Infographic on The MotivAider

Lesson Plan Supplemental Materials

Lesson Plan Summary

The students will be creating Springtime Photography Books. They will be using digital cameras to take pictures of things they see during Spring. They will be using Microsoft Word to type captions to the pictures they take. The students will then paste the pictures and captions onto construction paper to create photo books. The purpose of this lesson is to work on writing complete sentences and using the six senses to display their knowledge of the Spring season.

Standards

The first standard, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.6, addresses students being able to use digital tools to produce and publish writing. This is done when the children use Microsoft Word to type short captions for their photo books with the help of the teacher. The second standard, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3, addresses students being able to recall events, describe thoughts and feelings and use temporal words. Students do this when describing what they learned about Spring when taking pictures outside and using their five senses. After the pictures are taken, they use their notes to create their captions. The third standard, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5, addresses focusing on a topic and strengthening writing. The students do this as they type out their captions. With guidance from the teacher, they edit their writing. The fourth standard, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.8, addresses recalling information to answer a question. They do this throughout the lesson plan when the teacher asks them open-ended questions about what they saw. Also when they typed their captions, they had to do this.

End of Lesson Expectations

The children should be able to successfully use a digital camera. They should also be able to type a written document on Microsoft word. They should have a more in depth and descriptive idea of what you can find in Spring using the five senses.

 Links to Tech-Based Supplemental Materials

 A post test the students can take after completing the lesson.
A link to a KWL chart the teacher can use to find out what children know, want to know, and have learned about Spring

KWL Chart on Spring

A  crossword puzzle the teacher can use to pretest the children on their knowledge of Spring.

My Technology Lesson Plan

Assignment 14/15

Growing Up Online

This documentary talked about how the rise of technology and social networking has affected today's teens and children. It talks about the good and the bad. There are many dangers involved with the internet. The two main dangers are cyberbullying and sexual predators. Teens are beginning to be so consumed with the internet that they are shutting themselves out of the real world. Technology has definitely changed how people interact with each other and is now mainly used by teens.

Cite some reasons why parental support for their children’s independent internet use is decreasing. Why do you think the number of parents who reported the Internet being a good thing for their children has decreased?

I think one reason parental support for internet use has decreased is that children can get onto about any social network site that they want with no problem. They can talk to whoever they want, whenever they want. This leaves the risk for children to be prayed on by sexual predators. Another reason is that children are losing their connection to physical interactions when using the internet. Kids are on the internet sometimes all day if not monitored by parents. Parents have a hard time talking to their children and even have been shut out by their kids like the parent in the movie. She took action to protect her child and other children and that cost her relationship with her son. A third reason is kids can post pictures of themselves or others in seconds and that can be damaging. Once a picture has been posted and seen, it is hard to remove. A final reason is that cyberbullying can be invisible to parent until it is too late. Often kids hide from their parents they are being cyberbullied to avoid embarrassment and the parents do not discover it until it is too late. Like in the video, the mourning father who had no idea about his son being cyberbullied which eventually lead to his suicide.

I think that there have become more cons than pros to the use of the internet. Yes, there are many educational opportunities available to children on the internet. However, as children get older and enter their teen years they lose interest in the educational internet resources and focus solely on social networking which is where most dangers of the internet lie. Also, I think this is because the internet has evolved over the years. There are so many new ways for kids to face danger on the internet than there was when it first came out. Chat rooms and blogging sites are great ways for kids to communicate and express themselves, but it can also be a hunting ground for predators and bullies.

2. More teachers are using tools to try to detect cheating or deter students’ inclination to cheat. In the program, we see the use of plagiarism-detection tools like Turnitin.com and writing assignments completed during class time to make sure students do their own work and generate their own ideas. How can we as educators stop students from using material they found online as their own work? Should that be considered cheating, in your opinion?

I think that tools like turn it in are the best option for stopping students from plagiarizing. I know as a student, I always triple check my work to make sure everything is cited correctly. I feel anxious turning in my papers even though I know I used my own words and cited authors where appropriate. I think these tools hold students accountable and that’s what keeps students from plagiarizing. They know that their work will be checked and so they will make more of an effort to use their own words. I do believe that this should be considered cheating. This shouldn’t change just because so much has evolved with the internet and technology. It is the same as taking words from a book and using it as your own.

