Journal #9 Adaptive Technology

Definition of AAC:


Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is the general term used to refer to systems of communication that assist people with different degrees of speech impairment or communication limitations. It assists people with autism, traumatic brain injury, ALS, cerebral palsy, and more. AAC tools allow people to express their thoughts, ideas, and emotions more effectively while also easing communication difficulties. There is a wide range of  AAC tools, from no/low tech to high tech tools, and it ultimately depends on the capability of the user; some users may require the use of a combination of different tools. AAC communication systems can be aided or unaided. Aided communication requires external equipment in addition to the body while unaided communication relies on the user's body to convey messages (gestures, facial expressions, sign languages). Aided communication tools can range from something as basic as a pencil to a high tech device that reproduces speech.


Non-technical or low-technical tools are systems of communication that either do not require external power or require external power but they are easy to program. Non-tech/ low tech tools are the foundation for the later use of high-tech devices. Common non-technical communication tools are choice boards and communication boards which assist users to convey messages by pointing (physically or with eye-gaze direction) at objects, symbols, pictures or a combination. In the classroom,

High technical devices are more complex systems of communication, more costly and they require more training t. A speech generating device (SGD)/Voice Output Communications Aids (VOCA) is an example of a high tech AAC device that can be its own gadget or a program that can be installed on any computer . An SDG/VOCA device is is basically an electronic board with interactive buttons that are icons or text to speech devices. The SAY IT! SAM Tablet XP1 is a text-to-speech industrial high tech-device. It is lightweight and portable and it is designed for text users needing spoken and written communication. The product also has nine different voice options. This device would be a good choice for students with severe speech impairments in order to communicate with classmates and teachers.  There's also a palm-size version.


Accessibility
Definition of input device for students with special needs:
Input devices, such as alternative keyboards (bigger.smaller keys, ergonomic, etc) and pointing devices (mouses, eye tracking), are another type of assistive/adaptive technology that accommodate individuals who have limited
mobility or severely disabled.


An example of hardware input device is the Intellikeys keyboard. It has a large surface area which is designed for students who have motor control difficulties. It plugs to any Mac or computer with a USB port and it comes with six standard overlays to meet the needs of a wide variety of users.


Wordprediction programs are software input devices that assists individuals who have difficulties with typing their thoughts and ideas, either because of motor difficulties or because the user struggles with the writing process. The software "predicts" the user's intent word based on the person's syntax and spelling. A specific wordprediction software isWordQ+SpeakQ, which integrates three features: word prediction, text to voice and voice recognition. This software is ideal for students who physically or mentally struggle with typing/writing.

Journal # 8 "Find the truth about the Pacific Tree Octopus"

Ferrell, Keith. (August 2011). Find the truth about the pacific tree octopus. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(1), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-august-2011.aspx


In the short article, "Find the Truth about the Pacific Tree Octopus", fourth grade teacher, Keith Ferrell, shares the hilarious experience he had with a research project he gave to his students. The two topics were: "The tree octopus" and "All about explorers". He purposely did not teach them the appropriate and effective way to research for information online, which was evidenced by the "facts" that the students presented to the class. For example, one of their findings was that Christopher Columbus was born in Sidney, Australia! Or that, suggested by the title of the article, the Pacific Northwest tree octopus can be found in the temperate rainforests of North America. It was clear that the students had typed the research topic in the Google search engine and clicked on the first links they saw. After sharing their findings, the students noticed that their findings where flawed and their "facts" were actually lies creatively constructed. However, after teaching them the 5 W's when doing research, the fourth graders became critical researchers, being more aware of the sources where they obtained information. I relate to this article because I had a similar experience with my students. We always do internet scavenger hunts and it is amusing to see what kind of facts they are able to find. They have become better researchers because I have emphasize to them the importance of making sure their findings or facts are accurate. 


Question #1: What does this article tell us, and students, about "facts"? 


I think that besides the practical knowledge of being careful when searching and selecting information on the web, it also teaches them to look at "facts" critically. Knowledge can be constructed and manipulated. The student's in Mr. Ferrell's class were amazed at the verisimilitude of the "facts" that they found on the internet. The videoclip is authentically absurd (an octupus living on a tropical tree?) and it has a high  level of sophistication to appear real. However, it pertains to all kinds of knowledge. Even reliable and established sources can be bias when they  construct and reproduce knowledge. 


