are using technology to help students get creative is through the use of devices and media that students already have! Almost all, if not all of today’s students have access to a photo and or video recording device. Professors can use digital media in projects for their students, regardless of the subject. By asking students to step outside their comfort zone and produce their own piece of media, we are asking students to be creative, to think in a variety of ways, and to apply their learning through the use of technology. Nicole Flynn writes on Cielo24 that the concept BYOD (or bring your own device) to class will increase the concept that students can use technology to enhance their own learning. The BYOD idea will likely take hold immediately within the next one to two years, states Nicole Flynn.

Innovation and Creative Design in STEM Subjects

In STEM subjects, the use of technology and the need for creativity go hand-in-hand. Technology provides the opportunities for learners of STEM students to be more creative than ever before. Students have the opportunity to build virtual models of their devices, programs, robots, and other gadgets. According to Meghan Cortez, of EdTech Magazine, technology has enabled engineering students more opportunities than ever before to create and innovate. In the future, we can look for advances in robotic technology through “Generation Z,” the name of our current generation growing up with technology. The article “Technology Can Help Expand Creativity,” discusses how Generation Z students believe that learning to use technology in a creative way is essential to being career-ready.

Video Game Design, Film Animation and Media Development

As professors are being given more freedom in the classroom to design lessons, learning materials, and assignments, professors are also able to encourage and support students in the dual use of technology and creativity, according to Norman Jackon. Technology is also advancing growth in the gaming industry, as technology related to game design and program development is developing at a rapid pace. Video game design students, computer programming students, and students are able to access today’s technology and information about programming to create and innovate new ideas, games, and solutions to every-day problems. In game and software development, technology thrives where creativity is present, and vice versa; creativity thrives where technology is present.

The Makerspace Movement: Changing Our Creative Spaces

Another way that technology is changing our classrooms in universities and colleges is the recent trend called Makerspaces. Makerspaces are designated spaces in libraries, in labs, on college campuses, and in other learning centers for artisans, scientists, and learners to engage using given space, materials and supplies. Makerspaces, according to Nicole Flynn, will become a significant part of the learning process in academic spaces within the next three to five years. Makerspaces will provide space for students and teachers to collaborate and learn by engaging with building materials such as advanced 3D printers and laser cutters and even simple tools such as plywood, a hammer, and nails.

Encouraging Ideas and Growth Through Social Media

Social media is also encouraging creativity among our current generation of students. Through social media programs such as Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram, students are combining technology with inspiration, to create a wealth of resources and information available globally. Students in higher education are able to innovate, engage in online discussions, and share creativity through social media platforms. Through these platforms students can share ideas with each other, collaborate, and keep even their professors on their toes!

Regardless of the types of media that professors introduce, and students suggest, use, and implement, technology is taking hold in our universities to expand opportunities for the use of creativity inside and outside the classroom. Often times students can contribute new ideas to discussions and development regarding creative design, STEM learning, robotics, film animation, game design, and other arts. As we advance into the 21^st Century, we are all learners. We can all make use of both the left and right sides of our brain to advance the technology we already possess by using our creativity.