Blog Post #12

Assistive technologies available to teachers….

Defined by the U.S. Department of Education, assistive technologies are any piece of equipment used to improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability.

50 Must-See Blogs for Special Education

There are several blog pages here that are well worth a visit!  Here is one that is very insightful:

Special 2 Me

This blog is an excellent resource for teachers of special needs/education students. It opens up about students, parents, and other conflict situations.  It also speaks about ideas and projects that might help you in your teaching.  It encourages you to hang in there and continue your work with a high held head and confidence.  This blog is great for those teachers with trouble students or difficult parents.

iPad Usage For the Blind

This is truly astounding! I think that it would be better for Siri to slow down the pace of her voice but other than that, this technology is truly astounding!  Blind readers could enjoy some of the same technology regular sighted students could with absolute ease.  This may be one of the most amazing gifts given to education.  Being able to allow someone of impairment the same tools to learn as a regular education students is helping bridge the gap between special education and general education students.  This tool give the blind more access to the world around them.

Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children

At the very end of this video, the young lady, I believe says, "Thank you for seeing".  That to me, as a non-signing and hearing-capable individual, says thank you for watching.  This video is very enlightening.  Giving hearing or vision impaired students to ability to learn on the same level as general education students is monumental!  Technology has come so far and now being able to interact with the hearing or sight impaired is going to open so many doors for them as well as teachers and educators.  This video should open your eyes and your minds to what is possible through technology and assistive technology.

This blog post was done in collaboratively with Erin Byrd.

Project # 14 Lesson Plan

Show below are my lesson plan and a few website that I feel would be great resources for the students to use with this lesson plan.

Primary Colors

ABCs of Art

Color Wheel Eyes

(ABCs of Art and the Color Wheel Eyes are both links provided to me while I take EDU 301 with Mrs. Vitulli)

mademistakes.com

Project #12 Smartboard

Blog Post # 10: What can we learn from Mrs. Cassidy?

Mrs. Cassidy is a first grade teacher in Moose Jaw, Canada. Little Kids...Big Potential is a short video about her students and what they think of the class. Her students like to write on their blogs more than their books because of the comments that they get on their posts. The students can see the changes in their writings and understand the right way to comment on a peers post. At school and at home the students can go onto different learning friendly sights that are educational through her webpage. Being so technologically advanced her students use Skype to interact with different classrooms and learn more about different cultures.

Interview with Cassidy Part 1, Interview with Cassidy Part 2, and Interview with Cassidy Part 3 are all parts of an interview with Kathy Cassidy and how she came to start about in her teaching style with computers. In this interview she explains that she started when computers were donated to her and 10 years from the day of the interview started her webpage. 5 years before the interview was the start of her blog and 2 years before the interview was the start of the video of her students using technology to better their education. The best part of the way Mrs. Cassidy explains her way to teaching with technology is the endeavor to keep the identity of the students safe, but while also allowing the students and parents to understand that they will always be using technology and the internet. The way that she uses her students blogs as a way to keep their work together is a way that I plan on using in my own classroom in the future. Also with her idea of the audience of the blogs being a great motivator to the students. In this first video "Little Kids...Big Potential", the kids state that they love to write on their blogs because of the views and comments. Mrs. Cassidy explains that the best way to get interested in technology is to find a way to express your own likes, such as Flickr if you are interested in photos or videos, or blogs if you love to write.

(Blog Picture)

C4K for March

For week 9, my assignment was to comment on Emily's blog post on her advice to new students at her high school. Emily is a sophomore at Joilet High School and her advice to freshman was very true in any case, not just at her specific school. Here is the comment that I left on her blog:


"Hello Emily. I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I really enjoyed your advice to future students at your high school. I went to two different high schools, both drastically different from the other. My first two years were at a high school that was enormous and my last two years were at a small little high school in the middle of the country. In your post I saw a few different punctuation and capitalization problems, but your flow and form was very easy to read. Your content was very helpful and I hope that your readers will take your advice and enjoy their new time at your high school."

For week 10, my assignment was to comment on Cristal's blog post on her experience while job shadowing. The job she shadows was in the cosmetology field, but her main concern is the wage that she would be making if she went after that job. Here is the comment that I left on her blog:

"Hey Cristal! I have never even thought of working in the field of cosmetology, but my dream is to be a teacher. Teachers do not make a great salary either, however if you love what you do then that is what matters. If you love cosmetology then chase your dreams! I have heard of countless people that take their dreams and make a great living, even in the field of cosmetology. Job shadowing is a great way to explore your options! Keep pursuing your dreams."

For week 11, my assignment was to comment on Jacob C's blog post on his pets. He has two snakes, a rainbow boa and a normal ball python. Here is the comment that I left on his blog:

"Hey Jacob!
I am an EDM 310 student at the University of South Alabama. I loved reading about what type of snakes you have and can honestly say I have never heard of a rainbow boa. I actually touched a snake for the first time yesterday, but I still have a fear of them if they are not someones pet. How big are you snakes? I saw a eight foot snake that weighed 80+ pounds yesterday.

Megan"

Blog Post # 9: What Can Teachers and Students Teach Us About Project Based Learning?

Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning 

This article is very helpful for when you are just starting your PBL and are lost in the depth of a PBL. The seven steps (need to know, driving question, student voice and choice, 21st century skills, inquiry and innovation, feedback and revision, and a publically presented project) easily break down the process and lead towards a strong project that is easily explained and thought out.

Project-Based Learning for Teachers

This short video is a great way to explain what PBL is and how it helps a teacher to center his or her lessons around a driving question that leads to a complete ending that the students have to share with their peers. In this video there are many different sites used to help a teacher with their use of PBL.

Ten Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration in Project Based Learning

This article discusses the importance of PBL and give ten resources for helpful tips on how to use PBL. Some of these sites were new to me and after looking over them I found them to be extremely helpful and will implement them in the future. 

What Motivates Students? 

In this short video, students explain what motivates them to do better. The answers range from the goal of having a family and a house and being able to support that lifestyle, going to college and be able to do what the student wants to do when they grow up, and being congratulated by teachers or other students for the hard work that paid off on a good test score. The second half of this video shows the students explaining the reward systems that they think work best for them. From stickers to pizza parties, motivation runs rich through these kids. 

Project Based Learning in PE

This blog post is about a high school that allows their students to plan and improve the physical fitness plans for the middle school students at the school. By following the The National Association for Sport and Physical Education standards not only are the high schoolers following the basic guidelines of physical fitness but are helping to mold the middle schoolers into a healthier lifestyle. This way to use PBL is a great idea to help all high schoolers promote physical fitness around the world. 

PBL

Project # 9: Motivating Students to Learn