Technology+to+Support+Higher+Order+Thinking+LD

Technology has become an important aspect in the classroom supporting higher-order thinking in many ways. Simulations and virtual tours are interactive and allow students to become engaged in the material. Often students have to make their own decisions and see the consequences that result from their decisions. Students can analyze and problem solve as they explore the site, making ideas more concrete. Google Earth is an excellent example of a technology that can be used to promote higher-order thinking. Students can go to anywhere on earth in seconds seeing cities, buildings, businesses, roads, terrain and even a street view of the location. Students can easily compare and contrast locations by researching the sites and visually seeing them. Students can map out trips, including their routes, transportation, and rest stops.
 * Technology to Support Higher Order Thinking**

Diversity can be celebrated, respected and modeled with the use of technology through all different types of media. With websites, such as National Geographic, you can explore and compare new cultures. There are facts and photographs of the people, the land, and different customs. Websites also offer role models from all over the world, showing inspirational people from all aspects of diversity. If you have linguistic diversity in your classroom there are cites you can use to translate text or even entire web pages into another language. This helps bridge language gaps, as well as a tool to help celebrate other languages. Every week a classroom could look up an everyday word or object in another language and use it instead. This would form an appreciation and respect for languages different than their own. There are sites that bring you videos and audio from individuals who share their experiences. An excellent and well known example is Youtube. You can view a video from almost anywhere around the world in seconds. Included is a Youtube video from an organization called [|Playing For Change], their goal is to inspire and connect this world by promoting peace through music. They truly embrace and celebrate diversity.
 * Technology to Affirm Diversity**

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There are many different assistive technologies in the classroom to support learners with special needs. Depending on the individual student's needs there are specific technologies to support those needs. A student might have auditory or speech problems and need a device to help them hear or communicate with others. Not all assistive technology is high tech, like text-to-speech of speech-to-text devices, some are very low tech such as pencil grips or paper holders. No matter what it is, these technologies help students with special needs feel more involved and accessible to other students and the curriculum.
 * Technology to Support All Learners**