Journal 9

Journal 9

Jacobson, J. (2012-2013). Skip the essay: Have students make prezicasts. Learning and leading with technology, 40(4), 34-35. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201212?pg=5

In the article Skip the Essay: Have students make prezicasts, we are presented with the fact that most school children don't want to do an essay.  As startling as this is, the question remains.  What are the kids suppose to do to learn the material if they don't want to do an essay?  Jacobson has the answer in his prezicasts.  What is a prezicast?  It is an amalgam of a prezi (A form of interactive slide show that is way cooler) and a web cast which is just  fancy name for a video that can be shared online easily.  By mashing the two technologies, students are engaged faster and more involved in the results.  

Students show more spirit and cooperation when working on these prezicasts according to Jacobson.  One reason is that it's just tough to get involved in someone elses essay.  The prezicasts were much more collaborative and the students learned more.

Q1:  Can you see yourself doing a prezicast in place of a more traditional essay?

A1: Perhaps if we have time at the end of the school year.  Essays seem to be something that will always benefit students.

Q2:  Can you see the functionality of a prezicast be more in touch with a certain age group of learner?  

A2:  Absolutely!  It seems that an older child would be needed to get the video aspect of the prezicast going.

Journal 8

Augmentative and alternative communication is a broad term that includes replacements to speach and writing for those that need it

http://loudmommydotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/mzl-kldopaqq-480x480-75.jpg

Above: Dynavox's Keyboard

Dynavox is a company that provides a voice for those that need one.  By pushing the picture of the desired item or outcome, the dynavox reproduces words for the indivudual.  

An input device for someone with special needs is non traditional communication.  The device allows the thoughts to be communicated and usually provides a mouth for the person.  One device I thought was clever was a non traditional keyboard.  These keyboards are more durable and can be tailored to the individual that needs a seperate input device.

Dynavox's non traditional keyboard is more than a simple keyboard.  It employs predictive technology, so that an indivudual does not have to spell out a complete sentence for something that they may say relatively often.  "Good night Mother" is one such example where they may only have to type in the first few letters in order to get their idea across.

The other feature of this keyboard is that the output device can be sound.  So instead of showing up on a screen, the output can be reproduced as sound waves.

The Dynavox Keyboard is used in the classroom to enable and encourage participation from those that might otherwise be unable to fully participate.

The low tech device that this keyboard replaces is the communication flip book.  A flip book is a way for those that use alternative communication to communicate meaningfully and quickly.  Here is a great picture of  flipbook, which does not use batteries:

Both of these are input devices, or items that someone that uses AAC to input their desired communication.  A flip book can also be used in the classroom.  A flip book allows communication without batteries and is much less cumbersome than the above mentioned Dynavox Keyboard.

Educational Chat Storify

My first Storify

Journal 7: My Personal Learning Network

A Personal Learning Network (PLN) is a group of technology platforms that allow one to be a more effective educator (or citizen!) in my opinion.  I see the network as a web that is waiting for signals to be passed to you or inputs.  These inputs actively gather information and relay it to me on my PLN. On my PLN, I use Twitter, Diigo, and Storify.  Twitter is a means of connecting a very large audience on a very specific subject instantly!  Diigo is a web tool that allows me to publish and highlight web content to everyone that follows me.  Storify is a means of establishing a more permanent record of a twitter conversation.

Twitter will help me become a better teacher by allowing me to form bonds with like minded individuals and learn from them.  I don't mean to brag, but I am following 11 people on twitter.  Some of my classmates like Stephanie Cambell, Marisol Martinez, and Joanne Menchaca are in my twitter network.  Additonally, I also follow my instructor Jeff Heil.  I had a great initial twitter experience tweeting all about earth day with fellow educators in #NTCHAT.  It was great to instantly connect with educators from around the world.  I have turned my first chat into a storify and added it to my blog.

Diigo is a social bookmarking hi liter so to speak.  With it, I can mark items for later use (Think Tivo for the computer) and "check them out" at a later time.  Additionally, people that follow me can see what I mark, and follow my though stream.  Personally, I do not like Diigo too much.  It kind of freaks me out that other people can see every thing I do online.  I like a little more privacy I guess.  Though I do like the ability to mark things for later reading.  I find Diigo to be very busy, and I like things to be simple.

