Blog Post 12

What Assistive Technologies Are Available to You as a Teacher?

Russell: 

The advancement of technology has led to many new doors being opened for individuals with impairments. Students who are blind or deaf now have many more tools to assist them in their academic careers. I believe that it can be argued that the iPad is at the top of the list of most important technologies created for the impaired. As shown in the video, iPad Usage For The Blind, the iPad comes straight out of the box with the ability to be configured for a blind individual. Through the built in program, Voiceover, the contents of the screen are read aloud. By having this ease of access, the iPad has made it possible for the visually impaired to be able to do things such as read a book or even search iTunesU for academic materials. One can see that this would not only help the student in their studies, but also aid the teacher in being able to educate. The accessibility of the iPad would allow the educator to assign reading materials to the entire class. This would also make the grading and feedback process more efficient for teachers because the students with visual impairments are now able to use email as a means to submit work.

Many apps are being developed to take advantage of the iPads boundless capabilities. The e-book, Reach For The Stars, is just one example of developers trying to create a method for blind students to experience science and the universe. Astronomer Elena Sabbi, the inspiration for the e-book states that, “And technology is improving so fast that we are sure you will be able to learn and do new things. Things are becoming more reachable.”  I believe that this is the main way that technologies such as these assist educators the most. They give teachers the ability to reach the impaired students nearly just as effectively as their general students. These tools allow for an impaired student to have a much greater chance at discovering that subject or topic that they connect with and want to study deeper.

Vikki:

The Mountbatten, an electronic machine used to write braille, is very beneficial not only with the blind student but for the instructor and fellow classmates. The device uses word processing and provides audio feedback to ensure the correct character was selected. The use of the iPad for deaf/blind students in Having a Great Time Teaching demonstrates how effective such modern devices have become in the world of education.

In the field of music education, a website entitled Blind Music Student lists several programs that would aid in a visually impaired child’s ability to read, compose, and perform music. Two programs that assist are Lime Lighter and Goodfeel. Lime Lighter creates a legible digital music score for individuals with low vision while Goodfeel serves as a music note-to-braille translator. Goodfeel also allows sighted teachers and other musicians to change typical sheet music into Braille without having any prior knowledge of the Braille system. Before Goodfeel was invented, converting musical notations into Braille could take six weeks to complete after sending the materials to a translator.

Another app that is widely popular with those working with exceptional children that fall under the Autistic Spectrum  (along with several other developmental and intellectual disabilities) is Proloquo2Go. The features found in this program provide assistance with children who benefit from symbol support. Students can speak by tapping buttons with words/phrases, send emails/text messages, and develop their vocabulary.

Melanie:

Currently, Ipads are becoming increasingly popular in all classrooms, and voice reader allows every student to participate even if a student is blind. Simply hovering over an application or icon allows the voice reader to read the name of the application aloud, and also instruct an individual to double click the icon in order to open it.

Computer Assisted Notetaking (CAN)

Students can enjoy full access to instruction in selected mainstream settings through the use of this real-time captioning system. An instructor or paraprofessional typing into a laptop computer, that is hooked up to a high-luminosity portable projector, will allow not only deaf students, but non-hearing impaired students to follow the instructions on an oversized screen or whiteboard at the front of the room. Hard copies of the notes will be edited into functional language-masters and provided to students at the end of the day for study at home.

The Mountbatten Brailer

The MB Learning System has been designed for children who need Braille. It is a fun and inclusive introduction to Braille literacy and provides a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning. Extensive research and development has resulted in a design suitable for the very first stages of Braille instruction through to high school and beyond.

SMARTboard Project 12 Part B

C4Tp Post 3

One of Ms. Silvia Tolisano's most recent post, The Possibilities of Student Blogging, shares a video of a colleague, Andrea Hernandez, that focuses on the benefits and success of teachers using blogs to aid in the classroom. Ms. Tolisano states that instructors are to be held responsible regarding digital connections. Quad-blogging, connecting one's class with another teacher's, is a topic that is addressed within the video. Teachers should invite individuals within a network to view and critique their students's work, as well as assist them with the blogs (depending on the grade level). With blogging, a student can expand communication and obtain various opinions from individuals they would not normally associate with in the "real-world". Students are able to incorporate their own personal touch within the blogs, practice fundamental writing skills, and provide constructive criticism.

In Documenting FOR Learning, Ms. Tolisano discusses how one can benefit from documenting multiple items and why. The following are tools she suggests one may use: videos, photos, tweets, mindmaps, and blogs. She points out that documentation of student learning and strategies is becoming imperative. With these instruments, teachers can share ideas with colleagues, evaluate student progress, inform further instruction, and update one's portfolio.