3. One student claims he "never reads books" but relies on summaries and annotated notes he finds on Web sites. He confesses that he feels guilty about this, stating, "I feel like I kind of cheated it." In your opinion, should he feel guilty? Why or why not?

The only scenario where he should not feel guilty is if his workload in school is so heavy he does not have time to read the whole book. However, I think he spends so much time on social networks and not enough on school work. He chooses to use spark notes to avoid having to spend any more time on school than necessary so he can be on the internet and talk to his friends. So in the case I do believe that he should feel guilty. Reading books is one of the most important parts of education. The benefits are endless. Can the same be said for spending hours on end on a computer?

4. Before the Internet, in order to be seen by the world, you had to be portrayed in some form of mass media, and you had to be famous in some respect -- in the news, in politics or as a celebrity. Now anyone can be seen online by anyone else in the world. Some people have become famous for videos or photos they’ve posted (such as Autumn Edows). In your opinion, should people like Edows, or others who become “ famous” through their online presence, be considered “celebrities?”

Has the ability to create an online persona, and receive worldwide attention for it, affected our cultural values?

I think it has already been proven that people should be considered celebrities from online presences. For example, both Justin Beiber and Taylor Swift started on the internet posting videos and now they are two of the most famous people in the world. Another example is the fairly new application Vine. This is an app where anyone can post short video clips. Several people on Vine have had the opportunity to be seen worldwide and have met several legitimate celebrities. They have millions of followers and are treated just as celebrities would be.

5. Shows like "To Catch a Predator" on Dateline NBC (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10912603/) contribute to parental anxiety about online media. It is obvious that certain elements of programs like “To Catch a Predator,” and even this documentary, will likely increase parents’ fears. Cite one current event from the past year where a young person has been affected (positively or negatively) by being active online. (find a link to a news story, describe it in your answer to this question, and provide the link as well).

http://www.freep.com/article/20140306/FEATURES01/303060154/Colin-on-GMA-Friday-morning

This is a story about an 11 year old boy who said he did not want to have a birthday party because he had no friends. With the help of his mom, they created a “Happy Birthday Colin” Facebook page with an overwhelming response. His page now has over a million likes and because of it he has received so many positive messages from complete strangers to let him know he has friends all over and to stay strong. He was even invited on Good Morning America because his story spread so fast and far. His page received such constant support from Colin’s internet “friends” that they have now changed the pages name to “Colin’s Friends.” I chose to showcase this positive message of how bullying can be turned around through the use of the internet. There are a lot of cyberbullying stories out there and it’s good to know that the internet can be used for good too.

6. Teasing, lying, gossiping, threatening, spreading rumors or harassing online (and offline)can severely affect people’s self-concept and self-esteem and have an impact on their emotional state. In the program, we see one girl who describes flirting with boys and then revealing she was just kidding. She explains: "You wouldn’t do that to someone’s face, but online is completely different. ... No one can do anything. You’re at your house, they’r e at their house."

In her quote, this teen is describing Suler’s disinhibition effects. Which one do you think it is, and why?

I think this is best describing Suler’s anonymity. This is where you can do anything and everything you would never do in real life. You are anonymous, you have no identity. You can say whatever you want, no matter how hurtful or cruel, and receive no repercussion for your actions. There is no sense of being responsible for ones actions. The sad part is I think this has begun to dehumanize today’s young adult and teen population. They have become so immune to others feelings and have completely lost respect for human life. It is definitely scary to think about how this is going to affect society twenty years from now. If our kids are disconnecting from important values such as respect, self-worth, and human life, what are we to expect from them in twenty years?

7. At the end of the program, Greg decides it’s time for him to "disconnect" by going to the Coast Guard Academy, where he will spend seven weeks without cell phones or the Internet. Have you ever thought about "disconnecting" from it all? Do you think it would be easy or difficult for you personally? What would you enjoy or dislike about disconnecting?

