Learning Challenge Technology Content Areas Relative Advantage Expected Outcome

1. Provide student
critique and feedback
for physical activities.
Digital video
recorders, such as
iPads, iPhones, Flip
cameras or any other
small portable video
camera.
Video animation
software tools such as
V1 Sports or
Ubersense.
Physical
education (proper
form for sporting
activities such as
jumping a hurdle
or for dance
instruction)
Music (proper
form
holding/playing
instruments)
Language Arts or
any subject area
where a student
presentation is
required
(presentation
skills, posture,
hand gestures,
eye contact, ticks,
shuffling feet or
hands)
By watching themselves
on video, students can
see how they look when
completing a physical
activity. Students can
receive feedback in
private, so as not to be
embarrassed in front of
peers.
Using animation software,
teachers can draw on top
of the video showing
proper form, or bring
attention to areas needing
improvement. Teachers
can also record voice
commentary, so that
students can review
videos independently.
Videos can be reviewed
multiple times and can be
used as an assessment of
student performance.
Students will understand a
teacher's critique of their
performance because they will
be able to observe
themselves actually
performing the required task.
2. Allow students face
to face communication
with distant
participants.
Video
chat/conferencing
tools such as Skype,
FaceTime or Google
Hangouts.
Foreign
Language classes
(allow students to
converse with
students in foreign
countries who are
native speakers)
Social Studies
(talking to a cotton
farmer in the south
about slavery,
debating the US
Constitution with a
US Senator)
It is not feasible for
students to travel to every
location that they may
encounter in their studies,
but through video chats,
they can experience some
aspects of distant
cultures. Students can talk
with peers and experts
that otherwise would be
inaccessible.
Students gain a better
appreciation for foreign
cultures, places, and distant
people by connecting with
them on a personal level and
not just reading about the
topic in a book or seeing a
movie. By directly interacting
with people, bonds can form
and the material can have
greater relevance to the
students.
This chart shows the relative advantages of using technology in a grade 5/6 middle school. Since this list is not confined to a
single subject area, an additional column, "Content Areas" is included to provide examples of where the technology could be
successfully applied.
Page 1 of 6
Learning Challenge Technology Content Areas Relative Advantage Expected Outcome
This chart shows the relative advantages of using technology in a grade 5/6 middle school. Since this list is not confined to a
single subject area, an additional column, "Content Areas" is included to provide examples of where the technology could be
successfully applied.
3. Students cannot
easily see small
objects that the
teacher is using for a
demonstration.
Document cameras
such as Elmo or
Smart Document
camera, in conjunction
with a projector
Science
Art
Often a teacher needs to
hold a small object up to
the class for everyone to
look at, such as a crystal
or insect. The object can
be passed around the
class but this is disruptive
and not practical for fragile
items.
A document camera
allows the teacher to
project a real-time image
of the object onto a
projection screen. The
cameras are able to zoom
in on the object allowing
students to see more
detail in the object. Some
cameras can even take
pictures that can be used
for class handouts.
Students will be able to see
physical objects more clearly
and in greater detail than if the
teacher simply held them in
front of the class.
Page 2 of 6
Learning Challenge Technology Content Areas Relative Advantage Expected Outcome
This chart shows the relative advantages of using technology in a grade 5/6 middle school. Since this list is not confined to a
single subject area, an additional column, "Content Areas" is included to provide examples of where the technology could be
successfully applied.
4. Students are
apprehensive to
speak in front of the
class.
Digital video
recorders, such as
iPads, iPhones, Flip
cameras or any other
small portable video
camera.
Video projection
equipment that can be
connected to the
video cameras
(through a computer
or directly) which is
capable of projecting
a picture large enough
for a class to view.
Streaming video
devices such as Apple
TV which can
wirelessly stream
video to a projector.
Any subject area
where a student
must present to a
group,
Students can be fearful of
presenting in front of their
peers. This skill is not
often practiced in schools,
but rather just a required
part of an assignment. By
allowing students to video
tape their presentation,
two benefits can be
realized.
1. Students can practice
their presentation in
private, and self-review or
ask a teacher for
feedback. They can
record their presentation
multiple times and gain
confidence to present in
front of the class.
2. For students that can
demonstrate mastery of a
topic but cannot handle
the in-person
presentation, the video
can be played for the
class instead of having the
student stand in front of
the class.
Students will improve their
presentation skills by having
multiple low pressure
opportunities to practice and
refine their technique.
Opportunities for peer and
teacher feedback can be
incorporated.
5. Students need to
learn how to listen
critically to audio
recordings.
Digital voice recorders
from Sony or
Olympus, iPhone,
iPad.
Language Arts
History
The Smarter Balanced
testing for English
Language Arts requires
students to listen to audio
sources and then answer
a series of questions on
the passage. If teachers
record traditional printed
text, then students can
practice listening to audio
versions.
