Diversity
Modern classrooms have a diverse array of ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and learning styles. Traditional instructional resources (books, teaching strategies, and activities) can marginalize a student’s cultural experience, a gap begins to widen between the student and the school. To combat this gap, teachers need to provide an enthusiastic, engaging, safe, and diverse classroom culture. Students are in our schools and entering our schools with unique learning abilities, with different experiences, and from different cultures. Having schools that composed of teachers from diverse backgrounds and with unique experiences can make them incredibly valuable facilitators of learning.
Technology allows teachers to reach more students from all backgrounds and educational needs. In addition, instructional technology is a powerful tool to help educators reach low socioeconomic status students (SES) and bridge the digital divide through 1:1 programs, low cost internet, and take home or checkout of devices. It also can allow students and teachers to understand different cultures, which helps all students when they see themselves in their learning. This enables the students to bring in their own stories, experiences, and ideas into the classroom.
While completing my Ed. S. at Kennesaw State University, I was afforded many opportunities to gain the knowledge, skills and disposition to meet the needs of diverse student learners. Below are just a few examples that demonstrate my ability to successfully address diversity issues in today’s schools.
Technology allows teachers to reach more students from all backgrounds and educational needs. In addition, instructional technology is a powerful tool to help educators reach low socioeconomic status students (SES) and bridge the digital divide through 1:1 programs, low cost internet, and take home or checkout of devices. It also can allow students and teachers to understand different cultures, which helps all students when they see themselves in their learning. This enables the students to bring in their own stories, experiences, and ideas into the classroom.
While completing my Ed. S. at Kennesaw State University, I was afforded many opportunities to gain the knowledge, skills and disposition to meet the needs of diverse student learners. Below are just a few examples that demonstrate my ability to successfully address diversity issues in today’s schools.
- Completing my Capstone Project: “FITE Club” allowed me to provide professional learning for teachers on the integration of technology to individualize instruction for students with varying educational needs and from all backgrounds.
- ITEC 7445: Multimedia & Web Design in Education: Assistive Technology field experience helped me to enhance learning experiences for students with disabilities by identifying needs and researching strategies for the use of assistive and adaptive technologies.
- ITEC 7445: Multimedia & Web Design in Education: Creating my WebQuest allowed me to create differentiated and technology rich lesson plans in order to meet the diverse needs of the students.
- ITEC 7445: Multimedia & Web Design in Education: As part of the Webquest, t I had the opportunity to design multi-media projects that included elements such as video, graphics and audio that can appeal to different learning styles and abilities of the students.
- ITEC 7460: Professional Learning and Technology Innovation: Conducting individual coaching sessions assisted me in providing technology education and training for team members that work with students with varying educational needs and from all backgrounds.
- ITEC 7430: Internet Tools in the Classroom: Creating my internet lesson plan helped me to model technology integration and facilitating instruction that increased my student’s technological skills and their cultural and global awareness of the three major religions of the Middle East.
- ITEC 7430: The ELL Field Experience helped me to understand how to incorporate new and appropriate classroom technology in order to support and increase student learning for English language learners.
- Throughout my time at Kennesaw State University I continually explored, researched, and recommended digital tools and resources to teachers in order to enhance learning for all students.