I do sometimes wonder what it would be like to disconnect from it all. I don’t think I would want to because the majority of my friends and family do not live close enough to see face to face, so the internet/technology is how we stay connected.  I think it would be difficult for me because I am on some sort of device almost all day. I have noticed how it has negatively impacted my life. My parents and I will go out to dinner and they will both be on their phones and I am just sitting there feeling completely invisible. I find it odd that I would be the one noticing this since I am the digital native, not them. Sometimes I wish it was illegal to have phones in restaurants, then I would actually get quality time with my family at a meal! I know when I have a family there will definitely be limits to phone/technology use. I do not want my relationships to suffer because of a hand held device.

Tech Tool Review

National and State Technology Standards

Assignment 9

Stephanie Baxter

       As you read the Introduction to the National Education Technology Plan, what did you determine to be the purpose of the National Education Technology Plan? How does it affect teachers and students, people like you and me? (feel free to be critical if you like).

From my understanding of the National Education Technology plan, there are many goals. I believe there are two main purposes of the plan, one being to provide a well-rounded education that caters to students of all backgrounds, learning abilities and disabilities, ages, and SES levels. Like the introduction states, “America needs a public education system that provides all learners—including low-income and minority students, English language learners, students with disabilities, gifted and talented students, early childhood learners, adult workforce learners, and seniors—with engaging and empowering learning experiences.” The second purpose of this plan is to implement technology into the classroom. It is being used somewhat in classrooms today, but there is so much more potential to be had with all of the different options and resources technology can provide today. The plan even addresses how most students have more advanced technology in their back pocket than an entire classroom has. The introduction states how advanced uses of technology can improve the student learning environment: “With technology we can provide engaging and powerful learning content, resources, and experiences and assessment systems that measure student learning in more complete, authentic, and meaningful ways.” I think a big part of the low success rates in some schools is the lack of motivation and interest many students have. Technology seems to be something that truly engages students of all ages, so I agree that more technology use should be implemented for this reason. The introduction goes on to address how using technology can improve student learning: “With technology-based learning and assessment systems, we can improve student learning and generate data that can be used to continuously improve the education system at all levels.” With technology-based learning we can learn so much about how students learn, what concepts they struggle with, and where improvements can be made. All of this information can be stored online for an endless amount of teachers and educational staff to have access to. It could really change how teachers teach their students and can help them become better educators.

2.      2. As you read the Introduction to the National Education Technology Plan (NETP), what were the main assumptions under which the plan was developed?  (you may copy and paste the main assumptions, and then answer the question below in your own words). What are some concerns administrators, educators, or even students might have with these assumptions?

“     Many of the failings of our education system stem from our failure to engage the hearts and minds of students” I think that the problem that administrators and teachers have with this assumption is the issue of standardized testing. Teachers have a hard enough workload put on them to make sure their students are being taught everything that is going to prepare them for the standardized tests the students are required to take to move on to the next level.  Even more, when student’s fail these tests, teachers are accountable. Teachers are so concerned with this that they have little to no time to think of creative ways to engage their students, especially the older grades. Lesson planning is extremely limited also, so this adds on another stressor. I think teachers would love the idea of making lessons more engaging to the hearts and minds of students, but because of standardized testing, it makes it extremely difficult.

     “Learning depends on effective teaching, and we need to focus on extended teams of connected educators with different roles who collaborate within schools and across time and distance and who use technology resources and tools to augment human talent.” I think the main problem that teachers would have with this problem is the lack of time available for collaboration. Time is limited for collaboration at a single school due to teachers having little to no time to lesson plan. Yes, it being available via technology would help, but the teachers would end up having to do this on their own time because there is simply not enough time in the school day to do this.

     “Making engaging learning experiences and resources available to all learners anytime and anywhere requires state-of-the-art infrastructure, which includes technology, people, and processes that ensure continuous access.” I think the only problem with this is where in the budget this would be possible. School districts are constantly making cuts to programs such as the arts and sports. I don’t see how we can afford to add on an additional resource to schools unless some serious budget rearrangement is considered.

3.  As you read the Executive Summary, the NETP presents a model of learning powered by technology, with goals and recommendations in five essential areas. ( You may copy and paste the areas directly from the document and then answer the question below in your own words).What are the “21st century competencies” - see the section titled “what and how people need to learn”- listed in the summary? How will technology support the growth of these competencies?

