Since I started blogging, new technologies have made their way into an increasing number of classrooms, and many educators are aware of efforts such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Response to Intervention or Instruction (RTI), as well as innovative technologies that provide engaged, interactive learning experiences for students.
In this post, I've consolidated information and updated links and resources from some previous posts from my TechPsych and Interactive Multimedia Technology blogs. Although many of the resources cited in this post relate to K-12 education, some of the information is useful for instructional designers, school administrators, researchers, college/university educators, parents, and technologists who are interested in developing interactive multimedia applications for children and teens.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Planning for All Learners
Universal Design for Learning incorporates differentiated instruction, addressing visual learning and other means of academic engagement through the use of media technology, including project-based learning. The concepts of Universal Design for Learning fit with Response to Intervention (RTI), universal prevention/intervention, and instructional consultation/ problem-solving teams. For those who are considering this approach, plan on spending time exploring this Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) website.
The Planning for All Learners section provides resources such as lesson plan examples and planning charts that provide teachers a way of representing the specific needs of each student.
CAST offers the on-line interactive book, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning.
This book is a good resource for staff development activities. Plan on spending a good bit of time on this site!
EDUTOPIA: The George Lucas Foundation
The Edutopia website provides "..detailed articles, in-depth case studies, research summaries, instructional modules, short documentary segments, expert interviews, and links to hundreds of relevant resources."
The Technology integration link. provides resources for teachers, staff development, including video segments that cover technology integration, project based learning, school-to-career, the use of multimedia for emotional intelligence activities, and more.INSPIRATION and KIDSPIRATION
Visual learning software: "Learning to think. Learning to learn. These are the essential skills for student success. Research in both educational theory and cognitive psychology tells us that visual learning is among the very best methods for teaching students of all ages how to think, and how to learn." Many school districts have adopted Kidspiration and Inspiration; there are many resources for teacher support for this software. Effective with visual learners and works well for paired and small group activities. Potential for intervention and "engagement" research.
Many school districts have adopted Kidspiration and Inspiration; there are many resources on the website for teacher support for this software. Inspiration and Kidspiration are effective with visual learners. These applications work well on large-screen displays as well as P.C.'s, and are good for paired and small group activities.
Inspiration now offers a visual data analysis application, InspireData.
I SUPPORT LEARNING
“Our mission is to empower educators in their quest to create and support life-long learners, to make education relevant and engaging for the student through creative software.” I Support Learning provides applications for creative, interactive project-based activities for middle and high school students that integrate the use of technology and build technology skills."
I Support Learning's Personal Experience Curricula
CARTOON ANIMATION VIDEO GAME DESIGN MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION WEB GAME DESIGN
PERSONAL FINANCE AND WEALTH MANAGEMENT BUILDING GREEN – RESIDENTIAL HOME DESIGN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MOBILE ROBOTICS GREEN INDUSTRY – LANDSCAPE DESIGN ROBOTS AND INVENTION HORTICULTURE AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN
HANDHELD AND MOBILE DEVICES FOR LEARNING
There are some classrooms in that do not use textbooks. Textbooks are provided to students electronically on their PDA's. Some versions of electronic textbooks are interactive and include hypertext links to supplemental information or activities. Students who use Wi-Fi enabled PDA's have access to interactive websites that compliment what they are learning in class.
In most classrooms that use this form for instruction, students often work in pairs and groups. Because PDA's run many of the same applications as do PC's, they can be utilized for frequent monitoring and charting of progress. Here are a few resources:
PAPERLESS CLASSROOM
"Our classroom uses Windows CE and Pocket PC based Personal Digital Assistants (we call them PDA's.) We are running a paperless classroom with the PDA's. All homework and reading assignments are done on the PDA's. We do not use copied ditto sheets or heavy textbooks. All of this is accomplished in a 7th and 8th Grade Language Arts class, not in a math or science classroom."
