Blog Post #3

Part 1.
Tutorial Peer Editing

View more PowerPoint from Adriana Zardini

">Peer Editing Tutorial

Part 2. Technology In Special Education
Technology In Special Education
In my opinion, Special Education Teacher Lacy Cook, has done a very good job at incorporating technology in her classroom to help her students in learning and in accomplishing their assignments more efficiently. I think what she has been doing is a truly wonderful thing! Technology can be used in so so many ways to help so many people with specials needs of all kinds. Properly programmed computers and devices can help ALL students (NOT JUST SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS) perform tasks that they find challenging, weather these tasks are the basic fundamentals such as reading and writing, or more complex things.
Technology can be applied in the classroom for practically anything. Reading, writing, drawing, coloring, mathematics and history are just a few areas that computers and similar devices can not only enhance the learning ability, but create a fun and exciting atmosphere in which students actually would want to go and learn and spend time. I know one thing for sure: I hate going to boring old lectures having to listen to the professor talk and talk and talk about things. I mean it's great that there is a PROfessor that is there to guide us in our educational journey, but it's pretty much the same old same old every other day in class. I like change, I like to do new things and learn things differently. The use of technology is the key to success in the classroom.

How the iPad Works with Academics for Autism
How the iPad Works with Academics for Autism In this video, I watched a father help his son (who has autism) learn using an iPad. That's pretty good stuff right there! If I were going to be a Special Ed Teacher, I would most definitely put a lot of time and energy into researching as much about apps and technology and computer programs and Apple Software to download to make the learning process as easy and fun as possible for all the students in the classroom. I went to and skimmed through a few apps that I might could use in such an environment and there were a few that I read about that got my attention. I would probably incorporate the apps of "Super Why!" and "SpellBoard. Super Why:

> because I know basic vocabulary would be important in communicating ideas and thoughts. Depending on what level of Special ED I am assigned to and how far along a students is, I would have to use several spelling/writing apps.

I would use apps such as SpellBoard

because I think that the more fun it is for one to learn the more motivated one will be to learn meaning a good end result, right? Some video games can be very educational and beneficial in the learning process, I have seen over and over. The app "SpellBoard"





Garyy Hayes' Social Media Count">, Garry Hayes. Garry Hayes built and coded an app that tells social media statistics based on key data points of his own research. At least that's what I got out of the article under his social media count app. It counts (or estimates) statistics such as items spent on facebook, hours uploaded to youtube, $ spent on virtual goods in the U.S., tweets on twitter, videos watched on youtube, that kind of stuff.
I'm supposed to write 2 or more paragraphs about this...counter....but I honestly don't see how I can do that. It's just a bunch of numbers to me, they don't have much meaning yet. Anybody want to explain to me why they're so important?

Part 4. A Vision of Students Today, Michael Wesch
A vision of Students Today, Michael Wesch">, This video enlightened me. When I got done watching it I realized how obsolete today's classroom is compared to how it could and should be. The lack of technology is negatively affecting the students of America. But that brings me to a question: with the economy the way it is right now and all the public school budget cuts, HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE GOING TO UPGRADE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM from old fashioned textbooks and lectures to the new age computers and technologically superior methods? Just was wondering about that.
I think that there are many important points made in this video such as the information and opportunities people have at there disposal that they take for granted. Yes, it is true, most people that call themselves teachers are just educators. They program kids to learn certain material and they do not teach them how to think (if that makes any sense to you). I think that it's not just the instructors fault that the kids aren't learning, I think that the students are at fault as well. We pay our way through college, we have seemingly unlimited opportunities to fully engross ourselves in information, all we need to do is successfully apply ourselves. There was one part in the movie that said that these students do things that take up 26.5 hours in a 24 hour day so they multitask. Multitasking is a very good tool to have, but I think that when people are in (at least) the classroom, they should be focused on the material being discussed not Facebook or music. there are so many ways to go about fixing the problem(s) the video presents.