Disabled Bodies, Able Minds: Giving Voice, Movement, and Independence to the Physically Challenged. Diane Curtis.
This article is about the amazing technology available to disabled students today. Technologies to help students, who cannot speak, now be heard. Technologies that can enable a student with limited use of arms and legs, to now be able to play an instrument. Technology today allows students who could not communicate to be able to write stories. Years ago, Braille enabled Helen Keller to learn multiple languages and earn college degrees. Today, technology is enabling students who are paralyzed to communicate.
1. What technology is available to help disabled students? TACLE (Technology and Augmentative Communication for Learning Enhancement) is a computer that can be hooked up to a headband that senses movement on a child’s eyebrows. The computer then says the words the student chooses. There are many types of speech-generation technologies that now enable students to communicate their needs and desires.
2. What else does this technology enable disabled students to do? Most importantly, it enables disabled students to do their own work, take their own test, and do their own research. It allows them to use their own brainpower to accomplish things they never could have done in the past. They can go to college and even have their own careers.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Journal 9
Are Schools Inhibiting 21st Century Learning? Dave Nagel.
This article is based on the fifth-annual Speak Up survey conducted by Project Tomorrow. “Education stakeholders,” such as parents, students, administrators and teachers were polled and asked if their schools were using technology to enhance student learning. Administrators, parents and teachers seem oblivious to the fact that students feel that technology in education is being limited by their schools. Students stated they felt teachers were limiting their use of technology and that Web filtering was preventing them from the full benefits of using technology for learning.
1. What can be done to ensure students are prepared to be on the leading edge of technology? Students are already ahead of their teachers and parents in using emerging technologies. The CEO of Project Tomorrow states that it is in our country’s best interest to support and encourage students in their use of technology to enable them to meet the future better prepared.
2. Are educators up to speed in education technology to help students meet their needs? In this survey, 33% of teachers stated they were experts in using technology, while 56% claimed to be average technology users. Educators are not up to speed in using technology in the classroom to propel students in a technology-filled future.
This article is based on the fifth-annual Speak Up survey conducted by Project Tomorrow. “Education stakeholders,” such as parents, students, administrators and teachers were polled and asked if their schools were using technology to enhance student learning. Administrators, parents and teachers seem oblivious to the fact that students feel that technology in education is being limited by their schools. Students stated they felt teachers were limiting their use of technology and that Web filtering was preventing them from the full benefits of using technology for learning.
1. What can be done to ensure students are prepared to be on the leading edge of technology? Students are already ahead of their teachers and parents in using emerging technologies. The CEO of Project Tomorrow states that it is in our country’s best interest to support and encourage students in their use of technology to enable them to meet the future better prepared.
2. Are educators up to speed in education technology to help students meet their needs? In this survey, 33% of teachers stated they were experts in using technology, while 56% claimed to be average technology users. Educators are not up to speed in using technology in the classroom to propel students in a technology-filled future.
Journal 8
Making Field Trips Podtastic! Aliece M. Weller, John C. Bickar, and Paul McGuinness
This was a very interesting article about using digital cameras and handheld computers to expand the learning experiences of field trips. The authors promote the use of a podcast, which can be specifically designed, and then downloaded onto a handheld computer. The use of podcasts brings an interactive dynamic to a field trip. The author suggests using the podcast to guide the student through exhibits, quizzing the student, allowing the student to take notes, record audio, conduct interviews and access other information from the Web. The student can also take digital pictures and then in a collaboration with other students, or individually, present what they learned to peers, teachers or even family.
1. Is this difficult for teachers to prepare for their students? The authors state that their design of this type of project was in thinking of the technologically average educator. They also state this requires a bigger time commitment from educators initially, but they feel the results are the bigger payoff.
2. Why would the results of a “Podtastic” field trip be such a big payoff? The authors state that an interactive field trip means students have “increased brain on exhibit.” In other words, students spend more time at the exhibits and have a higher engagement on each exhibit due to the quizzes and because they know they are gathering information for a future presentation.
This was a very interesting article about using digital cameras and handheld computers to expand the learning experiences of field trips. The authors promote the use of a podcast, which can be specifically designed, and then downloaded onto a handheld computer. The use of podcasts brings an interactive dynamic to a field trip. The author suggests using the podcast to guide the student through exhibits, quizzing the student, allowing the student to take notes, record audio, conduct interviews and access other information from the Web. The student can also take digital pictures and then in a collaboration with other students, or individually, present what they learned to peers, teachers or even family.
1. Is this difficult for teachers to prepare for their students? The authors state that their design of this type of project was in thinking of the technologically average educator. They also state this requires a bigger time commitment from educators initially, but they feel the results are the bigger payoff.
2. Why would the results of a “Podtastic” field trip be such a big payoff? The authors state that an interactive field trip means students have “increased brain on exhibit.” In other words, students spend more time at the exhibits and have a higher engagement on each exhibit due to the quizzes and because they know they are gathering information for a future presentation.
Journal 7
Envisioning the Future of Education, Learning While Mobile. Mark Van ‘T Hooft
This article discusses the uses of mobile learning devices in future education. Mobile learning devices are cell phones, media players and wireless computers. The author examines that learning in the future will be personal, learner-centered, shared, everywhere and on-going. He states the learning is not focused on the learner or the technology, but on the interaction between the two. Mobile learning is social and informal. He states mobile learning focuses on conversation and context. Conversation is the aspect that mobile learning engages students learning in a social environment. While mobile learning in contexts applies to learning in various places, such as fixed and moving from one location to another. The author provides examples of mobile learning activities and discusses the challenges. He recommends schools focus on new skills such as creative thinking, problem solving and working with technologies that expand the student’s thinking ability.
1. Is this type of learning really available to all students? In the author’s list of challenges to mobile learning, the “participation gap” is number one. He acknowledges there is an unequal access not to technology, but to opportunities and experiences for preparation in the tomorrow’s world. He also says students will have ethics challenges and the challenge to be aware of and examine how the media tries to shape their perceptions.
2. How could an educator use mobile learning in the classroom? On of the author’s examples is MyArtSpace, which is a service for children to use mobile phones and personal Web space to provide the links in preparing and learning during and after a field trip.
This article discusses the uses of mobile learning devices in future education. Mobile learning devices are cell phones, media players and wireless computers. The author examines that learning in the future will be personal, learner-centered, shared, everywhere and on-going. He states the learning is not focused on the learner or the technology, but on the interaction between the two. Mobile learning is social and informal. He states mobile learning focuses on conversation and context. Conversation is the aspect that mobile learning engages students learning in a social environment. While mobile learning in contexts applies to learning in various places, such as fixed and moving from one location to another. The author provides examples of mobile learning activities and discusses the challenges. He recommends schools focus on new skills such as creative thinking, problem solving and working with technologies that expand the student’s thinking ability.
1. Is this type of learning really available to all students? In the author’s list of challenges to mobile learning, the “participation gap” is number one. He acknowledges there is an unequal access not to technology, but to opportunities and experiences for preparation in the tomorrow’s world. He also says students will have ethics challenges and the challenge to be aware of and examine how the media tries to shape their perceptions.
2. How could an educator use mobile learning in the classroom? On of the author’s examples is MyArtSpace, which is a service for children to use mobile phones and personal Web space to provide the links in preparing and learning during and after a field trip.
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