Question #2: Why is it important to teach students the legal and ethical behaviors when selecting, acquiring and citing their sources at a young age such fourth grade?


More than anything, I think it has to do with honesty, professional, academic, and personal. Academic dishonesty such as plagiarism is the most common example. The pressures of succeeding in school may lead students to copy someone else's work. By teaching them how to cite sources properly, young students will be better prepared for later.   




     

Journal #6 "Student Voices for change"

McClintock Miller, Shannon. (June/July 2011). Student voices for change. Learning & Leading with Technology, 38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx


In the article, "Student voices for change", Shannon McClintock Miller shares the tremendous impact and benefits that technology has had, and continues to have, at Van Meter Community School in Iowa. In 2009 the school  adopted a one-to-one computer initiative in grades 6-12 and a strong technology focus throughout the district. The results have been exemplary and the students of Van Meter are the ones who are voicing and sharing about the positive transformation that technology has brought to their learning and educational experience. Starting last year, the students of Van Meter have been presenting their personal testimonies to state and educational committees, leaving them in awe as students as early as fifth grade voiced their passion and motivation to learn. Their enthusiasm and confidence is the product of being able to showcase their interests and self-expression, locally and globally, through the use of technology. Their learning is no longer confined to the classroom. Most importantly, however, is the leadership role that these students have developed as a result of their educational and creative use of technology in conjunction to the opportunity to be the ones to talk about their experience. 


Question #1: It is clear that technology enhances learning and motivates students to explore their interests, however, what is the cost behind such investment? Is technology creating a bigger divide between those who have access to technology and those who don't?


Technology is by no means cheap and not everyone has access to a computer. The confidence and the motivation of Van Meter students is a testament of what technology can accomplish. My main concern is the availability of those resources and the discrepancy of those who have access and those who do not, especially with the current budget crisis. There's a lot of emphasis in the use of technology, but I think what is missing from the discussion is the digital divide that technology is creating. How can we make the gap smaller? How can we make the access to technology democratic? 


Question #2: Why is it more important for students to voice their experiences to committees than to have the administration present the information? 


Students rarely have a chance to speak their minds. It is always the adults who speak for them, thus appropriating their discourse, their experience. By letting students voice their opinion, we empower them. As a future teacher, I want to collaborate with my students, and listening to their voices is extremely important. 

Journal #7 My Personal Learning Network

ISTE NETS and Performance Indicators for Teachers (NETS-T): (5 A & D  )

I created a Personal Learning Network (PLN) using Diigo (a social bookmarking tool), Tweeter (a real-time communication tool), and a Ning Site. 

A Personal Learning Network (PLN) is a support system of colleagues and mentors in which collaboration and communication occurs in a virtual setting through the use of a plethora of social networking tools and resources.        The configuration and the size of a PLN varies and it ultimately depends on the needs, the time, and the commitment of the individual in order to develop and cultivate a network of professional and personal relationships.  Creating and participating in Personal Learning Network serves two fundamental purposes: (1) to facilitate the exchange and flow of information that is readily accessible whenever, wherever; and (2) to provide independent professional development, that is, the individual is responsible for his or her own professional advancement. Whereas in the past the search for information took more time and effort, a PLN brings the information to you; all you have to do is filter it and organize it depending on your interests. My PLN is in its initial stages but I can already notice the necessity to continue developing it as a prospect teacher. My PLN will enable me to constantly update my pedagogical skills and broaden and deepen my content knowledge. The three main social networking tools that I utilize are Twitter, Diigo, and Classroom 2.0.

