Blog Post #16--Final Reflection/Final Exam

Part One:



This past semester in EDM 310 I have seen many different technology based tools and new ways to teach using these tools. In August I posted my first blog answering the question, If I built a school, what would it be like? . While I still agree with many of my ideas of the ideal school, there are many that I would change based on what I have learned in this class.

In my new dream school I would still be teaching a class of 2nd graders English and reading, while they will have other teachers teaching math, science, history, art, music, foriegn language, and PE. These classes would be very small because students can learn better when they are in smaller classes and have more of the teacher's attention. While I still feel that the idea of putting children into grades based on ability rather than age is great, there are many drawbacks making this plan very improbable. For one, students may get very discouraged if they do not pass a class and move ahead with their peers. However, this should still be an important factor in determining where students should be in school and what they need to focus on. Instead of the original testing, students will take one test at the begining of the year. This test will cover ACCRS standards that they should have learned in the previous year. After evaluating each student's test they will be put into small groups inside the class. These groups will stay together all year and students will work with each other in order to learn. Groups will all have a chance to work on the class computers (assume that there are only 2-3 per class and nobody has a personal device), complete group projects (PBL), and help each other study. While everyone in the group will have a similar deficiency they will all be able to help each other.

What do I want my students to know?

I would still expect my students to learn how to read, write, and speak with proper English grammar suitable for a 2nd grade level. While some cases have shown that teenagers and young adults sometimes use texting language when writing instead of correct English. While this is still a problem, students will still be encouraged to use technology as a learning tool. Students will be able to go onto the class webpage, that will be filled with links to safe, kid-friendly, educational games and resources relating to what is being learned in class, and use find webpages that will help them study and learn.

What do I want my students to be able to do?

Even after EDM 310 I still feel that it is important, especially for younger students who are still learning the basics of writing, to be able to write well both on paper and typed on a computer. Students will turn in writing assignments that are hand-written in class, but later either at home or in the school's library they will transfer the written sentences (or paragraph) to the computer and post it on their own personal blogs. This will allow for them to get feedback from many different people.

What will be my primary way of teaching my students what I want them to know and to do?

Primarily I will use PBL (project-based learning) in my classroom. This is a great way for students to learn and enjoy doing so. While students may sometimes object to having to work in a group and having their grades depend on others, this is a good way to have students teach themselves and be fully involved in the learning process. These projects would only be assigned after the teacher goes over the needed material. While it is important for students to be engaged and trying to find answers for themselves, they are still only in 2nd grade and need guidence and a little help.

What tools will I use in my classroom?

While I still feel that teaching reading can be achieved without the use of new technology tools, there are some benefits of these new technological devices. E-readers will be a very helpful tool to use in the classroom because most have a dictionary tool already on them. This will help young readers understand what they are reading. I still like the idea of doing art projects. This can be done through PBL, project based learning. This will more actively involve students in the learning process. I will also use Smartboard during lessons. This will help to keep students involved with learning on a daily basis. Skype will also be an important tool in my classroom. This will allow for students to hear from guest speakers more often, giving them a chance to hear from somebody else, who is a professional in a given field and may be better able to answer questions. Hopefully, students will feel more obligated to listen to a guest speaker and want to ask questions. While all of these new technology-based tools are very good and useful, it is still important that students learn how to learn without these tools. Students will have access to paper dictionaries and books and they will have some PBL activities that are not computer or other technology tool based.

What role will students play in my classroom? How will they participate in the learning process?

Students will play a very active role in the classroom. EDM 310 has shown me the advantages of PBL. These projects will require students to work together to find an answer to a problem or question. Students will be actively looking for information while doing a fun and engaging project. While in my first post I said that I would focus on group work is still accurate. The group work will be even better because it will be project based. I believe that having the students active in the learning process will make them interested in learning and want to continue to do so.

http://web.tech4learning.com/blog-0/?Tag=creativity









Part Two:

Project #16--Prezi Journal of Learning

Blog Post # 15--What assistive technologies are available to you as a teacher?

In Art Karshmer's video "Teaching Math to the Blind" he addresses the issue of how teachers teach basic mathematics to blind students. This past semester I've been taking Math for Elementary Teachers. In this class we have studied different ways to visually show students how basic mathematical principles work, such as counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Throughout the entire semester of drawing pictures and diagrams illustrating the problem I did not think about how a blind student could learn these ideas. Art Karshmer opened my eyes to the dilemas that special needs students would have with any subject. In his video he shows one tool that has been proven useful to blind students. He uses small blocks with numbers written on them in both print and braille. Students can put these blocks onto a grid so that the problem can be set up the same way that any student would set it up on paper. This may not seem to be a very advanced technology tool, it helps many students learn mathematics.

In today's world there are numerous tools that teachers can use in order to help special needs children learn any and every subject. It is important for any teacher, whether specializing in special ed or not, to know the different resources available and how to use them in order to better the life of all students.Sarah Irvine Belson lists a few tools that help blind students learn mathematics.

