TEKS

This is the TEK I chose from the TEA website.

§126.2.(4) Information acquisition. The student uses a variety of strategies to acquire information from electronic resources, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:

(A) apply keyword searches to acquire information; and

(B) select appropriate strategies to navigate and access information for research and resource sharing.

The only problem with this assignment is that it does not cover all areas of learning and ages. Obviously if you pick a younger age group it's harder to find a TEK that calls for use of technology. Kindergarten music, for instance, is not something that generally requires any use of technology. Any teacher could modify or accommodate on a student to student basis. However, what happens when the parent of a 5 year old doesn't want them playing around on computers or using technology. There is not one specific TEK that calls for the use of technology in the classes that I plan on teaching, and throughout this class there hasn't really been one. The closer I get to graduation the more I try to cater things that what my degree is in. It is extremely difficult to find anything about technology on a kindergarten music TEK that has been modified or accommodated for a special education student.

In my opinion that is the most difficult thing when it comes to this ETEC class, there are definite ways to integrate technology into classes. However, it becomes a little more difficult to do when you are working with a 17 year old student who has the mental capacity of a four year old. On certain occasions, yes, a student with needs can be given help through technology. I am not talking about AT or anything that is necessary to benefit the child in learning. I am talking about things that we have learned in this class. It is a very difficult task to find not only age appropriate, but functional appropriate technology for students with severe needs. There are so many ways to incorporate technology into the classroom but it becomes less and less applicable with every week that progresses in this class.

Visualizing with Technology

Visualizing anything when it comes to children tends to be the leading automatic response. Humans are visual creatures for the most part so the most common learning style would be visual. I know there are a lot of auditory and kinesthetic learners in the world so I am not bashing any particular learning style. Most kids these days know way more about computers and internet than most adults or people in my age bracket, just because they have had it throughout life. I can remember my families first computer with dial up internet and not knowing a thing about how to work it. To this day I don't know nearly as much about computers and the internet as my 10 year old cousin does. With that said, any strategy that gets students involved and eager to learn is a good strategy.
Visualizing with technology is extremely helpful and some of the sites that were given to us as resources are fantastic learning devices. Students these days and technology go hand in hand and the more you use a technology in lessons the more students will feel like they are not being bogged down with boring school work. It's pretty much a win win for the teacher and the students.