C4Ta Post 3

In Ms. Shelly Wright's blog, The Gift of Failure, she discusses how teachers have provided a disservice to our students regarding the ideology of failing and the process of learning. One must face unsuccessful aspects of life to actually gain knowledge. In society, the role of teaching has morphed its philosophy of comprehending data from textbooks to obtaining skills that will ensure advancement in the future. Ms. Wright states that "this process involves a lot of failure." The culture has essentially altered the term "failure" into an almost "celebrity status". Instead of telling our students that one must fail, we note successful individuals (i.e. Thomas Edison, Einstein, Steve Jobs) that overcome obstacles. Those are fabulous examples; however, what about the "average joes" that fail and obtain simple jobs? Do we still consider them to be failures for not achieving outrageous notoriety? Failure is something that individuals are terrified in being identified as. As teachers, we should acknowledge that failing is acceptable, but we must strive towards having students overcome and learn from the mistakes that caused them to fail. 

In Shifting the Classroom, One Step at a Time, Ms. Wright writes about how teachers are oftentimes intimidated in "shifting" the class. New instructors are often unsure where to begin in the process and are hesitant in making changes due to possible classroom management issues. She provides a "guideline": 1. Start with one unit: inquire why something may/may not be working. 2. Talk about learning: communicate with your students. 3. Make tech work for you: integrate various methods of technology to assist in teaching. 4. Expect to hit the wall: learning is an emotional development.

Blog Post 11

What can we learn about teaching and learning from these teachers?

Brian Crosby's Back to the Future discussion demonstrated how PBL allows instructors to inspire students's creativity and "think outside of the box". Mr. Crosby displayed slides that showcased how something as simple as blogging can aid in developing a student's imagination and assist in the want to learn. He also illustrated how children (regardless of the age, in my opinion) are very visual and "hands-on". With PBL, students are able to comprehend fundamentals concerning a specific topic through activities that excite them. Instead of just reading information from a textbook, children are engaged in a task that incorporates the data.  

In Blended Learning Cycle, Paul Andersen introduces a method of teaching I was unfamiliar with previously. Blended learning can be summarized as program in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time or place. Within the cycle, the instructor must ask a question that grabs the students's attention then permit students to research the topic. The teacher should develop the material by incorporating a digital tool (video, software, etc.). After the cycle has been completed, one would pose questions to verify that the students completely understand the new material.

Mark Church's video, Making Thinking Invisible, focuses on viewing how a student's perspective concerning a topic can change. Mr. Church requires his students to compose a theme question then post them on the wall. After some time, the children come back to the questions posted and are evaluated to see if/how/why their opinions on the topic have changed. 

The video entitled Good Digital Citizen followed fifth grade teacher, Sam Pane, in Nebraska and how to properly prepare students with digital safety. As instructors, we must ensure our students comprehend the risks they undergo while using the internet. Mr. Pane specifically states that a "digital citizen" must "safe, responsible, and respectful while online" and allows his students to comment on what makes an individual the opposite. The school that Mr. Pane teaches at has a program that permits students to create their own "superhero/heroine" who monitors online activity. Once the children have a finished product, the characters are put into real world situations that have the students determine the best route to venture. 

Dean Shareski's video, he focuses on integrating technology into the classroom to improve communication and combine various subject matter that could lead to more in-depth conversations. Teachers are able to provide a detailed evaluation of their students's work while peer-editing is embraced and the use of constructive criticism is enforced. 

The final video, Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program, viewers are given the basics of what PBL implements:

1. In depth learning

2. Integrated thematic instruction

3. Based on a "real-world" problem

4. Research-based

5. Project and presentation

The essential objective of PBL is having students think for themselves instead of instructors actually "giving" the answers. This allows the children, in a sense, to be creative and explore the subject matter. Several individuals stated that instead of using short-term memory to memorize data for the exams, the children actually grasps the concepts that are being taught and can apply them to every day life. 

Project 10 Teacher Interview Movie

Blog Post 10

What Can We Learn From Ms. Cassidy's Blog?

Ms. Cassidy, an elementary teacher in Canada, posted one video entitled, Little Kids, Big Potential, on her account that focused on her students' opinions concerning various aspects within technology and what they enjoyed about it. The students were able to practice literacy skills with blogging and even constructive criticism of their peers. With technology, the students were able to interact with individuals that specialized in certain fields they were learning in the classroom.

The next required videos were interviews 1, 2, and 3 with Ms. Cassidy. An obstacle that she encountered with administration was the privacy of the students which was counteracted with permission from parents. Several family members actually enjoyed reviewing their child's blog and gladly participated. In the second interview, Ms. Cassidy made a wonderful point regarding how one could begin integrating technology into the classroom. She stated that the instructor should pursue a venue that they enjoy, whether it is blogging, video logs, etc. Twitter was also advocated due to multiple ways of communicating with various individuals who are teachers (from beginners to veterans) in the field you are studying. 

In the final segment, former EDM 310 students asked numerous questions concerning how one can use blogging in specific classes. As a music educator, I never considered using a form of technology (besides email) to communicate with students and parents. With a blog or even Twitter, one can update information concerning a schedule change or an updated repertoire list to ensure that the students will stay inform. Another topic Ms. Cassidy mentioned was fraudulent work within the use of technology. She stated that it is not an issue, but a benefit among teachers who embrace collaborative sharing. There are numerous music education blogs that I have reviewed and taken note of some of the projects/ideas these veteran teachers have developed. They are fabulous sources of materials I can use within my classroom.