     Previous to this class, my view towards Twitter was a negative one. I had the impression that it was mainly utilized by people who did not have anything to do except follow their favorite celebrities and tweet about pointless matters, which is true to some extent. However, I have learned about the productive side of Twitter and how helpful and necessary of a social networking tool it is. So, what is Twitter? In a way, Twitter is a synthesis of the many communication tools out there but the main differences are that the text-based posts, or tweets, are restricted to 140 characters or less and the exchange and flow of information occurs in real time. Tweets, by default, are accessible to the entire Twitter community and members or followers can reply or retweet them (if the post is worth sharing to other followers, be it because the information is interesting or important). The flow of information is vertiginous and at times it is overwhelming trying to catch up with the continuous stream of tweets, but the information can always be captured and accessed at a later time. Chats are created depending on interests or subject matters by placing the hashtag  (#) in front of the topic. Therefore, members are able to always follow people from all over the world with common interests.
      As a teacher, developing and cultivating professional relationships are at the core of Twitter and the first step is to follow people, which is the virtual way of shaking hands and introducing yourself. That is why it was important to fill out my profile in which I state my interests and my motives. Because I am fourth grade after school teacher, I decided to follow fourth grade teachers who will provide me with tons of information and resources that will help me when I go back to work at the elementary school. The five people that I am following are: plnaugle (Paula Naugle), who teaches math and social studies and has 35 years of experience; jmplus2 (Jeanne McQueen), from Colorado and who has been teaching/learning over 15 years; dreambition (Brad Wilson), from Michigan and who is technologically savvy and extremely well-rounded (teacher, staff trainer, presenter, consultant); principalberry (Michael Berry), an elementary school principal from Vermont; and whiteheadsclass (Clara Whitehead), another  fun and well-rounded teacher from Alabama.  The teachers that I am following are from different states in the U.S. because it is important learn about other perspective that are not confined to my own geographical region.
      I participated in #4thchat on Monday, August 1 at 7 PM. The chat interested me because I am an after school fourth grade teacher. The topic of the night was "What's the best way to arrange your classroom and furniture to maximize learning?" which was a great way to expose me to the different ways of designing the classroom and utilizing space since I do have my own classroom. Various and diverse ideas were brought up, ranging from pets and aquariums to lighting to a classroom makeover by HGTV. Also a link to a wiki created to gather and share classroom design ideas was retweeted as well as a link to an article with the title "Rethinking my classroom space".  What I liked most about the chat was the level of excitement in the participants and the willingness to share their ideas. It is clear that they are committed teachers who champion collaboration and communication in order to make learning in the classroom more enjoyable for the students. It was a very neat experience that gave me a small taste of the universe of Twitter. Twitter will be the backbone of my PLN.

     Diigo is the second component of my PLN. It is a social bookmarking tool that not only enables me to classify and organize websites and information that I want to keep and visit  later on, but it also enables me to share my information with the Diigo community. Diigo has features that facilitate the search and access to my saved information, such as highlighting, taking notes (annotating), and the tag system which files websites and information according to the subject or topic. Similarly to Twitter, you can also follow people with similar interests and you can access their bookmarking library. Most of the people I am following on Diigo are pertinent to my subject matter (Spanish) and they will be extremely helpful later as a Spanish Teacher.  I am following: Abarcajuanita, who has a lot of info and resources on ELL; Alexa Flores-Hull, who is a Spanish Teacher; Jeff Ruth, who specializes in Spanish-Linguistics;Sarah Bolanos, another Spanish teacher who teaches in Maine and who likes integrating technology in her lessons; and the group World Language Teachers, which is also a great source of ideas and activities. I am also following other people who provide a wealth of educational resources and information. They are: Kathy Shrock, who is an encyclopedia of everything related to education; and George Curos, whose public library is filled with bookmarks to blogs and newspaper articles that deal with different issues in education.

     My last social networking tool is Classroom 2.0, a Ning Site. Classroom 2.0 is free, community-supported, collaborative digital discussion forum that focuses on Web 2.0 and Social Media in Education. It is specially designed for beginners, such as myself, in order to feel comfortable starting to participate in the digital dialogue. Before enjoying all the benefits of the site, you have to sign up and get approved. Classroom 2.0 provides forums, chats, blogs, videos, photos, Live shows, recordings and more which cover different aspects of education. I watched a video clip titled "Learning Math (funny video)". It is in black and white (takes place in the 50's) and it is about a businessman trying to explain to a housewife and an older man that 25 divided by 5 is 5 because 5 times 5 is equal to 25. The housewife and the older man refuse the explanation and they use a different method to solve the problem, which comically, although incorrect, works out.  The video underlines the frustration that can go into teaching something while at the same time how it is relieved by the innocence and cleverness of students. There are tons of video that I will continue to watch.