Using Technology to Reach At Risk Learners Christopher

Using Technology to Reach At. Risk Learners Christopher I. Cobitz, Ph. D. Director of Technology Thomasville City Schools Materials at: www. cobitz. com NCETC 2001

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