How to Incorporate Technology in the Gifted Classroom to Differentiate and Teach Creativity to Gifted Students The articles that I focused on all describe how to use a different type of technology to help differentiate for gifted students. All of the articles described the benefits of using technology in the classroom. Some of the common themes amongst all three articles were that technology can be used to help engage unmotivated learners, increased use of technology helps to teach problem solving skills, and creativity to gifted learners.
The article “Hunting for Treasures Through Learning: Using Geocaching to Motivate Young Adolescent Learners,” was written by Katherine B. Brown, Abby J. Hughes, Isabelle G. Crowder, and Phillip M.
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“Educaching can allow students the opportunity to explore multiple subject areas in depth while traveling to different places within the world either physically or virtually” (Brown B., K., et al., 2015, p. 97). I learned a wealth of information from this article. Before reading this article I had only heard of geocaching and I had not ever thought about using it in my classroom to differentiate for gifted students. I learned that geocaching can be an excellent tool for sparking interest in new topics in unmotivated gifted students. One of the ways the article suggested differentiating when working with gifted students during the geocaching experience was to assign students different roles during the process (Brown B., K., et al., 2015). I thought this was an excellent idea for gifted students in middle school. My favorite idea from the article that I thought I might be able to apply to my classroom was performing an educaching experience then teaching students to use “Microsoft Excel to organize and graph data” (Brown B., K., et al., 2015, p. 99). The article did not provide information on how to fund the educaching experience. It did talk about the idea of cross curricular possibilities with educaching but it did not get down into the concrete aspects of how to get your hands on the materials that you would need, such as a compass and a GPS device. The article also did not bring
In 2015, I wrote about my personal philosophy of the gifted learner. I stated in my paper that, “Giftedness is not a one, set definition. The definition of gifted must encompass intellect, ability, creative talent as well as emotional awareness. It cannot be micro-managed and be a “one size fits all” definition” (Dauber, 2015). People, who are gifted, need differentiation and opportunity to express, demonstrate and show their giftedness. Educators must be able to provide opportunities for the gifted learner to express his/her abilities and/or talents. Gifted students learn differently and require special educational experiences in order to grow academically and achieve their highest potential. Therefore, the education field must be able to understand not only the cognitive side of a gifted learner but the affective or social/emotional aspects too.
There are many benefits of technology in the classroom starting with kindergarten. These four benefits would be it enriches basic skills, provides motivation, broadens children’s horizons, and prepares them for the workforce. As this is not as much of a problem for younger children as it is older, technology is still a force that continually helps. Technology in classrooms can accelerate the basic skills of kids. Technology can make children more interested in what they are learning and then they will learn it faster. Technology is a lot more stimulating and interactive for children. The interactiveness is was really helps children and anyone learn the best (Hatch, 5). In Andelic’s article, The Impact of Information Technologies on Preschool Child Development, it says “As the old Chinese proverb says: “What I hear I forget, what I see I remember, what I do I understand,”(Andelic, 262). This statement is very true and something all teachers should go by. When someone does something, that is how they learn and the thing they will remember the most. Doing and being interactive is the real way to learn something to its full extent. Technology is also very motivational for children. For children, technology is viewed more as a fun thing because of the stimulation it provides. This can really motivate children to want to learn more because they truly enjoy it and have fun while learning. Interactive games are very motivational because the gratification of winning and advancing to
Honey, M. (1999). Critical issue: using technology to improve student achievement. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/800.htm
Additionally, students can travel around the world to learn about new cultures. By traveling, students can pick up new skills and
After reading the article, it is clear that this study was a correlational study between the use of information technologies and creativity in 12 year olds of varying gender and race. The hypotheses that the researcher looked to investigate in this study is that the information technologies in question have some effect on the creativity of 12 year old children. Due to their desire to check for as many confounding variables as possible, there are several variables that define both the participants as well as the technologies themselves. The participants are categorized by Race (Caucasian and African American), Household income (ranging from under $20,000 to over $200,000), and gender. They are also further categorized by their uses of the four chosen information technologies (Video Games, Cell Phones, Computers, and Internet) and the genre of their favorite video game. The genre of the video game was placed into one of six categories being Violent, Action-adventure, Racing/driving, Sports, Interpersonal, or Other.
This quote is something that I found so thought provoking. When we think about terms such as Asperger’s or dyslexia their definitions are the same across states and countries. Then how is giftedness a term that is so open to interpretation? With it being so open is this major reason that so many young gifted students feel that they aren’t being catered for effectively because they do not meet the standards of that
The purpose of this study is to show that technology assistive can improve and advance young children with or without special needs. Technology has advance through the years and all children are more interest in learning skills with technology devices. My action research project has four children the majority are two to nine year of age that can benefit for technologies in tasks at school and home with and without special needs. The technologies assist can be more creativity, innovation, communication, collaboration, research, and information fluency with learning and teaching young children that allow them to take focus and listening to the tasks. It can prove for the great beneficial in achieving and giving knowledge of their future goals.