 Five essential areas: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, productivity.

The 21^st century competencies are critical thinking, complex problem solving, collaboration, and multimedia communication. Technology can support these competencies because it is being used to do just that in the adult professional world, as well as in colleges by professors. People use technology such as wikis, blogs, and other web tools for research, collaboration, and communication. Teachers can create kid-friendly blogs and other web tools for their students to complete group work or peer evaluations. They can use it to encourage collaboration with students on a group project. Teachers can even stay in contact with their students after school hours through social media tools.

4. As you read The State of Ohio's Educational Technology Plan's "purpose and mission" (page 6), how do you believe it aligns with the National Education Technology Plan? In which respects are the two plans perhaps not aligned?  Why?

Both plans address using technology to enhance the educational opportunities available to students. The Ohio plan focuses on supporting education from P-20 whereas the National plan is more focused on P-12. Both plans will be reaching out to the community to learn what has worked through their experience with technology. The Ohio plan offers the community a chance to give their input and offer suggestions, whereas the National plan does not.

5. As you read Ohio’n w s State Educational Technology Plan outlined on page 8, how do you believe this outline aligns with the "model of learning powered by technology, with goals and recommendations in five essential areas" proposed by the National Education Technology Plan?  In which areas are the two plans perhaps not aligned?  Why?

Ohio’s State Technology Plan’s Outline somewhat aligns with the goals and recommendations of the National Plan but there are definitely some differences. The Ohio plan discusses expanding and integrating P-20 longitudinal data. This goal is similar to that of 2.0 and 4.5 in the National plan. The National plan discusses how “Our education system at all levels will leverage the power of technology to measure what matters and use assessment data for continuous improvement.” This goal discusses the need for improvement of the data we collect through the use of technology. 4.5 discusses how the plan will “Develop and use interoperability standards for content and student-learning data to enable collecting and sharing resources and collecting, sharing, and analyzing data to improve decision making at all levels of our education system.” Again, this is addressing the importance technology has in advancing the data we collect and how it can improve teaching and decisions on a child’s education.

The Ohio plan discusses how it will offer “virtual learning content and opportunities” to all Ohio students. The National plan has ideas similar to this in section 1.3 and 3.3. 1.3 states “States, districts, and others should develop and implement learning resources that exploit the flexibility and power of technology to reach all learners anytime and anywhere.” This is basically saying that the use of technology through computers, tablets, etc., should be available to all students at any time. 3.3 furthers this claim including the use of an internet connection, “Use technology to provide all learners with online access to effective teaching and better learning opportunities and options especially in places where they are not otherwise available.” Both plans stress that online and virtual content should be available to students at any time for free. I also think that both the plans have the goal to have more services available to students and families.

The Ohio plan discusses the goal of providing “advanced student services,” and the National plan somewhat applies with 4.1, “Ensure students and educators have broadband access to the Internet and adequate wireless connectivity both in and out of school.” Schools generally only provide these services while the students are in school. The option of having internet and virtual content available to all students for free is a new and much needed improvement.

Both plans have similar goals and recommendations in regards to staff development. The Ohio plan discusses the delivery of “high quality professional development.” The National plan covers this issue as well in goals 3.5 and 3.0. 3.5 is discussing the need to “Develop a teaching force skilled in online instruction.” I think this goal is geared towards the long-time teachers who have always taught using pen and paper. Many teachers don’t want to face the reality of technologies influence on students these days. 3.0 discusses the main inclusion technology will have on today’s teaching staff, “Professional educators will be supported individually and in teams by technology that connects them to data, content, resources, expertise, and learning experiences that enable and inspire more effective teaching for all learners.”

There are some areas where the plans do not align. The Ohio plan discusses how it will “support public broadcasting and media delivery.” This is not addressed in the National plan. The National plan also does not address the “support of federal programs” like the Ohio Plan does. However, the Ohio plan does not address anything specifically about engaging and empowering students like the National plan does in the first goal, 1.0. It also does not mention anything about assessment, as the National plan does in the second goal, 2.0. Lastly the Ohio plan offers a chance for Ohioans to give their point of view on the plan whereas that option is not mentioned in the National Plan

6. As you read Ohio’s State Educational Technology Plan's "measurements of success" (page 16), what barriers do you see to fulfilling this plan? Provide four reasons why it may not be possible to reach these "measurements of success" in the state of Ohio.

