Review of "Whiteboards Engage Autistic Students" (February 2009)

This remarkable article describes how the use of electronic interactive whiteboards in a New Hampshire school had a dramatic positive impact upon the learning experience of its students. Aged 7-20 and divided into 5 classrooms, these students had all been diagnosed with autism or other related neurological disorders. Typically, students with autism have attention deficits, and do not engage in reciprocal play or social learning. Typically, students are able to maintain attention to a lesson for 15-19 minutes before needing a break. Individual instruction is the norm, and when technology is used it typically involves individual stations for each student.

However, this school introduced the use of interactive whiteboards in an effort to try a new approach. The results were very encouraging; students showed interest in using the whiteboard to illustrate a story they created using pictures, and eagerly participated in an attendance activity where they would circle their own picture on the whiteboard to indicate their presence. Further, students greatly enjoyed an electronic book displayed on the whiteboard so much that they would sign for specific stories or website that they liked; positive social behaviors like raising their hands, taking turns, and engaging in instruction for up to 45 minutes (a three-fold increase) were among the other encouraging results.

Q1: What might get in the way of incorporating this kind of technology into existing programs?
A1: Two concerns come to mind- first, thought I don't know the exact cost of an interactive whiteboard, they are most certainly quite expensive, and would require significant dedicated funds. However, given how central they seemed to be in the classrooms described, it would seem that it is money well spent. Also, as with any new technology, veteran teachers would need to be trained to use it, which might involve some "selling" on the part of those desiring to incorporate it.

Q2: Are there any potential drawbacks to this kind of program?
A2: Because the article presents such a positive picture of a classroom totally vitalized by this technology, one wonders if it might alienate those few students who do not respond to it. Also, if the entire classroom relies upon one technology resource, what happens when it breaks down or has other technical difficulties?

Review of "Traveling the Novel" (March/April 2009)

This article describes an interesting way of utilizing computer technology to enrich a reading assignment by bringing in elements of cultural and physical geography, as well as teaching students some useful computer skills. The project described involves students who have been assigned to read Khaled Hosseini's book The Kite Runner, about a young boy who travels from Afghanistan to Pakistan, then to California, and finally returning to Afghanistan. Because the landscape is such a significant feature of the novel, students explore that landscape by using Google Earth to plot certain points in the protagonist's journey, using photos, videos, and satellite imagery to enrich the experience. By placing waypoints and notations on their own versions of a map, students can place relevant quotes from the text at locations where they were said to have taken place in the book.

Q1: What difficulties might arise in conducting a project of this nature?
A1: Though Google Earth is a reasonably accessible piece of software, it is not something that the average user can sit down with and feel immediately comfortable. This would require that the instructor attain a high level of skill with the program; not just to accomplish a similar project themselves, but enough such that they can thoroughly and competently answer students' questions and instruct them in its use.

Q2: What technological hurdles would need to be overcome to make a project like this work?
A2: Because Google Earth is a free product and does not require particularly powerful hardware, this project is not very demanding from a technology or funding standpoint. However, because students would need to spend a significant amount of time on their project, they would need either significant use of on-site computer labs or access to them at home.