Using Technology to Reach At-Risk Learners
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This presentation explores how technology can be used to engage and empower at-risk learners, including outcast students, those with anti-social behavior, discipline issues, and academic failures. Practical examples, interesting activities, and unique approaches will be discussed, highlighting the benefits of using technology in the classroom.
Using Technology to Reach At-Risk Learners
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Presentation Transcript
Using Technology to Reach At-Risk Learners Christopher I. Cobitz, Ph.D. Director of Technology Thomasville City Schools Materials at: www.cobitz.com NCETC2001
Who • All shapes • All sizes • All colors • Mostly from lower income • Mostly do not feel they belong
What? • Outcast students • Anti social behavior • Discipline • Failures • Gender achievement gap • High School • Often boys
Why? • No place • Not the same • Not succeeding • BORING • Turned off • Need food and shelter first • Experiences?
Things to do • Involve • Help them enjoy • Understand they are kids • Help them fit in • Find a strength • Make time to win
Some practical examples • Build a website • I like me!
Bob! • I like Nascar • I hunt • I can tune a car even one that hasn’t run in years
More • Give them a positive place • Technology assistants • Mentor • Mouse ball cleaner • Printer monitor • Special activity…tutorial etc
Interesting activities • Video cameras • A day in the life • Very useful in understanding • Stop rewriting- word process • Change instead of redo • Good words look good • Ideas not words
Get artistic • How would you feel if you never got to be creative? • Illustrate • Highlight • Draw • Cartoon • Clip art
Let them win! • Give them a specialty • Even if they aren’t the best • Ever keep losing to the same person? • Pushing tin • Let them use that software • Several like algeblaster
Unique activities • Inference • http://prometheus.educ.ncat.edu/users/lee/ • It is different • It is active!
Webquests • Yea I know…. • Active involvement • The student does not have to sit and listen, they need to sit and work • A change of pace
Old favorites • Kid Pix • Draw • Color • Letter books • Thinking things • WOW!
Writing • Web pages! • Gives realistic audience • May assist in getting student attention • Articles of choosing
On-line projects • Netmeeting • Chat • Pen pals • Share a picture of a pet • What did you get for your last birthday?
Simulate don’t resitate • Simulations are worth a thousand detentions • Tie in emotions • Could even buy time (civil war)
What if? • Databases • Allow you to ask the student higher order questions • Stimulating • Not necessarily one right answer
The answer is? • Spreadsheets • Graphical representation tool • Number phobia now picture phobia? • How many numbers to make a picture? • How many pictures to make a number?
Buy the gift of time • Let EVERYBODY use the computer learning activities • Gives more time to work with individuals • Buy their interest with excitement
What’s the point? • Computers and video technology help us do things different • We have traditionally not reached certain students • If we change and vary our methods, we are more likely to reach others