Assistive Technology

As teachers it has become increasingly important to utilize assistive technology in the classroom. These technologies can range anywhere from helping students use computers to using technology to help children with disabilities. Here I will discuss one of many options for assistive technology.

For many children taking notes in class is not enough to help them learn the content. Inventors have developed a new technology that is entirely contained in a pen. The technology is called a Smartpen. This pen allows students to take notes on special paper, while also recording the lecture they are listening to. When they touch the pen on the notes they wrote it will say the part of the lecture that the notes were taken in. This allows students who have a hard time remembering what was said, or who struggle with notes, the ability to have the entire lecture right at their hands without having to worry about the little things. It also has the ability to turn into a calculator. If the students set it to the correct mode and then draw a calculator they can then solve problems with the help of the pen. I believe that this will help all forms of students. The features of the pen are amazing and will revolutionize the way that students all over the world take notes. Teachers could integrate this technology in their classrooms with little change or hassle. This means that a lot of teacher would be more willing to use them than if they were a high maintenance tool.

Though this pen will help students take notes and retain information better, it does not take away the responsibility of the student to actually learn. That is why I believe that it will be such a great too. It will assist in learning, but will not make student responsibility obsolete.