The first item on the plan to “measure the success” discusses “Number of Ohio teacher preparation programs requiring the experience integrating technology into curriculum and teaching practices as part of graduation requirements.” I think the main problem some schools will have with this is not every school in the state can afford to do this. Some schools do not even have computers because of it being in a severely deprived area. The second problem I see is with calculating the “Percentage of students reporting use of technology in the learning environment.” Not every student in the U.S. is going to report this information necessarily. You can tell a student to report this information, it doesn’t mean they will remember to or choose to do this. Unless this somehow involves teachers, you can hold young children accountable for this. Older students, yes this could work. A third problem I find with this is calculating the “Number of students enrolled in on-line courses.” Not every student who has technology available will be able to enroll. Unless the technology is provided to them, which this plan implies will happen. Also, students with learning disabilities and physical disabilities may steer away from this option, which could cause problems with accurate results. One last problem this plan may have is increasing the goal in the “Number of higher education faculty teaching distance learning course sections. I think a lot of teaching faculty would need to be trained to efficiently run distance learning courses. Until this happens, those teachers knowledgeable with distance learning will have a heavier workload with more students. This will cost a poor learning experience and environment due to overworking teachers.

ORC Lesson Plan

The grade for this lesson plan is kindergarten. The subject area is mathematics. This lesson plan focuses on subtraction using a balance. The students are first asked to demonstrate how a balance works using their bodies. The teacher asks for a volunteer and places a container in each of the child's hands. The teacher then asks the child to imagine what it would look like if the container on the right was heavy and left was light. The teacher would then have the rest of the class imagine what this would look like and use their bodies to show what it may look like. Then the teacher will show how a pan balance works. The teacher then puts eight pasta shapes on the left side and two on the right. The children then need to figure out how many shapes need to be moved to balance the scale. The teacher then gives each child a number cube and assigns them to the left or right side of the scale. The children then work out the subtraction equation and then place their pasta shapes on the scale. The teacher has the children record the differences and repeat until the scale balances. Next the teacher gives the students a paper bag and asks the children to place five or less on the left side of the scale and the same with the right side. Tell the other students to take away the pasta shapes until the scale balances. Have the students repeat this switching roles several times. Once finished, ask the children to record one of the ways they balanced the scale, in words or pictures.


Standards

Common Core State Standards – Mathematics

-Kindergarten, Counting & Cardinality

• CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.3
  Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).

-Kindergarten, Algebraic Thinking

• CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.1
  Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings1, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.

-Kindergarten, Algebraic Thinking

• CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.2
  Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within 10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.

-Kindergarten, Algebraic Thinking

• CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5
  Fluently add and subtract within 5.

The lesson addresses standard CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.3 by using pasta shapes to represent numbers 1-10.The lesson addresses CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.1 and CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.2 by using a pan balance to represent subtraction equations. As children take away pasta shapes they are performing a subtraction equation. The lesson addresses CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.5 when the children are given time to make several combinations of subtraction numbers. The children add and subtract the pasta shapes to balance the scale.

Implementing this lesson would depend on how many pan balances are available to the teacher. If there are only two or three balances, this would probably be limited to six or less children at a time simply to avoid sharing issues. I would most likely do this at a individual center option. However, for the most part, I think this lesson could be successful. I think the main problem with this activity is that everyone would want to do it and there would only be a limited amount of materials. I think most children would not have a problem understanding this activity. I would even try doing more then ten pasta shapes, seeing if the children can subtract using 20 or less.

http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lesson.aspx?id=686

Pinterest in the Classroom

1.What did you learn from the PINTEREST activity?

I use Pinterest on a daily basis, so this assignment was a review for me. However, I have learned that there are so many resourceful teaching boards on Pinterest. The possibilies are endless because there are so many people pinning about education advancements, technologies, and resources.  

