Class Three Assistive Technologies

This was another very important and thought-provoking topic. Often times it is easy for those of us without disabilities to take for granted not only all the things we can do without assistance but also, how challenging day-to-day life can be for people with disabilities; From climbing a flight of stairs, to listening to a lecture and taking notes, the list is virtually endless. We concentrated on those AT's that were more high-tech as they were mostly computer-based and dealt with hardware and software modifications that would allow learners with various disabilities to interface with their computers and facilitate learning and communication. But, it is important to remember that high-tech AT's are not always the most desirable, efficient and cost-effective means to integrate learners with disabilities into the classroom. Some low-tech strategies such as thoughtful arrangement of your classroom, clear, unambiguous instructions and pencils that are larger and easier to grasp are just some ways, through low-tech AT devices, we can make our classrooms more accommodating to all students.

Class 2--Microsoft Excel

Another fun and informative class. I know these Microsoft Office programs are chock-full of features, but, JEEZ! We started working on a spreadsheets, today and, although the program is not exactly intuitive, it does flow once you get into it. Excel pretty much allows you to do anything as long as you can navigate your way through the myriad of toolbars, icons and features!
Bob started off the class lecturing about various policies within the School District of Philadelphia regarding testing, record-keeping and various policies. I know this stuff is important but I was tired and sleep-deprived so staying attentive was a particular challenge. But, as soon as we started working on our spreadsheets, I woke up. It was fun, stimulating and the class flew by after that. I am glad I am sitting next to William because he is bright and helpful and he pulled me through a few frustrating episodes. Adding to the frustration was the fact that Bob was using Mac and I was using PC--I hope we can find some way to compromise on this as it took me several extra moments on more than one occasion to figure out a function on the PC side due to examples being shown and explained on a MAC OS.
A possible solution is to have a student who is fluent in PC parallel teaching while Bob is explaining things on the MAC OS--Just a suggestion!!

Day 1 and copyright fun

Just finished my first day of ED5254 at Temple University. I got a good vibe from the instructor and my classmates. We already learned something very thought provoking about copy right law (and our misperceptions about it). Turns out all those warnings and threats we see and hear in books, before sports broadcasts and in movies come with some conditions. Educators have a lot more freedom to use, reproduce and alter this "copyrighted" material. As long as we are using it for educational purposes and not trying to profit from it, we can pretty much have at it. I am looking forward to utilizing this freedom in my teaching.
Stay tuned...