DLP Interactive Projector

The interactive projector is quite similar to a traditional projector in that it display images and information from a computer.  However, it is revolutionary in that it may be projected on to just about any surface, so it does not require a special screen or board.  Furthermore, the interactive projector comes with a pen that can write on the projection from up to 25 feet away, and functions much like a wireless mouse with writing capabilities.

This tool allows for interactivity between teachers and students in the classroom.  Teachers are able to project information, images, videos, etc. anywhere in the classroom, and can navigate with the mouse, also from multiple locations in the room.  Students can use the tool as an alternative to a blackboard (or an IWB), answering questions or delivering presentations without ever having to leave their seat.

Interactive projectors have several advantages over IWBs.  First, they can be more economic, as there is no special board or attachment that has to be purchased along with it.  Unlike an IWB, the interactive projector can be written on with its accompanying pen in the air, because the projector is in constant communication with the pen, so it never needs to actually touch a surface.  Also, interactive projectors have the advantage of never needing to be calibrated, making it easy to share between teachers or even classrooms.  

Assistive Technology Assignment

3)

What is it?  Dragon Naturally Speaking for Teens

What does it do?  Translates spoken words into typed text on a computer.

Who does it benefit? This program benefits students who have difficulty reading and writing.

What is it?  Wynn Wizard

What does it do?  Scans text and changes it into a voice, read by a computer.

Who does it benefit? Students who have difficulty reading, or have sight disabilities can greatly benefit from this program.

What is it?  Inspiration.

What does it do?  Organizes main thoughts into bubbles, and then aids the student in finding secondary ideas.

Who does it benefit? Inspiration benefits students who have difficulty organizing their work, and get easily overwhelmed.

4)

Wynn Wizard – This program was developed for “special educators and individuals with learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and aphasia.”  Wynn Wizard is the second version of the product, building off of its predecessor Wynn Reader.  The difference is that Wynn Reader was not able to scan and read documents, while Wizard can.  One interesting feature of Wynn Wizard is that it can save the computer’s voice recordings as audio files (MP3s, WAV, etc.).

Open Content Blog

The main claim of this article is that open content is revolutionizing not only what students learn, but how they learn.  This same principal applies to teachers, and how they select material for their classroom.  The article strengthens its stance by providing evidence of the popularity of open content by citing a study done by Edcetera that found "that open educational resources make up three quarters of the content in most MOOCs; paid content, such as required textbooks, is less than 10%."  Even textbook companies are getting involved in offering cheaper digital copies of their product, as a method of competing with the popularity of open content.  However, open content is not a distinctly American or Western entity anymore - developing countries around the world have access to this content, so now students across the globe can receive a quality, and essentially free education.

"Data Driven Teachers" Response

I'm quite glad that the article began by addressing a concern I had developed straight from the title - that 'Data Driven' approaches are what brought about NCLB.  The article immediately differentiates between the two entities.  In DDDM, "information from other assessments, measures of student engagement, previous programmatic interventions, and other data are needed for teachers to design appropriate instructional interventions."  This is exactly how I intend to use data in my classroom - through providing varied assessments that test for different levels of skills and comprehension at various times throughout a semester or school year.  I agree with the article that this is the best way to gain useful data, that can help address and solve issues within a classroom.

Response to "Engage or Enrage Me"

To begin, this article did not go in the direction that I had expected: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY

I certainly find the main argument of this article to be a valid and important one.  Students have always been changing, and it has always been the responsibility of schools to try to keep up, if not get ahead.  However, it now seems evident that schools have fallen ages behind the very students they are meant to educate.

This issue is one that I find particularly startling, as it seems to necessitate curriculum and technology that may have very well not been invented or conceived yet.  Curriculum that accurately and effectively engages students in their current mode or learning seems to be largely unknown.  Be this as it may, it is now every teacher's job to do everything in their power to make their material engaging and interesting on the students' terms - not curriculum and practice of days past.

"Breaking Down Hate Speech"

I selected this lesson, as I feel it is something that is often considered taboo, and goes left alone.  Ideally this issue would be covered throughout a student's life, but sadly, I doubt that this is the case.  Fortunately, this lesson is prepared for high school students, so their critical thinking and analysis skills are fairly developed, and they can really digest this information and understand the psychological consequences of hate speech, and learn that hate speech is unacceptable in online and real life scenarios.

The lesson plan itself is fairly solid.  It advocates for presenting a variety of materials to students to analyze and identify hate speech as it occurs in the source.  Key terms such as prejudice, stereotype, and derogatory are all to be defined by students, which is certainly helpful in students describing the types of hate speech they see.  The only part of the lesson plan that I would omit would be the part that tells students to role-play scenarios with hate speech.  I think a much more effective alternative would be to watch video clips of hate speech, and ask for students' reactions.

"Understanding the Digital Learner" Response

To begin, I really appreciate the overlying message of this article, and its rebellion against the 'TTWWADI' mindset.  I think it is crucial in all aspects in life to maintain a healthy skepticism and sense of curiosity, particularly when it comes to the infrastructure and framework of a system, such as education.  Failure to do this, analyzing a system, identifying problems, and modifying the system to fix said problems, leads to the failure of the system.

While I believe the article is absolutely correct in advocating teachers to adapt to their student's learning style, I also view this article as overstating the differences between teachers and their students.  The article assumes that all students, everywhere, have had the exposure to, and have thus been influenced by, technology in ways that older generations could not possibly understand.  I find this generalization to be erroneous, as there are certainly students who have grown up with very little exposure to technology, and there are also teachers who follow the cutting edge of technology, and may even hover above the curve.   The article also cites the statistics of 50% of the United States' ninth-graders in its 35 largest cities will fail to graduate.  While I would buy this statistic, and agree that it is shameful, I cannot believe what the article infers the cause to be - that a discrepancy in technological know-how between teachers and students is the main offender.  Every school has a variety of reasons for its success and failure in graduation rate, and I simply don't feel comfortable in accepting this one-size-fits-all approach.

Overall, I found this to be a thought-provoking, and informative read, but I believe it to be overambitious in its goals.