Technology can be a great tool for classroom management. Utilizing technology will allow more time for teachers to work with students in a small group or one on one. We can then look into adaptive learning technologies as a digital tutor to help support the learning of the individual. Adaptive Learning technologies usually begin with a little practice assessment which checks for student understanding and determines where the student struggles, then adjusts the content to fit the students needs.
Adaptive Learning Technologies are able to adjust to the students needs as they are learning (NMC, 2015). We no longer have to imagine that a program can be designed to adapt to each individual, they are already here. This is the first year that my students have utilized the Scholastics Math 180 program for Response To Intervention, also known as RTI. The program takes the scores of the Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI) and places the students into the appropriate learning level. The SMI is an adaptive test and students are placed in RTI if the scores fall into the bottom 25%. Once the students are placed into RTI, we can utilize three different components for instruction. We can utilize teacher lead activities, which are usually followed up by workbook activities, and computerized learning practice, assessments, and timed math games. This is only one example of adaptive learning technology and school districts are adopting programs such as this all the time. Scholastic also has a Reading Inventory (SRI) and our ELA teachers utilize Read 180 for RTI as well. Some additional programs I have found useful are Khan Academy, IXL.com, MobyMax, Learning Smart, and Dreambox.
Adaptive Learning Technologies benefits students by allowing them to work at their own pace. I am a big believer in blended learning and having technology that allows the teacher to utilize software that can help monitor the student’s progress helps me to be more efficient. The software programs have algorithms which adjust to each individual's response and the program adapts according the the students response. Studies show that adaptive learning technologies helped improve student learning and boost retention more than 10% (McGraw Hill, 2015).
I have heard many teachers comment on how the feel like technology has become more of a distraction than a learning tool for our students. My response is always the same, technology should only strengthen our instruction by allowing use to take more of a coaching role. We can give shorter group instruction on content topics and help students practice and master the goals and objective of the lesson. It is important to focus on 1:1 student engagement and self-paced guidance through CCSS (Flemming, 2014)
REFERENCES
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2015). NMC Horizon
Report: 2015 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved
January 23, 2016, from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2015-nmc-horizon-report-k12-
EN.pdf
Fleming, Brian (2014) Adaptive Learning Technology: What it is, Why it matters.
Retrieved January 23, 2016, from
http://www.eduventures.com/2014/04/adaptive-learning-technology-matters/.
McGraw Hill Education (2015). Adaptive Learning's Next Audience: Struggling K-12
Students. Retrieved January 23, 2016, from
https://www.mheducation.com/ideas/adaptive-learnings-next-audience-
struggling-k-12-stu
Scott,
ReplyDeleteI believe that you have made some real valid points on using technology in the classroom. I believe it's difficult for some teachers to adjust to using technology because they are used to their old ways. I experience it in my school as well, where the teachers who have 25+ years say they have no desire to even implement technology because it doesn't matter. In the long run, this is only suffering our students. I try my best to make it easier for them by giving them tips, but we'll see if it makes progress.
Justice
I like your comments regarding adaptive learning technologies. I agree that they can benefit students by adapting to their levels of mastery and also to how they complete various assignments. When the software adjusts to meet the needs of our students, we can spend more time working on individual skills and things our students need. No longer are students held back because they do not understand, instead, the software adapts and helps them gain higher levels of understanding and mastery. Are there any ways you can specifically include adapted learning technologies in your math class other than ways you may already? Any thoughts?
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