Student Centered Technology

Introduction
            In a single classroom, there are many students whose learning styles, aptitudes, abilities and interests vary greatly. It is vital for a teacher to differentiate instruction in order to best meet the learning needs of the classroom.  Faulk & Faulk noted that, “ gone (are) the days in which the teacher taught only one way and students had to adjust to the single narrow teaching approach of the teacher. The teacher of today and the teacher of the future would need to have a wide diverse repertoire of skills, methods, knowledge and strategies to facilitate optimal learning among all the children and each of the children in the classroom” (Faulk & Faulk, 2013).  This paper will discuss three forms of technology that can be used to differentiate instruction and the pros and cons of using technology to differentiate instruction.

Technology to Differentiate Instruction
(A classroom blog or website): A classroom blog or website is a type of interactive digital media.  Interactive digital media appeals to a variety of learning styles, is engaging and motivating (Gunter & Gunter, 2014).  A teacher could use a classroom blog to help students develop skills in both traditional literacy and digital literacy.  A teacher could post a question on the classroom blog and allow students the opportunity to respond.  A classroom blog is a good way for students to reach a global audience.  A classroom blog fulfills the ISTE student standards of Community and Collaboration as it gives students the opportunity to interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media and communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats (ISTE.org).

(Interactive Applications and Websites):  Interactive digital media such as Interactive applications and websites allows users to move through information at their own pace.  It also provides feedback in the form of responses as the user progresses through the applications.  Interactive applications and websites provide links that link the user to more information about a particular topic they may be interested in so it extends the learning process to the users interests (Gunter & Gunter, 2014, p. 205). A teacher could use Interactive applications and websites when stations or centers are utilized in the classroom setting.   Stations are a valuable way for teachers to differentiate instruction.  Jones suggests that a teacher should “design stations so that they vary based on students' different learning styles, interests, and/or levels of readiness. Each station should require students to look at the concept in a different way. This can be accomplished by thinking of each station as a specific learning style. One station would be your hands-on or kinesthetic station. Here students would complete labs or build models. Another could be the visual station, where students would quietly read, complete computer research, or explore concepts visually. Another station could be an auditory station, where students could have discussions or listen to information on tape” (Jones, 2007).  Interactive websites and applications fulfill the ISTE student standards of Research and information fluency as students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information (ISTE.org).

(Digital Presentation Software): both teachers and students can use Digital Presentation software alike.  A teacher can create a digital presentation to teach required curriculum as opposed to a traditional lecture style.  A teacher can give students a variety of options for fulfilling a research assignment.  The options could include, creating a PowerPoint Presentation, creating an audio podcast, or making a video and uploading it to YouTube.  A teacher can appeal to the variety of learning styles and interests of students by allowing students the ability to choose the medium in which they will complete assignments.  Lamb and Johnson suggest that teachers use the power of technology to differentiate instruction by opening up the choices and tools for communication (Lamb & Johnson, 2012).  Lamb and Johnson go onto suggest that teachers should fulfill the Common Core standards, which stress real-world connections and authentic research activities. Rather than producing term papers and reports, teachers should look for interesting ways for young people to communicate their understandings (Lamb & Johnson).

Pros and Cons

            Technology can be a disruption to the educational process if a teacher does not carefully organize, manage and match it to their instructional objectives and strategies (Gunter & Gunter, 2014, p. 208).  A teacher must take time to understand and master technology before introducing it in a classroom setting.  A teacher should prepare a backup plan for when technology does not work as planned.  Technology is a tool that can and should be used in the 21-century classroom to enhance and support instruction.  Technology can bring hard to understand concepts to life.  Technology also plays a significant role in a teacher’s ability to differentiate instruction to meet the varying needs of the students.
Concluding Paragraph
 it is important for a teacher to differentiate instruction in order to reach the needs of the students.  Technology is a valuable resource for teachers to use when differentiating instruction.  Because of the wide variety of technological tools that are readily available, a teacher has seemingly endless possibilities to integrate technology and differentiate instruction.  A teacher must become aware of valuable technologies and learn to use them in order to enhance instruction in the classroom.

References:

Faulk, V., & Faulk, N. (2013). One teachers results using differentiated instruction teaching

            elementary Spanish. Review Of Higher Education & Self-Learning, 6(20), 75-78.

Gunter, G.A. & Gunter R.E. (Ed.). (2014). Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating

            Technology in a Changing World. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning

Jones, D. J. (2007). The station approach: how to teach with limited resources. Science

            Scope, 30(6), 16-21.

Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2012). The power of technology: unleashing the superhero in each

 learner. Teacher Librarian, 40(2), 61-66.