Policy

Chef Ruth Ziolkowski: Choices of Quiches and Literacy Toolbars

By Samantha Goldman | May 23, 2023
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Six mini quiches on a kitchen counter.
In our most recent CIZZLE, Ruth Ziolkowski from TextHelp and Don Johnston shared about the Literacy Toolbars designed to support learners with reading and writing support needs. Though supports, like read aloud, are becoming more common on publisher’s platforms, the benefit to toolbars, Ruth shares, is that they are always there, regardless of the platform. She compared this to always knowing where your measuring cups are in your kitchen.

Mixed Reality Simulations, Personalized Learning, AI, and the Future of Education with Dr. Chris Dede

By Samantha Goldman | May 16, 2023
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A picture symbolizing Artificial Intelligence and Simulation.
This brief highlights the need to unlearn what we’ve done in the past and to adapt to the hybrid world of today (Dede, 2022). Dr. Dede calls for more research around personalized learning (Bondie et al., 2023), artificial intelligence to support learning (Dieterle et al., 2022), and simulated learning (Bondie & Dede, 2020) to better design learning for all students.

CIDDList: 5 AIs You Need to Check Out This Summer!

By Samantha Goldman | May 15, 2023
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A laptop on a rocky beach.
CIDDL, and, let’s face it, the world as a whole, has been fascinated with the launch of AI and how it is and will impact our lives. We have talked a lot about the impact of ChatGPT, how it can be used to support literacy, math, and even solve word problems. In a recent CIZZL, our chef Tiffanie Zaugg used it to generate her recipe. But, did you know that there are literally thousands of AIs that have been developed with specific roles and areas of expertise?

CIDDList: 10 Podcasts You Should Listen to This Summer

By Samantha Goldman | May 10, 2023
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A picture of a beach with palm trees and a beach house.
It’s hard to believe that the spring semester is almost over. Whether you are teaching classes this summer, taking an exotic vacation (check out our must-haves for packing), or stay-cationing from your couch, summer is this elusive time where you tell yourself you are going to do all the things that you didn’t during the academic year. One of those, for me at least, is catching up on the trending topics in education.

Chef Tiffanie Zaugg: Banana Cream Pie and AI

By Jenee Vickers Johnson | May 5, 2023
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A picture of banana cream pie
Tara Mason is an assistant professor of inclusive education at Western Colorado University. She uses a strengths-based student learning framework to investigate Universal Design for Learning (UDL), technology, and accessibility. She kicked off CIDDL Cizzles Season 3 with her family gumbo recipe! She discussed proactive teaching, UDL, and progress monitoring in this week’s Cizzle.

Supporting Study Abroad for Students with Disabilities 

By Nick Hoekstra | May 3, 2023
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Searching for study abroad on a laptop
Despite this encouraging trend, students with disabilities find themselves under-represented among globe-trotting academics. In 2017-2018,, only 9.2% of study abroad students were students with disabilities, despite the fact that students with disabilities represent approximately 19% of students on college campuses.
There is no reason this should be the case. The author of this blog – himself a person with a disability – found studying abroad to be challenging, but ultimately a life-changing experience. In this blog, we will explore how factors like technology and a commitment to accessibility can facilitate study abroad for students with disabilities.

The CIDDL Community: We Need You

By Samantha Goldman | April 27, 2023
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Three adults sitting around coffee table with their laptops talking and laughing.
CIDDL is the Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning and our mission is to improve faculty’s capacity to use educational technology in personnel preparation programs. Part of our role is to teach about new and emerging technologies as they relate to students with disabilities, teachers and related service providers, higher education faculty, and other leaders in education. We do this through blog posts (like this one), webinars, research and practice briefs, and CIZZLEs.

Mobile Technologies to Support Student Learning

By Samantha Goldman | April 24, 2023
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Student using cell phone.
Teachers, principals, and school districts have been battling cell phones and other mobile technologies (remember pagers?) in the classroom for nearly two decades. Reasons cited as to why these devices should be banned from the classroom include cheating, bullying, and illegal/ illicit activities. But, in the digital age, where students entering the workforce are expected to have an understanding of not only basic technology, but how to leverage it to maximize productivity and creativity, shouldn’t those in education be looking for ways to leverage mobile devices to support student learning? In this blog post, we will explore the ways in which recent literature proposes mobile devices can be used in K-12 classrooms and make suggestions as to how these can transfer to higher education.

The Question of Equity in the Age of ChatGPT

By Samantha Goldman | April 17, 2023
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Hands holding money that is fanned out.
CIDDL has been discussing all things related to ChatGPT and AI lately. In a previous blog, we explored equity, diversity, and access issues related to integrating this technology into the classroom. Challenges raised included access to devices, non-bias AI, AI that empowers all students rather than perpetuate stereotypes and should reduce disparities between students. With recent updates to ChatGPT and the added premium features, the issues related to AI and equity are becoming very apparent.

Playing Around with Technology: Part II 

By Nick Hoekstra | April 10, 2023
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Multiple children using technology while sitting against a wall.
In a previous post, we discussed the importance of play for children with disabilities and how technology can facilitate play. Teachers employed technology in the classroom to encourage social interactions between students with and without disabilities. Students, when given opportunities, took existing technology and used it in innovative ways. Finally, parents spoke about how technology provided alternative forms of communication or even allowed them to watch how their children played.