2.How do you believe you will utilize PINTEREST as a teacher?  

I think I will use Pinterest mainly for lesson planning because there are so many creative and unique lesson ideas on Pinterest available to teachers. There is still not a lot I know about technology in classrooms, so I will probably use it to research that.

3.What are the strengths of PINTEREST?

One strength of Pinterest is that there are hundreds of thousands of people pinning so there is limitless information available to you in seconds. You can find people based on their interests, occupations, and skills with a quick search. Also your friends on pinterest can suggest pins and send them to you if their similar to things you normally post. I often get sugggested pins from some of my friends who are teachers. Another strength is that Pinterest is very user-friendly and self explanatory. Whenever the app/webpage updates, it gives you step by step instructions on how to use the website/application. Pinterest is great for teachers when brainstorming on what they want to teach. Teachers can also include their students in pinterest by having them create boards for projects and portfolios.

4.What are some of the challenges of PINTEREST?

Some of the challenges are that often their are broken links connected to some pins. A user has removed a webpage, copyright issues, or inappropriate content to name a few problems. Another challenge is that as far as social media goes, there is not a whole lot of options for communicating with others, but that is not really the point of Pinterest. Pinterest is more for personal inspiration and imagination than communication. You also have to be careful who you follow because some users load up their Pinterest accounts with spam posts.

5.What comments, questions, thoughts, opinions, and/or feedback do you have about PINTEREST?

Questions:

Is Pinterest appropriate for young children?

Is there a way to block certain pins/boards that would not be appropriate for children?

Are there any top kindergarten boards I should look into?

Is there a way to report broken links or inappropriate pins?

Comments:

Pinterest is very addicting!! 

Pinterest is also very resourceful to just about anyone.

I think it would be great if there was an application/website that is like Pinterest but specifically for teachers.

If teachers do allow there students to use this application, make sure you are monitoring there searches. There is a lot of freedom with this application.

Khan/Koller Review

          I was really surprised when I visited Khan's site. I had no idea that there were even sites like this that offered free education. I actually plan on using this site to brush up on my math skills for when I have to take the next Praxis test. I think this would be a great tool for my students to use. It is a way for them to receive the instruction I give in a different way, but more importantly they can go over a topic as many times as needed. I think the videos are very helpful. He gives the student's several different examples to help them understand whatever concept they are learning. Yes, I agree with him that we will rely more on credentialing through online courses. People are often required to have full-time jobs and skip school all together. With online classes those students who normally would never been able to graduate, now have that chance. This education is great for full-time workers, parents, disabled people, as well as many others. This also makes it great for people who do not have transportation,  because almost everything can be completed at home.

         Coursera seems like a great resource as well. However, it was more difficult to navigate than Khan's site. I had trouble finding the free courses. Every course i looked into appeared to cost money. After spending some time on the website, I did find some interesting courses. One course that I would try is "Clinical Psychology of Children and Young People." Columbus State does not accept Coursera classes because the courses are not credited classes. Some of the courses definitely seem more advanced and some I would not even begin to comprehend, like Data Science for instance. These courses range in difficulty I think. The science courses definitely seemed geared towards those who excel in science, maybe even graduate students. However, there are plenty of classes that I would try, a lot of the education classes looked manageable for me. I don't know that I would consider MOOCs the future of education. I personally like to have a more personable touch to education. Yes, online classes are convienent for many, but I prefer face-to-face interactions. I think online classes benefit full-time workers the most.

Blog Evaluation Activity

1. What is the name of the blog you reviewed? Please include an ACTIVE link to the blog here.

The name of the blog I reviewed is called "Katrice in the Classroom" To access her blog click the following link: http://mskatrice.blogspot.com/

2. Is the style of the writing in the blog you reviewed suited to the blogger’s intended audience? In other words, is the writing professional enough for a teaching blog?

Yes. I think that the writing used in this blog is appropriate for a teaching blog. The blog uses correct grammar and complete thoughts as she addresses different topics. 

3. Are the colors/fonts appropriate? Are there things that are distracting about the blog that need to be changed (ie. Pictures/images too large or too small, hard-to-read font, distracting backgrounds, etc). Are Vokis in the right place (they should be only on the sidebar).

