Blog Assignment #3

Peer Editing

I think that staying positive is by far the best suggestion when commenting on someone else's blog. I know if it was me, I wouldn't mind being corrected, but it's kind of a slap in the face if you only tell someone what they did wrong and ignore the many things that they did right! No one wants to feel stupid. As far as commenting and editing my classmates blogs, I feel like it's more appropriate to comment on what they have to say and give only positive feedback on their blog page, and leave suggestions and corrections to be handled in a private email. Blogs are public and are meant to share the information we've learned, so I believe that any kind of critique that is left shouldn't be for the world to see.

I liked the video of the kids and the peer review mistakes. Sometimes we don't think of how our words may sound because we've become so accustomed to giving feedback over the internet. If we aren't careful, the words that we say may not come across in the manner that we intend them to. I think that the kids are a good reminder that there are so many ways that our words can be interpreted and only by following certain guidelines can we get our point across; but also make suggestions that will actually help the person to feel good about their corrections and their new, improved writing. Compliments, suggestions, and corrections are good steps to remember when commenting, but once again staying positive is the most important! We've got to remember that the corrections that we suggest are to build that person up and help them become a better writer.

Assistive Technologies

The Mountbatten is fascinating technology! The fact that it has audio output and types the brail at the same time makes it so much easier for blind students to learn new words and phrases. The beauty of this is that the student doesn't have to have anyone else helping them. It's something that they can do on their own time and it also allows them to have a little independence and not have to rely on someone else. Sending and transferring files from the Mountbatten to a computer is a lot more convenient as well and allows them to have a little bit better adjustment to the working world. I would definitely use this in my classroom for my blind students as a way to enhance their learning and give them something that they can do on their own, so that they will hopefully be more accepted by their peers in the classroom environment!

I have to start off by saying that I was amazed at what the IPad could do. I had no idea there was a way to have an audio output for everything on the touchscreen...that opens up a whole new world for the visually impaired! It's so much more convenient to be able to use one device to read books, surf the internet, listen to music, etc; rather than having to use separate tools or having assistance from someone else. The tool for teaching math to the blind is also a really great idea. Even though that device might not always be available to assist with math problems in the working world, it does indeed provide an excellent foundation to learn how to solve math equations for beginners. While they can't see what they're doing, they at least understand the concept and that's the important thing.

I would definitely use the IPad in my classroom. It already has so many educational applications available, and adding audio to the touchscreen makes it just as accessible to the visually impaired as it does to those that can see. I think that this is a big step in trying to provide a quality education to all students, which would be a lot harder to do without this device. As I mentioned earlier, this also gives students more independence and confidence so that they will be on the right track to becoming a successful individual. Not only that, but it is a complement to what the teacher has to offer and makes it easier to keep all students up to speed so no one gets left behind!

Harness Your Students Digital Smarts

I think that being in Vicki Davis' class would be a very rewarding experience. Just the simple fact that they have connections to people all across the world is enough to make the class worthwhile. As we know, technology is constantly changing. The way she teaches embraces progressive learning and allows her students to find new knowledge on their own. Learning from your own experiences is just as important as learning from an instructor; something that EDM 310 embraces as well. It's great that her students were not only teaching each other, but that she learned from them too. Knowledge is useless to minds that only know how to share it by writing answers down on a test.

In today's world, staying connected is everything. I like how Mrs. Davis and her students collaborated with so many other people outside of the classroom. Not only were they learning about technology and how to gain new knowledge on their own, but they were also able to become comfortable with networking with others; something that will be very valuable once they get out of school and begin their working lives. Her class will allow all those students to use knowledge in a way that they won't forget and that will benefit them, as well as something that they can pass on to others eager to connect to the world.