Defining educational technology and considering homework equity issues

In this interview, I revisit conversations surrounding the use of the term “dyslexia” in the schools, the use of technology, and equitable access to books. I share my commentary on the following:✅Saying “dyslexia” in the schools: Both the positive and negative consequences✅Educational technology definitions: What “counts” as technology? What’s the difference between instructional and assistive technology? ✅The tech tools are not the strategy: What’s happening when kids don’t use technology effectively?✅Asking the right questions: School leaders should ask a different question than parents when they’re contemplating the value of “homework”. ✅Equity issues that come with homework requirements.✅Educators can’t control everything that happens when students leave campus; but they can help increase access to books. I revisit my conversations with Tom Parton (Episode 178) and Susan Brady (Episode 179) in this episode and share my thoughts on these questions.This episode is a follow-up commentary on the National Literacy Month series the BE podcast network (https://bepodcast.network/) did as a partnership with Reading Is Fundamental (https://www.rif.org/) You can listen to the two interviews I discussed in this episode here:EP 178: Are we allowed to say “dyslexia” in the schools? (with Tom Parton)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-178-are-we-allowed-to-say-dyslexia-in-the-schools-with-tom-parton/EP 179: Increasing book equity and fostering a love of reading (with Susan Brady)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-179-increasing-book-equity-and-fostering-a-love-of-reading-with-susan-brady/Additional Resources mentioned in this episode:Literacy and background knowledge: Essential skills for life (with Dr. Pamela Snow)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-158-literacy-and-background-knowledge-essential-skills-for-life-with-dr-pamela-snow/School leaders and reading instruction: Time to demand LESS rather than more autonomyLink here: http://pamelasnow.blogspot.com/2023/10/school-leaders-and-science-of-reading.htmlIn this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIn this episode I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you’d like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Om Podcasten

On the De Facto Leaders podcast, host Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan helps pediatric therapists and educators become better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. With over 15 years of experience supporting school-age kids with diverse learning needs, Dr. Karen shares up-to-date evidence-based practices, her own experiences and guest interviews designed to help clinicians, teachers, and aspiring school leaders feel more confident in the way they serve their students and clients. She’ll cover a range of topics designed to help you support students' emotional and academic growth and set kids up for success in adulthood, including how to support language, literacy, executive functioning, and how to help IEP teams working together to support kids across the day. Whether you want to learn more effective strategies for your therapy session or classroom, be a more influential leader on your team, or find creative ways to use your skills to advance in your career, Dr. Karen has you covered.