The colors in the blog are simple but still appropriate. You are able to navigate through the blog without difficulty reading the fonts or understanding the organization of the blog. I personally like blogs to have a bit more color, but this blog works perfectly fine with the colors chosen. The images and pictures on the blog are just the right size. Nothing is too small to see or too large to the point of it being distracting. The Voki is in the correct place and has a simple and welcoming introduction to the blog.

4. Is the spacing and layout easy to navigate? Are there “repeats” of posts? Does the flow and direction of the blog make sense?

The spacing and the layout makes it really easy to navigate the blog. There are not any repeat posts. The direction of the blog makes sense and is user-friendly.

5. Are correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar used? 

There is correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar used for the most part. I only caught 1-2 mistakes. Very minimal things, overall the professionalism of the blog is great.

6. What is your overall impression of the blog?  (Include any suggestions you may have for improvement. If you have any questions or additional comments, please include them here).

I think overall the blog looks great. It is professional and user-friendly. I find it easier to read blogs with a colored background as opposed to white, but that is just my personal preference. The only thing that she may want to fix is her GoAnimate video. I could not get any sound to play on her video. That, however, may have been an error with my computer. But, also, the actual video moved way too fast and I could not read the dialogue fast enough before the next character was speaking. So just a small bit of advice to change the GoAnimate video. The actual blog looks great and she is doing a good job with it so far!

Ohio DL Schools

After reviewing the five schools, I think I would pick Ohio Connections Academy. The website at first glance was visually appealing. I was immediately drawn in. The informational video made a big difference too. I had goosebumps by the time I was done watching it. It made me wish I had gone to an internet school rather than public. I think the personal stories really sold me. There is so much information available about the school at first glance of the website. I like that the school emphasizes the focus on the students. Their FAQs page answers really important questions. It discusses standardized testing, students with learning disabilities, and how this school differs from others to name a few. I like that the website also has a tab on proven results of their program being successful. All these factors considered, I would pick this school.

The school that impressed me the least was the Virtual Community School. The website was not well-organized and did not seem to provide nearly as much information as the others. It also appears to not have a FAQ page. I liked the informational videos that gave each of the schools a personal touch, and were all on the home pages. On this website, the video did not really grab my attention like the other ones did. It seems like they quickly threw the website together. For being an online school, you would think that the school's website would be a first priority. Parents like to have their questions answered right away. With the other websites most all questions they have could be answered on the website. With Visual Community Schools, parents would have to request more information to get a better idea about the school. This is why I would not pick this school.

Assistive Technology for Students with Emotional Disturbance

Some characteristics of emotional disturbance include being depressed, having poor social skills, having below average academic skills, and exhibiting impulsive, often inappropriate behaviors. Depression frequently decreases emotionally disturbed children’s’ interest in the day’s activities, which can be stressful for both the child and the teacher. Secondly, children who have poor social skills tend to struggle significantly in school. Being social is one of the most important skills a child needs to function and make friends. Being anti-social can be very isolating to children. Having academic skills that are often a grade or two behind a child’s current level can be endlessly frustrating for that child and cause them to get overwhelmed quickly and give up all together. This is why it is important that an individual education plan is put into place while the child is young. Lastly, emotionally disturbed children can display impulsive and inappropriate behaviors. This can be stressful and dangerous to both the children and the teacher’s, depending on the child’s specific case. It is important that teacher’s know how to handle aggressive and quick-acting children so everyone remains safe. These children are often frustrated because they do not know how to communicate their wants and needs. I think frustration is one word that sums up how emotionally disturbed children feel on a day-to-day basis. There is however, assistive technology to help children who are emotionally disturbed communicate their needs, as well as relieve their stress levels in the classroom. There are three levels of assistive technology used in classrooms today. These include low-tech, mid-tech, and high-tech tools. There is a variety assistive technology in each of these levels. Depending on the needs of the child, some may only need to use the low-tech devices; whereas other children may require the use of all three levels of assistive technology. There also may be some future directions for these types of technology in education as well.

