Educational APP Evaluation
Format
Poster Presentation
Location
Harborside Center East and West
Strand #1
Academic Achievement & School Leadership
Strand #2
Family & Community
Relevance
Mobile technologies, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are profoundly impacting the way students send and receive information, thus revolutionizing the education of all students. According to the National Council for Social Studies, the nation schools and teachers have explicitly advocated assistive technology (AT) integration into the classroom to transform the teaching and learning of 21st century skills. AT also allows for the expansion of the classroom beyond the traditional school day, thus impacting the family and community.
Brief Program Description
Mobile technologies, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are profoundly impacting the way students send and receive information, thus revolutionizing the education of all students. While the call for technology integration into the classroom is clear, the application and evaluation of technology has traditionally been theoretically underdeveloped. Providing quality AT apps evaluation for classrooms would be one step in restoring everyone’s right of access to quality and equable education. It is therefore important to illustrate how AT apps evaluation can facilitate teaching and learning for all students in the classrooms. This poster session will discuss a way for educators to evaluate AT apps for educational purposes.
Summary
Mobile technologies, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are profoundly impacting the way students send and receive information, thus revolutionizing the education of all students. According to the National Council for Social Studies, the nation schools and teachers have explicitly advocated assistive technology (AT) integration into the classroom to transform the teaching and learning of 21st century skills.
Evidence
This poster session will include an APP evaluation model, based on classroom research, which will help teachers select and evaluate APPS that are available, both commercially and free, that better suits student's individual learning needs.
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Larry Beard has more than 30 years of K-12 and higher education teaching experience in special education. He earned a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in special education from The University of Alabama. Upon taking a position teaching severely/profoundly/physically-impaired pre-schoolers, he continued his education and earned his M.A. in multiple disabilities, his Ed.S. in mental retardation, and his Ed.D. in multi-handicapped all from The University of Alabama. He teaches a variety of graduate and undergraduate classes in collaborative teaching, and serves as the advisor for the Educational Specialist degree candidates in the area of collaborative teaching and has written a text on Assistive Technology now in its 3rd edition..
Dr. Akpan is an Associate Professor of Secondary Education (Science). Dr. Akpan holds a Ph.D. from Iowa State University in curriculum and instruction with cognates in science education. His work at JSU has included teaching undergraduate and graduate science methods courses, practicum observations, and internship reflective practices. Dr. Akpan advises graduate and undergraduate students in science education programs. His approach to the learning and teaching of science is based on a constructivist approach, which both challenges and engages the learner. While he sees science as being very much a hands-on activity, he likes to take this a step further by making science a minds-on and knees-on activity. Teaching, researching, advising, service and preparing teachers for the classroom are Dr. Akpan’s passion.
Linda Johnston is the Head of the Department of Special Education and a Full Professor in the School of Education. Her faculty responsibilities include teaching courses in the Early Childhood Special Education and Collaborative Teacher Programs. Scholarly pursuits include numerous peer-reviewed presentations at international, national, and state conferences, as well as, authoring and co-authoring articles on diverse topics. Dr. Johnston is a co-author of the text Assistive Technology: Access for All Students (3rd Ed.).
Laura Bowden Carpenter is the Head of the Department of Counselor, Leadership, and Special Education and a Professor in the School of Education. Her faculty responsibilities include teaching courses in the Early Childhood Special Education and Collaborative Teacher Programs. Scholarly pursuits include numerous peer-reviewed presentations at international, national, and state conferences, as well as, authoring and co-authoring articles on diverse topics. These topics include visual supports for students with Asperger Syndrome, teaching strategies for teacher educators, recruitment and retention of special educators, visual impairments, and assistive technology. Dr. Carpenter is the lead author for the text Assistive Technology: Access for All Students (3rd Ed.). Dr. Carpenter is currently serving as a representative on the AUM Graduate Council, and a member of the NCATE Steering Committee, Chair of Faculty Qualifications. She is past president of the Children's Center of Montgomery Board of Directors and a current member of that board. Dr. Carpenter is the registrar for Sunshine Camp, a Christian weekend retreat for adults with intellectual disabilities.
Keyword Descriptors
APP, evaluation, assessment, technology
Presentation Year
2015
Start Date
3-3-2015 4:00 PM
End Date
3-3-2015 5:30 PM
Recommended Citation
Beard, Lawrence A.; Akpan, Joseph P.; Johnston, Linda B.; and Carpenter, Laura Bowden, "Educational APP Evaluation" (2015). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 22.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2015/2015/22
Educational APP Evaluation
Harborside Center East and West
Mobile technologies, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are profoundly impacting the way students send and receive information, thus revolutionizing the education of all students. While the call for technology integration into the classroom is clear, the application and evaluation of technology has traditionally been theoretically underdeveloped. Providing quality AT apps evaluation for classrooms would be one step in restoring everyone’s right of access to quality and equable education. It is therefore important to illustrate how AT apps evaluation can facilitate teaching and learning for all students in the classrooms. This poster session will discuss a way for educators to evaluate AT apps for educational purposes.