This is a good example of how a teacher, a "rookie" during the 1998-99 school year, embraced new and effective ways of using technology to meet the needs of a diverse range of learners in the middle school setting for Language Arts instruction. This website has expanded to include a range of resources for educators interested in learning how to implement paperless classrooms. Research in this area can be found through HiCe and related organizations.
HICE: Center for Highly Interactive Computing in Education
HiCe provides consultation and resources for schools regarding the use of handheld devices in learning environments. The work of the HiCe project at the University of Michigan has been in place for over a decade.."With PDA's, students can access websites created by their teachers to keep track of assignments and upload or e-mail assignments when completed. Software on PDA's such as calendars and an alarm can help students who have organization problems." A spin-off of the HiCe project is GOKNOW.
INSPIRATION for handhelds
CREATIVE EXAMPLES OF HANDHELD LEARNING ACTIVITIES
MOOP:
Moop was developed in Finland and integrated up-to-date SmartPhones into daily learning activities. Some of the activities involved out-door learning experiences.
"Through Moop, a pupil makes observations and saves and manages information in the mobile and network learning platform. The learning environment supports the process of inquiry learning, during which a pupil outlines his or her thoughts on the current topic, collects information and observations from the surroundings and reports the findings in the network-learning environment. Moop project is based on needs of schools and teachers: the traditional learning environment is broadened from classroom to observation in the surroundings"
Mattila, P. & Fordell, T. (2005) MOOP- Using m-learning environment in primary schools. http://www.mlearn.org.za/CD/papers/Mattila.pdf
Mattila, P. (2005) Moop - Mobile Learning Environment as Part of Daily School Work
http://www.microlearning.org/micropresentations/micropresentation_friesen_2005.pdfM-LEARNING PROJECT
Quote from the project website:
"…the user group has expanded to encompass people of all ages, from grandparents getting involved in family learning, adults looking to improve their employment prospects, to pregnant teenagers needing health advice and guidance." Website has demos of software and links to references and resources, along with video clips useful for presentations.
The M-Learning website provides extensive resources for m-learning; it is a good place for self-study and for staff development for anyone planning on using m-learning as a strategy. The use of m-learning in education would area that would be good for further research, particularly in the areas of dropout prevention and transition planning.
Also see: M-LEARNOPEDIA
OTHER RESOURCES FOR INTEGRATING HAND-HELDS INTO EDUCATION:
K-12 HANDHELDS
LEARNING AT HAND
LEARNINGINHAND
INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS AND LARGE-SCREEN DISPLAYS
SMART TECHNOLOGIES
This company produces interactive whiteboards, which allows educators to bring the touch screen to the wide screen in their classrooms.
Educator's Resources
LEARNING OBJECTS
According to WISC, learning objects are web-based, self-contained chunks of learning, small enough to be embedded in a learning activity, lesson, unit, or course, are flexible, portable, and adaptable, and can be used in multiple learning environments and across disciplines.
WISC ONLINE LEARNING OBJECTS
http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/index_tj.asp?objID=AP11403
MERLOT: Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teachinghttp://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
Quotes from users of learning objects:
"Reading something in a book, I may not get the concept. So as I go through it on the screen, I can see how the different things work...for an example , one of the classes I had , that had a CD and a learning object with it, I actually passed the test, got a 100%, because I was able to go over it. The way it was on screen, was completely different than how I had memorized in my head." - Holly Davidson, Student
"You can read everything in a book that you want, but as soon as you see it in a learning object, you really understand it." - Paul Heidger, Student
Like Merlot, WISC provides interactive learning objects geared primarily for higher education. Learning objects incorporated into instruction provide students with multiple paths to gaining knowledge, consistent with the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
"Learning objects are self-directive, so the student can review it over and over" "They grasp it much faster, and they retain in much better." -Instructor.
Note: Very little research regarding the use of learning objects and K-12 populations, including special needs populations, has been conducted.
