EdTech Presentation Summaries

Creating an Inclusive Classroom Using Technology

Sarah, Mor­gan F, Emily 

Pho­to by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-on-a-video-call-4226140/

Vir­tu­al Classrooms 

PROS:

1) Alter­nate mode of instruction 

2) Syn­chro­nous & asyn­chro­nous- accessed any­time, anywhere 

3) Stu­dents uncom­fort­able speak­ing in class might be more inclined to share online 

4) Access to extra support.

CONS:

1) Learn­ing curve when first using the technology 

2) Stu­dents will need a device at home

Immer­sive Reader

PROS:

1) Read­ing support 

2) Helps devel­op reading/language skills 

3) Offers addi­tion­al class­room sup­port, trans­lat­ing, read­ing-speed choice 

4) Google Chrome Immer­sive Read­er extension

CONS:

1) Poten­tial reliance on immer­sive readers 

2) Cost of microsoft office

Near­Pod

PROS:

1) Inter­ac­tive pre­sen­ta­tion tool 

2) Increas­es acces­si­bil­i­ty of presentations 

3) Gam­i­fi­ca­tion of lessons 

4) Stu­dent-paced instruction 

5) Sup­ports immer­sive reader


Using Technologies that Support Students with Exceptionalities

Claire, Zac, Karis, Jennie

Pho­to by Tara Win­stead: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-reaching-out-to-a-robot-8386434/

See­ing AI

An app that uses the cam­era on your phone to describe the peo­ple, text, and objects around you.

Offers mul­ti­ple set­tings to announce dif­fer­ent infor­ma­tion; like read­ing text or describ­ing faces and photos.

Can help stu­dents with: note tak­ing, read­ing, and writing.

Eye Gaze Technology

Pro­gram that tracks eye move­ment to help stu­dents with phys­i­cal dif­fi­cul­ties, learn­ing dis­abil­i­ties, ect to nav­i­gate web­sites, com­mu­ni­cate, and much more. 

Gives stu­dents with dis­abil­i­ties more inde­pen­dence and allows them to express them­selves more freely.

Immer­sive Reader

Microsoft Word tool that reads text aloud, allow­ing clear com­mu­ni­ca­tion between teach­ers and students. 

Can help stu­dents with vision dif­fi­cul­ties, ADD/ADHD, ASD, ect. feel more independent.

Breathe Think Do (Sesame Street)

Helps stu­dents self-reg­u­late and solve prob­lems more efficiently.


Virtual Reality Experiences

Bradley and Jake

Pho­to by Jes­si­ca Lewis Cre­ative: https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-wearing-black-and-white-virtual-reality-headset-3405456/

There are 3 dif­fer­ent types: Vir­tu­al Real­i­ty, Aug­ment­ed Real­i­ty, and Extend­ed Reality

Vir­tu­al Reality

Head­set that you put on and see a diff­fer­ent envi­ron­ment, with the head­set track­ing your movement

Aug­ment­ed Reality

Head­set that you can see every­thing around you with over­lay­ing inter­faces (Google Glasses)

Extend­ed Reality

XR, merges vir­tu­al and aug­ment­ed real­i­ty, used for ther­a­py for mil­i­tary assets

META QUEST 2

Edu­ca­tion­al Appli­ca­tions: Librar­i­um, Hand Physics Lab, Nanome, Star Chart

PROS:

1) Sim­ple set up & portable 

2)Affordable ($399)

3) Diverse soft­ware (less of a gam­ing bias) 

4) More of a com­put­er than a gimmick 

5) Soft­ware support

CONS:

1) Low­er com­put­ing power 

2) Poten­tial­ly a dis­trac­tion for students 

3) Sin­gle-play­er

4) Edu­ca­tion­al soft­ware still limited 

5) Lim­it­ed sup­port for peo­ple with phys­i­cal limitations

PLAYSTATION VR

Edu­ca­tion­al Appli­ca­tions: Sub­mer­sive field trips, learn­ing while play­ing games

PROS:

1) Engross­ing and nov­el: new ways to learn and engage in excit­ing ways 

2) Hands on learning 

3) Learn­ing in new ways

4) Less motion sick­ness than Meta Quest 2

5) Expe­ri­ence his­tor­i­cal moments

CONS:

1) Out­dat­ed hard­ware and soft­ware (2017)

2) Immo­bile & ardu­ous set up

3) Gam­ing bias 

4) Motion sickness 

5) Expen­sive


Virtual Field Trips

Mor­gan T, Kim, Chelsea

Kindergarten: Virtual Trip to the Zoo

-360 view of exhibits & view points you can’t nor­mal­ly see at the zoo! 

-Inter­ac­tive com­po­nents stu­dents can engage with 

-Sup­ple­men­tal tools to enhance learn­ing: Jam­board, Boom­Cards, Kai XR, Can­va, ThingLink

Pho­to by Pix­abay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-portrait-of-lion-247502/

Grade 8: Mount St. Helens Virtual Tour

-Stu­dents can expe­ri­ence a view point too dan­ger­ous for an actu­al visit.

-Sup­ple­men­tal tools to enhance learn­ing: Screen­cas­ti­fy, Jam­board, YouTube, Qui­zlet, Kahoot

Pho­to by Ter­ra Stone: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mount-st-helens-skamania-county-washington-united-states-8932019/

PROS:

1) More engag­ing than text­book learning 

2) More acces­si­ble for stu­dents with disabilities 

3) Oppor­tu­ni­ties to expe­ri­ence new perspectives 

4) Ben­e­fi­cial for visual/experiential learners

CONS:

1) Tech­nol­o­gy can be unreliable 

2) Con­tent would need to be sup­ple­ment­ed — dec­o­rat­ing, cos­tumes, ect 

3) Lit­tle move­ment for students

4) Some of the pro­grams cost money

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