Lauren's 761 Chronicles

  Image is From Envision Site - This is the App Logo  Hello friends! I am excited to share with you an app that you can incorporate as an adaptive technology in the classroom and in the library.  Envision is a FREE multipurpose recognition app that will help your visually impaired students.  Older articles may list the app as having a subscription cost but as of July 25, 2022 the app became free with the 3.0 update.  The app is available for iOS and Android.   I know that you may be thinking “We already HAVE text readers!”  You are correct, and I am not diminishing the value of those, but Envision can do so much more than text reading and your students can use it as an adaptive technology in so many ways in the classroom and beyond.  Since there are different degrees of visual impairment not every student will need every feature but I love that this app is so inclusive.   Let me share with you some features.  I have taken these...

  Dot, Dash, and R.A.T.  Images Courtesy of Product Website (https://www.makewonder.com/) As educators, we are always on the lookout for new ideas to keep our students engaged and working as active participants in their learning.  Sometimes it can seem like it is always a push for us to use technology to accomplish this and sometimes it can feel like we are just using it for the sake of using it and not because it is actually helping teachers or students.  My goal is to help you find technology that really works for you and your students.  I want all of your classroom tech to fit the R.A.T. model!   Please allow me to explain.  R.A.T. is a framework to help us assess how  we are using technology in learning and help us to make informed decisions on how we choose to integrate it into our instruction.  R.A.T. stands for Replacement, Amplification, and Transformation.  I have included a helpful graphic below.   CC-BY Rat Artw...

  image by wikimedia user Pinguinguy CC licensed as public  domain Julia M Cameron, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Hello, Science Team!      I found  an exciting new resource that I feel would really work well in your department.  It’s called Expeditions Pro.  It was featured in Edutopia Blog ’s November issue.  Expeditions Pro takes virtual field trips to the next level by immersing the students in a complete virtual reality experience.  One of the best parts is that we will not have to purchase any equipment - Expeditions Pro is compatible with Google Cardboard.  Our district’s Office of Career and Technical Education has a class set of Google Cardboard VR Googles that can be checked out to our school.  Unlike a traditional field experience, this will be completely free of charge to our students.  By providing free experiences with technology we have already provided to the students, we will be able to meet student needs whe...