Technology+Issues+(KD)

__Technology to Suppor High-Order Thinking__ This assignment was to explore a interactive site and then decide as future educators how the site could then be used to support high-order thinking.

Technology is becoming more and more prominent in our classrooms. Though it’s important for us as educators to realize that technology is most effective when it’s used to support high-order thinking. High-order thinking is when an individual not only has knowledge on certain content, but when that individual can also integrate that content into real-world situations or when that individual can create something themselves relating to that content.

For example, the website http://www.panoramas.dk/7-wonders/ could be used to create an interactive high-order thinking activity for a writing class. One way this site could be used is to have your students explore the different locations that have a 360-degree panoramic view. A few locations that students can choose from this site would be the Coliseum in Rome, The Great Wall of China, and even the Taj Mahal. Your student then after exploring the location and also researching the time period and the original use of the location they could write a story incorporating the history of the location while linking to the site for their readers to have as a visual.

__Technology to Affirm Diversity__ This assignment was to describe how technology supports and integrates diversity within our classrooms.

Diversity is all among us. Everybody has a slightly different background and some have a greater difference then others. It's important to us as future educators to celebrate this fact within our classrooms. It's even possible to not only support diversity within the classroom but do so by using technology. Language is a big part of diversity, and there are a number of websites that let you translate words and even full sentences. Another great resource from technology that can be used to support diversity is websites that have interactive tours of places around the world. This allows students to explore areas that they are not familiar with.

One specific example of how technology could be used to affirm diversity within a science classroom is to use web searches to find information on famous individuals that are famous in science. The twist to this assignment though is to require your students to choose an individual that has a different background then themselves. Or it may even be helpful to assign an assortment of individuals to make sure your student is choosing someone of a different background, or an individual that is from an underrepresented group. Then have your students create a presentation using technology, perhaps PowerPoint, to present to the class.

__Technology to Support All-Learners__ This assignment was to describe how technology supports the needs learners with special needs.

Some students may need additional help and this can be done with the aid of technology. It's important to us as future educators to realize that technology can be uesd to help out these students. Some students could need help with taking notes. A newer technology that is beginning to be seen in classrooms is smart boards. The smart board looks like a regular white board, that actually takes a picture of what was writen on it. That way students can get an exact copy of what was being presented on the board.