This idea may also account for the relatively low score assigned to Imaginative skills. Although the Interaction, Communication and Behavioural benefit can directly or indirectly be addressed in managing students to use technology aids, improvement to Imaginative skills will be down to the type of activities pupils undertake while using technology devices, which often is not tailored to this objective.
Using technology while learning, enhances a student’s learning experience. Firstly, using technology, allows students to listen to music while working or studying, which has been proven to have a positive effect. Research done on the effects of music on the brain states that “… [music] improves attention, memory and even your ability to do mental math as well as helping lessen depression and anxiety.” (Goodwin). These are significant characteristics that are needed when retaining information. Students need to be attentive and alert when learning new material.
All my life, I have taken classes in school over topics like math, science, and English. I have even taken courses over United States and world geography, yet nothing would prepare me for my family’s relocation to Norway the summer before my sophomore year. No lesson in school could teach me what I learned by living in a foreign country for over nine months. Vacationing in a different country can only show someone part of the culture. Moving and physically submerging one’s self in that culture for an extended period of time truly lets you see what life is actually like outside of your home country.
A team from Michigan State University set out to investigate the effects of technology use, specifically the use of computers, the Internet, cell phones, and video games, on the creativity levels of 12-year-old children. The research question observed in this study focuses on how and to what extent technology use hinders or heightens creativity. According to Jackson and colleagues, the 491 participants were scattered throughout Michigan’s southern region. The subject variables included the child’s technology usage habits, gender, age, race/ethnicity, and household income. Two separate activities were formulated to measure creativity following the “Torrance Test of Creativity” model
Within our society, technology plays a critical role in our everyday lives. Its prevalence within our environment has ultimately resulted in the change of pedagogical practice. This new age of teaching has demonstrated that technology is in many ways, beneficial within the classroom environment. This paper will consider how technology can support the needs of children with special needs, making learning more relatable and effective. Furthermore, technology also has an influence upon the social and emotional wellbeing of children. Learning has become more accessible and may facilitate learning within students that traditional pedagogy may not reach. Nonetheless, despite technology bestowing certain benefits that adhere to the effectiveness
Of all the topics covered thus far in my coursework at National University, I found the readings in differentiated education to be of the greatest practical value. This is because I teach middle school in a school where learning-disabled students are included in regular classes. In my classroom, I employ various Google products (Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms, Classroom, and associated add-ons including Easy Bib, Speech Recognition, Select and Speak, etc). I also use SeeSaw (where students create digital journals) and Adobe Spark (which allows students to make educational videos) to help me with differentiation. Through trial and error, I have found these technological products invaluable as assistants for teaching learning disabled (and gifted) students. The material in this unit gives me the theoretical understanding and guidance I need to better differentiate instruction across the curriculum, with or without the use of technology.
Using technology as a way of creating a new and interesting approach to learning we will reengage children to love learning. Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics also, known as S.T.E.A.M we can allow our children to discover the world in a new inventive way. S.T.E.A.M technology allows children to have a hands-on approach that builds cognitive, social/ emotional skills, and fine motor skills. Developing these skills in early childhood is important in developing their minds and building necessary skills that help them later in school as well as life. Using technology is a way of creating a new and interesting approaches to learning.
Technology has played an integral role in our everyday life. It can increase efficiency at work, improve the quality of life, and serves as a helpful tool that allows us to accomplish many tasks that we might not be able to otherwise. It has found its way into nearly everyone’s home in various forms such as: a computer, medical equipment, and security system. Some people might even go as far as claiming that they cannot live without it. When parents hear of “technology” in the classroom, they immediately think of electronics. However, technology is separated into two classifications in the classroom: low-tech learning technology and high-tech learning technology. Low-tech technology has been used for many decades in school and include: pencil grips, highlighters, flashcards, and additional outlined worksheets and concept maps. High-tech assistive technology refers to items such as computers, multimedia software, and other electronic-based programs (Bouck, Maeda, & Flanagan, 2012). An increasing number of schools are incorporating technology into their curriculum. This also extends to students who require special education. Technology is often sought out to help with the facilitation of instruction in the field of special education. However, there are still many moving parts and changing roles. While it might seem obvious to implement technology wherever possible, there are some overlooked factors and concerns that are not as apparent. The purpose of this paper is to reveal