Blog Assignment #16

At the beginning of my study of technology in Education in EDM 310 I evaluated what should be the central focus of Education in Humanities subjects. I stated my belief that the development of the individual's intellect in modern society is dependent on critical thinking skills and technological literacy. Therefore, students should be encouraged to use technology as a medium for developing critical thinking skills. My opinion on Education remains the same, but my experience in EDM 310 has given me a broader perspective of how technology is being used in Education and the practical knowledge of how to apply these technological mediums in my classroom.

Though my central Thesis on Humanities-based Education remains very similar, EDM 310 has expanded the scope of my opinion of technology in Education. At the beginning of the semester, I envisioned using technology as a medium for students to develop Classical critical thinking skills by analyzing primary documents or watching videos; then discussing students' findings. What I learned in EDM 310 was this was only the base level of technological application in Education. To elaborate, EDM 310 taught me that effective technological application in Education goes beyond the most basic technological skills, such as looking up primary documents or videos, and into an area where students are the creators.


Technology in Education serves a multitude of purposes, but two are distinctly prevalent. A) Project Based Learning using technological mediums encourages the development of critical thinking skills as long as the projects are carefully developed with the intent of developing critical thinking skills. B) Project Based Learning using technological mediums encourages technological literacy, developing students for success in our world where technological literacy is required for almost all professionals.

My experience in EDM 310 challenged me to think of deeper ways to apply technology in my classroom and allowed me to develop the practical skills to be able to accomplish this goal. In addition, my experience in EDM 310 instilled the desire in me to apply Project Based Learning in my class just as equally in my classroom as class discussion and subject analysis. My initial goal of developing critical thinking skills by applying technology remains the same, but my experience in EDM 310 has given me a broader perspective of this goal and allowed me to develop a greater understanding of how to effectively use technology to develop critical thinking skills. Technology encourages communication, collaboration, networking, and creativity all of which are necessary skills for success in the modern world. My initial vision for my classroom at the beginning of the semester was to develop a classroom where critical thinking was developed by applying technology. EDM 310 has allowed me to develop the skills necessary to accomplish this goal and an understanding of technology in Education that will allow me to encourage students to develop critical thinking skills in more profound ways than I ever thought possible.

EDM 310 Final Reflection Video

 

Blog Assignment #15

What Kind of Assistive Technologies are Available for Teachers?

           Lance Wilkinson, Erin Crane, and Wesley Etheridge
                                                 Degas

Every student deserves the right to a quality education. Assistive technology is extremely important in education to make sure that every student has the right to a quality education despite disabilities. Assistive technology is more accessible than ever before with technological advancements. From physical applications such as Braille keyboards and grids, to the voice over feature on the iPad, assistive technology is making learning for students with sight and hearing disabilities more accessible every day.

Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children is a video meant to inspire teachers to develop methods of learning for students with hearing or visual disabilities. By developing new methods of learning for disabled students, these students can be prepared for a variety of career options. In this way, education would "break down walls that students can jump over".

The creators of "The Mountbatten" carried out the mission to accommodate learning for disabled students. "The Mountbatten" is a braille typewriter that gives audio feedback as it is being typed. This works extremely well in a classroom where the teacher doesn't know braille.

The Universal Accessibility Mathematics Lab at the University of San Francisco also made mathematics more accessible for blind students based on a grid they developed to help blind students see math problems in a two dimensional format. The ability for blind students to do more advanced mathematics opens them up to a more diverse career field.

iPad Usage For The Blind details the benefits of the voice over application on the iPad. To use the voice over feature one must drag one's finger across the screen and a voice will tell you which app you're on. This makes iPads easily accessible for blind students. In addition to this, voice over makes iBooks completely accessible to blind students. Voice over makes the text of the iBook audible, allowing students who couldn't read with an iPad before to now do so. In Having a Great Time Teaching Mom What Her Deaf/Blind Child is Learning on the iPad, a disabled student's mother is given instruction on how to use the iPad. This video details the depth of the voice over application, which has both standard and the more advanced touch typing mode.

The Assistive Technology blog from 50 Must-See Blogs for Special Education Teachers is an extremely relevant blog. It details the different types of assistive technology available for teachers as well as keeps them up to date on upcoming and developing assistive technologies. This "Teach Thought" article also details different types of assistive technology that are affordable for students.

Overall, as future History teachers we find "The Mountbatten" to be extremely effective for writing assignments for students with visual disabilities. In addition, the voice over feature of the iPad makes it an invaluable tool for students with visual disabilities due to the ability to read and participate with their classmates. Assistive technology is one of the best examples of how technology is pushing education in a forward direction.