App for Independent Learners
Donation protected
In a classroom, there are hundreds of things to explore, observe, and grapple with. Teachers create dozens of learning experiences a day - however, teachers can’t always BE there to explain each step of the process. This causes learners to be dependent upon the teacher for instruction, reinforcement, and feedback... An app could help with that!
Imagine five teachers and five learners in a classroom - 1:1 instruction. Within the classroom though, students were limited to an average of 10 total words or commands. This was due to PECS board and the limitation of pictures and resources available. For four year olds who are just absorbing everything around them, you can imagine the intense frustration. Add in the restraint of not being currently able to verbally articulate your needs - and you’re beginning to see why new technology needs to exist. I lived in this classroom, for an entire summer, with four of the most supportive educators I know. Reflecting on this experience, I know there’s so much work left to be done.
I am a sixth year educator who is passionate about creating a better world for learners. After teaching in rural, urban, and international settings - I have seen that there is need everywhere. When teaching students with autism, who are non-verbal, I learned that currently the classroom settings are overly teacher led.
In a general education setting, teachers are designing lessons to allow children to explore independently. In specialized and self-contained classrooms, students may have choice, but there is a heavy amount of teacher led modeling.
My aim is to design an app that allows students to engage with the classroom and answer questions for themselves.
Teachers would have the ability to pre-record videos and students could engage with them when needing directions or instructions. This database would free up teachers to focus on the learner, their process, and progression!
Contributions to this app would enable me to work with app developers to make this app come to life. Allowing teachers to connect their instructional videos to images will allow for independence in the students - scan the image and hear your teacher! Can you imagine how this would enable non-verbal students to engage with a classroom environment? Can you see how anchor charts can be transformed into directions that can be played over and over again?
This app is only going to make the classroom more accessible to learners, and create a culture of independence. Join us in making this happen!
Imagine five teachers and five learners in a classroom - 1:1 instruction. Within the classroom though, students were limited to an average of 10 total words or commands. This was due to PECS board and the limitation of pictures and resources available. For four year olds who are just absorbing everything around them, you can imagine the intense frustration. Add in the restraint of not being currently able to verbally articulate your needs - and you’re beginning to see why new technology needs to exist. I lived in this classroom, for an entire summer, with four of the most supportive educators I know. Reflecting on this experience, I know there’s so much work left to be done.
I am a sixth year educator who is passionate about creating a better world for learners. After teaching in rural, urban, and international settings - I have seen that there is need everywhere. When teaching students with autism, who are non-verbal, I learned that currently the classroom settings are overly teacher led.
In a general education setting, teachers are designing lessons to allow children to explore independently. In specialized and self-contained classrooms, students may have choice, but there is a heavy amount of teacher led modeling.
My aim is to design an app that allows students to engage with the classroom and answer questions for themselves.
Teachers would have the ability to pre-record videos and students could engage with them when needing directions or instructions. This database would free up teachers to focus on the learner, their process, and progression!
Contributions to this app would enable me to work with app developers to make this app come to life. Allowing teachers to connect their instructional videos to images will allow for independence in the students - scan the image and hear your teacher! Can you imagine how this would enable non-verbal students to engage with a classroom environment? Can you see how anchor charts can be transformed into directions that can be played over and over again?
This app is only going to make the classroom more accessible to learners, and create a culture of independence. Join us in making this happen!
Organizer
Rachel Terlop
Organizer
Alexandria, VA
