Monday, February 4, 2013

Blog Post #3



                                                

Peer Editing

After viewing the videos and slide show on peer editing, I learned peer editing can be easy as long as the rules are followed. The first rule is to compliment your peer. It is important to stay positive when peer editing. The second rule is to make suggestions. The point isn't to criticize the writer, but to point out ideas you think they could use to help improve their writing. The final rule is corrections.

When making suggestions, a good place to start is to look at the writer's sentence structure. Did they use run-ons? Look at the writer's organization. Does their writing need revisions? When following the final rule, corrections, it is important to look at the writer's spelling and grammar. Overall, it is important to remember how you would want a peer to edit your paper.

Assistive Technologies

These are interesting tools to learn about. These tools allow those who have lost certain abilities to feel normal again. I saw a TV show once where a man had to use a device that automatically wrote out what everyone around him was saying because he temporarily lost his hearing. It is important for those who have handicaps to be able to feel like an independent member of society. These people may be less fortunate than we are, but we can learn from them. They learn to work with what they have. It's great that we have the means to create assistive technologies for those who need them.

Ipad Usage for the Blind

As an Ipad owner myself I was amazed by the ability of a blind person to use an Ipad. As technology evolves more and more devices are using touch screens. When a device uses keys, Brail allows a blind person to navigate their way around the keyboard, but when a device is incorporated with a touch screen they are no raised areas. Since the screen is flat, a voice-over is the only way to communicate to a blind person what they are touching.

When a blind person navigates their way on a touch screen using a voice-over, they are sure to experience trial and error. Even people who can see must learn to navigate their way around a new device. It can be even more difficult without the ability to see. A voice-over essentially becomes a blind person's eyes.

Mountbatten

This device is quite unique. I've never seen anything like it. I like that the device offers immediate feedback to the student. Since the device saves,transfers and receives files from computers, it's almost like a flash drive for those with disabilities.

Vicki Davis' Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

I really admire Vicki's ideas to teach students to be self-learners. As I think back on my high school days, all I can ever remember is just simply being taught to retain what the teacher said, remember it for the test, then that was it. The only true way to learn is to be independent and learn for yourself. If you are only repeating what you have been told, you might as well be a robot. You will never develop your own opinion unless you are given the opportunity to do so.

"Burp-Back Learning" will only hold students back. A student is allowed to become their own person and gain independence through being a self-learner.




3 comments:

  1. Hi Laura,
    I like the cartoon you used at the top of your post. I enjoyed reading your comments especially the section on assistive technologies. I like the point about "they learn to work with what they have." I think our human nature is to give up when we think something is too difficult or challenging or we don't have the resources we need. We can learn that no matter what obstacles are before us, we should keep striving to reach our goals.

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  2. Thank you Tonya. I couldn't agree with you more about our human nature is to just simply give up when things get tough. It's times like these that show us what we are really made of and only make us stronger.

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