Audio Aids help students who cannot see to read the problem. This is computer based and will simply read the exact problem to the student to hear. The only problem with this tool is that as the problems get more and more complex students have a difficult time solving the problem after just hearing a computer read it to them.
Tactile Representations show the problem through braille. Like Art Karshmer said in his video, the problem with using braille to show a mathematical equation is that braille is linear, meaning that while most students set up math problems vertically visually impaired students will be at a major disadvantage in learning.
Tonal Representations show graphs to blind students by playing musical tones. This is a great way to represent data that is typically limitied to visual aids. The problem with this tool is that, like tactile representations, it is not very effective with more complicated math problems
Haptic Devices are ways to show as shape to a blind student. This can be used for both two-dimentional and three-dimentional shapes. While this tool is an excellent way to show non-numeral data to visually impaired students, it is very expensive and many schools cannot afford this technology.
Sarah Belson states on her webpage that these tools and methods can be used together based on each individual student. This is true for any student learning any subject. While this list of tools ranges from very technologically advanced systems to braille, these tools allow for visually impaired students to learn math with as little extra difficulty as possible.

http://www.unclegoose.com/products/braille-math-blocks/

Haley Marrs

What assistive technologies are available to you as a teacher? Select a few and discuss how they may be useful to you.


Being a teacher in the 21st century means that there are an infinite amount of assistive technologies available at our fingertips. This neat video, demonstrated by Wesley Majerus, is titled iPad usage for the blind. Wesley gives us an insight on what it's like for a blind person to use a new technology on an iPad made specifically for blind people. This software allows Wesley to control the iPad primarily with his fingertips as he double taps and uses swipes of his fingers to move around. This software is something effective that any teacher could have in their classroom if they have a blind student. It would be useful when the other students are using computers or iPads so no one is left out.
While researching the topic of assistive technologies, I came across this TeachThought website. The author has complied a list of 8 helpful assistive technology tools for the classroom.

- Screen Readers: These are described as programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer.
- Word Talk: This program can read aloud any document written in Word and create audio files that can be saved. Students with reading disabilities can use screen readers to help them understand course materials. This is free.
- Word Prediction: Available to help students with writing challenges.
- Supernova Access Suite: A complete screen reader with natural sounding speech and integrated screen magnifier with Braille display support.
- Video Magnifiers: Sometimes described as a form of closed-circuit television that uses a video camera to display a magnified image on a monitor or television screen. Students with low vision can use them to read their course materials with greater ease.
- Close Captioning and Subtitling: Enables deaf students to watch the same online video material as their colleagues. This makes it easier for them to participate in online courses that offer video lectures of their professors.
- FaceMouse: For students with limited mobility, FaceMouse turns a standard webcam into a mouse operator, allowing students to use their head and facial gestures to perform a number of tasks, including pointing the cursor, clicking on sites, or typing on the keyboard.
- Sip-and-Puff Systems: Makes computer use easier for students with mobility challenges, including paralysis and fine motor skill difficulties. Sip-and-puff systems allow users to control a mouthstick, similar to a joystick, using their breath. Students can direct the mouthstick to click on web pages, type, and perform other functions.


Any of these tools could be useful in any classroom that has students with learning disabilities. All you have to do is a little research and you are guaranteed to find something that works in your classroom.

A. Teaching Hearing and Vision Impaired Children
By: Kayla Szymanski

While researching Teaching Assistive-technology To Students Who Are Bling or Visually Impaired, I found they have an abundance of resources. When you go to the site they have the following choices you can read about: CSB Assistive Technology Center, Environmental Considerations for Assistive Technology, Overview of Assistant Technology, Principals of Assistant Technology for Students with Visual Impairments, Special Education Technology British Columbia Index, and Virtual Instruction. What is Assistive Technology? Assistive Technology can be defined as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." (-National Institute of Standards and Technology) Basically the goal of assistive technology is to give students with disabilities access to literacy and communication in their school, home, and community. While teaching it is essential to have background information on each student. Do they have medical eye conditions, or other diagnoses? Have they completed the Learning/ Literacy Media Assessment? Have they completed the Vision Assessment? Also before teaching your students make sure the classroom environment had adequate lighting, positioning, glare, and contrast control. If students are having trouble with text make sure the following steps are properly followed: font style, font size, color, boldness, and the layout of the font. Here are some characteristics of a student who might be a likely candidate for a print reading program: Uses vision efficiently to complete tasks at near distances. Shows interested in pictures and demonstrates the ability to identify pictures and or elements within pictures. Has a stable eye condition. These students may use optical aids such as eye glasses, magnifiers, or telescopes. Using computer technology is great for assisting students with disabilities. We now have access to enlarging software, called Zoomtext. Screen Readers is another great tool, this tool is a text to speech program which reads text aloud to students. Another tool is Tactile Access, this is a refreshable Braille displays they can be hooked up to a computer and it then displays a line of braille.