Students will become
proficient at using audio
recordings as primary
sources.
Page 3 of 6
Learning Challenge Technology Content Areas Relative Advantage Expected Outcome
This chart shows the relative advantages of using technology in a grade 5/6 middle school. Since this list is not confined to a
single subject area, an additional column, "Content Areas" is included to provide examples of where the technology could be
successfully applied.
6. Students need
additional time to
understand a complex
process.
Digital video
recorders, such as
iPads, iPhones, Flip
cameras or any other
small portable video
camera.
Screencasting
software such J ing or
Camtasia.
Website that supports
video streaming such
as Vimeo or YouTube.
Science
Math
Students often need
repeated exposure to
complex processes, or
could benefit from a pre-
exposure to a
concept/process before
they have to perform it in
a classroom setting.
Teachers (or an advanced
student) can record
themselves solving a
complex math problem, or
demonstrating a science
laboratory experiment,
and then upload this video
to a website that allows
students to watch it
whenever they want. For
pre-exposure activities,
watching the video can be
assigned as homework,
which would allow the
teacher to devote more
time to the lab and less on
explaining the task.
Students will demonstrate
improved performance on
math and science activities.
They will approach labs more
confidently and have more
time to focus on higher level
concepts.
7. Visualizing 3-
Dimensional objects is
often challenging for
students. When math
students progress
from area (2D) to
volume (3D), they are
often unable to
understand this
concept.
iPads with Think 3D
app.
Math
Physics
Science
Visualising 3D objects
without a physical
manipulative is often hard
for students. Wooden
blocks are often available,
but they are limited in size
and shape. There are
multiple apps available for
the iPad which allow
students to create and
manipulate 3D objects in
ways physical blocks
cannot.
Students will be able to
visualize 3D objects and have
increased awareness and
ability for spatial reasoning.
Page 4 of 6
Learning Challenge Technology Content Areas Relative Advantage Expected Outcome
This chart shows the relative advantages of using technology in a grade 5/6 middle school. Since this list is not confined to a
single subject area, an additional column, "Content Areas" is included to provide examples of where the technology could be
successfully applied.
8. Students have
difficulty writing
because they have
limited spelling
abilities or have a
learning disability
such as dysgraphia.
Word prediction
software such as Co-
writer.
All content areas
which require
students to
provide a written
response.
Word prediction software
provides the student with
an enhanced word
processor, that displays a
list of words based on the
characters the student
types.This allows the
student to focus on
content and not spelling.
The software can have a
custom dictionary for
domain specific
vocabulary such as Greek
or Roman names or
places, and can even
predict the next word that
the student might want to
type in their sentence.
This helps students keep
on task and not worry
about the act of typing.
Students will be able to devote
more time to developing the
content of their written works
instead concentrating on
spelling or word choice. Often
students with spelling
deficiencies can explain their
reasoning orally but struggle
to get it into written form
9. Students are
hesitant to respond to
questions or
participate in
classroom
discussions. OR
teachers need a quick
method to assess if
students understand a
topic.
Classroom polling
devices such as
Renaissance
Responder, or apps
for mobile devices
such as Socrative.
All subject areas This technology allows
students to answer
questions and particiapte
in class without speaking.
Responses can be
tracked by student name
or anonymously,
depending on the
teacher's opinion of the
subject matter. Teachers
can conduct ad-hoc polls,
or present a set of pre-
defined questions.
Teachers can measure
classroom, or individual
student knowledge on a
specific topic. They can use
this information to determine if
the class needs additional
time on the topic or has
mastered the concept.
Students can participate in
classroom discussions without
the fear of ridicule or
embarrassment from peers.
Page 5 of 6
Learning Challenge Technology Content Areas Relative Advantage Expected Outcome
This chart shows the relative advantages of using technology in a grade 5/6 middle school. Since this list is not confined to a
single subject area, an additional column, "Content Areas" is included to provide examples of where the technology could be
successfully applied.
10. Students have
difficulty decoding
written words, or are
visually impaired.
Text to speech
applications such as
Read Outloud and
Victor Reader and
services such as
Bookshare.org that
offer thousands of
books in DAISY
format that can be
read by these
programs.
Language Arts
(books)
Any subject area
that requires
reading pages on
the WWW
Text to speech allows
many forms of electronic
material, such as web
pages, or special book
formats to be read to a
student while highlighting
the words on-screen.
Students can adjust the
pace as well as the voice
used to read the words to
their specific preference.
Students using this
technology would not
require a para-
professional to read to
them.
Students would be able to
read a large source of
material independently.
Listening to the words as they
are highlighted on-screen
reinforces spelling and word
recognition.
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