This article on the use of computer technology to help students with emotional and behavioral issues struck home for me because I had to do just that this year with one of my wild classes. Kids were showing up any time and not doing their work and my mentor teacher suggested that I use a computer based daily grading system so that students could monitor their progress and have something to feel proud about --- computer based positive reinforcement. Now I have the students “time stamp” to show what time they get to class. This computer log has helped combat lateness. Students can also see a log of their participation and grades, etc.
This article also brought to mind the growing use of Second Life, the virtual world, in educational settings. Schools like RIT are setting up virtual classrooms and virtual labs that allow students to do virtual experiments that would be too expensive in real life. For example, RIT has a virtual Tensile Tester that is in heavy use. But virtual classrooms can also help students who have social issues, giving them a chance to practice social skills and classroom participation without the anxiety of face to face contact. A person who is too shy to speak up in a classroom, might feel more confident in a virtual classroom or posting to a discussion board.
I was also interested in the idea that computers can be “non-critical” motivators.
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