A common low-tech tool used in assistive technology is point sheets and behavior charts. These charts help children meet goals they have by documenting their accomplishments throughout the day. Seeing the point sheets and charts in the classroom gives the children the motivation to pay attention to their behaviors throughout the day. These charts can be organized and arranged according to the children’s ages and abilities so that they are able to understand and use them.

For more information on behavior charts and point systems:

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ801236.pdf <-- this link is to a research study on    the use of behavior charts and point systems and how if implemented correctly, can be a great success in the classroom environment.

http://parentingwisely.com/media/uploads/cms/pdf/POINT_SYSTEMS.pdf <--this link is to general information on point systems and is geared more towards parents who don’t have the time to do a large amount of research but are interested in testing out the point system

There are a variety of mid-tech tools available to students with emotional disturbance. One tool is called The Motivaider. It is much like a classroom timer where it buzzes after a certain period of time to help children stay focused. This tool is great for children who normally would feel very dependent on their teachers. The buzzer reminds them to stay focused. Not having to constantly get reminded by teachers on what they should be doing will make them feel self-sufficient. A second device used that most anyone has is an iPod or some form of e-tablet. Children are always so consumed by any technology you place in front of them, so this is great for concentration. There are many education applications out there for children as well as audio books for students to interact with. Using these devices could be a good way to calm down an otherwise restless and stressed child.

For information on The Motivaider:

http://www.motiv-aider.com/ <- This is a link to the main website that the tool can be purchased from. (However, there are other websites that sell this product, like the link below) This link would be mostly for teachers or parents interesting in purchasing the tool.

http://habitchange.com/ ß this link is to a website that discusses uses of the tool and offers a selection of videos on the successes of this tool. This link is great for parents and teachers who are interested in learning more about the product before purchasing.

For information on the iPod:

https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ ß this is a link to the actual apple site. They have an accessibility section which includes an overview of how their products can be used as assistive technology, their vision, information on assistive technology with hearing, physical and motor skills, and language and literacy.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/iPod <-- this link is to a website that discusses the how iPod’s and devices like this can be used as assistive technology, and even addresses specific disabilities.  

There are many high-tech tools out there for assistive technology as well. One option I found interesting for emotionally disturbed children is the use of Wii gaming systems. Many of the games require turn-taking, which promotes students’ social interaction skills. This game is also great because it has a gross motor aspect as well. Almost all the games require the player to move around with the controller. This tool would be great for those with pent up frustration.

For more information on the Wii:

http://atwiki.assistivetech.net/index.php/Wii_accessibility This link is to a website that discusses the kinds of assistive technology Wii has to offer.

There are all kinds of assistive technology tools available for students with emotional disturbance. I discussed a few I found most interesting. The list of assistive technology does not end there. Depending on what the child needs, there are a variety of tools out there. I found the use of the Wii system most interesting. People are always bad-mouthing game systems and how children are becoming brain-washed by video games. It is nice to see there are some positive uses to gaming systems, especially for children with disabilities. There have been many advancements in assistive technology over the past few years. I could not find any information specifically on emotional disturbance. However, ever since the smart phone, e-reader, tablet, etc. era has started, there have been great advancements in assistive technology. Whereas before teachers and parents could find no way to get through to the children they were working with, these devices are offering an outlet. These devices are used as stress relievers for those students who are emotionally disturbed, a concentration tool for those who are on the autism spectrum, and even as an alternative learning tool for those students who struggle with language and literacy skills. I think that these devices are just the beginning for what assistive technology has to hold. As we come out with new and improved devices and technologies, we will come out with new ways to assist the disabled.

           

         

Resources:

http://www.do2learn.com/disabilities/CharacteristicsAndStrategies/EmotionalDisturbance_Characteristics.html

http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/emotionaldisturbance

http://at4schools.wikifoundry.com/page/Technology+Aided+Strategies+for+students+who+are+Emotionally+Disturbed

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ801236.pdf

http://parentingwisely.com/media/uploads/cms/pdf/POINT_SYSTEMS.pdf

http://www.motiv-aider.com/

http://habitchange.com/

https://www.apple.com/accessibility/

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/iPod

http://www.disabled-world.com/assistivedevices/

http://atwiki.assistivetech.net/index.php/