I joined Classroom 2.0 with the intent of learning what a web 2.0 tool was.  I guess 2.0 just refers to the fact that a website is more than just informational now.  This would make all websites 2.0 if they have some amount of interactivity to them.  The community seems vibrant, and very helpful.

Journal 6

Journal 6:  Ten reasons to get rid of homework (And five alternatives)

Spencer, J. (2011, Sept 19). Ten reasons to get rid of homework (and five alternatives). Retrieved from http://www.educationrethink.com/2011/09/ten-reasons-to-get-rid-of-homework-and.html

In this article, we are introduced to John's philosophy of no home work.  He brings home some good points about how hard it is to get children to work in a school environment for up to 6 hours a day.  After formal schooling, according to John, there is not enough time in the day for everything that a child must do.  John doesn't think children will have enough time to ride a bike or throw a ball if they get assigned home work.  Some children have chores, and have to watch their younger siblings.  How can they possibly be expected to do homework with such social injustice in the world?  Even though I don't always get my homework done at the College level, my children ALWAYS get their homework done.  Why?  Because I'm a parent first.  Second I'm an employee, and third (Yes third) I'm a college student and aspiring educator.  What advice can I possibly have to help John find some time to get some homework done by his school children?

Ways to find time for homework:

Cancel Cable.  Even with just two shows a night, you just saved 28 hours in a week for a family of four.  

Get physical!  Allow children to decompress for an hour after school playing out side or doing whatever they want.

Use Extra play time outside (Such as bike or ball throwing) as an incentive when the nights homework is done.

Work lesson plans into every day situations when running around with your children.

Reward successful behavior in your children and students!

Re

Find 

Use 

Use

Way 

Journal 3

Journal 3-Students need a digital drivers license before they start their engines NETS-T III

Swan, G. (2012). Students need a digital drivers license before they start their engines. Learning and leading, 40(4), 26-28. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201212?pg=5

In this article in Learning and Leading by Gerry Swan, we are introduced to a unique problem that our digital students can potentially have.  In the past, children use to take home a library book or two, and there was little that could go wrong other than a bit of extra reading.  In todays learning environments, children may check out digital devices such as ipads that are expensive, and can be used inappropriately.  These Ipads or bring-your-own-device (BYOD)'s are required to have a Digital Drivers License if a school is making them available.  In order to acquire this license, educators are presented with unique challenges in making the license available.  In the case of our article, the school requires self paced student cases to be completed with a passing grade, currently set to 80%.  Issues such as cyber bullying and copyright infringement are covered, and if sufficient knowledge is demonstrated, the child can use the BYOD.  

Q1:  How can I see myself utilizing digital citizenship for a student who wants a BYOD?  

A1.  In order to make sure that the student is sufficiently capable to use the BYOD, I would assess the students work and see how they view their digital citizenship.  If acceptable, I would allow them to persue the DDL.

Q2:  Do I think BYOD's are currently a hot issue in local schools?  

A2:  Not really.  The school classrooms I have volunteered in have had 2 Ipads maximum, and they were not being checked out by students. 

Journal 5

Journal # 5

 Seeing is Believing! Runyan, M. (2013). Seeing is believing!. Learning and leading with technology, 40(5), doi: http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-leading

 In the article Seeing is Believing! We are introduced the high cost of technology for those people with poor vision. This cost is known as the “blindness tax” and is something I witnessed growing up with my older brother as he is legally blind. I have always known that smart phones could translate into another language on the spot, but I never realized that they could also enlarge and zoom so someone that can not see well can have a translator in the palm of their hand also. Read to go and voiceover also contribute directly into increases functionality for low vision learners. The technology revolution is really bringing increased efficiency and ease of use into the lives of our low vision learners.

 Q1 Does the extra cost of technology for low vision learners enable them to learn just as well as someone without that hardship?

 A1 I have witnessed learners with disabilities such as low vision learners have more of a drive to master the material than those for whom things of this nature come easily. The same thing is seen is sports where we root for the person with a strong work ethic over the person with natural ability. Though of course, it is best to see both.

 Q2 Have you noticed low vision technology interfering with the other non low vision learners in a classroom setting?

 A2 No. With the way that technology is going, such as voice over and braille on demand for low vision learners, the learning curve and the amount of set up is almost zero. It practically takes more time to set up a laptop than it does to access a low vison app.