Blog #8

      Adaptive technologies are meant to do exactly what the title says. The technology is supposed to adapt to different situations to allow a student to receive the information in a way that is beneficial. This can be reading aloud for students with visual impairment or digital translators for ELLs. The reading aloud option provides a personalized learning experience for a visually impaired student so that they can learn the course material. One hurdle that ELLs must face in school is the language barrier. A digital translator allows a student to keep up with what the teacher is saying or what is on the board without holding back the other students in the class. At the restaurant where I work there is a blind couple that comes in occasionally and I see them on their phones tapping and listening to the menu options. The screen is still black and it relies on the user's finger. In middle school I remember sitting next to an Asian students who had a mini tablet with a keyboard and she used that to translate the English words. 
      With all technology, there are drawbacks. Technology has a set algorithm and code so sometimes it cannot adjust for user error. The standard computer relies heavily on the users ability to read and interpret the words and symbols on the screen. The visually impaired student has to learn how to use the adapted technology as proficiently as a non-visually impaired student must learn a standard computer. Navigating the internet, making a PowerPoint, or searching Word documents all require time to learn. The visually impaired does not have the same help from a more knowledgeable other so it is a greater challenge to learn the intricacies of the process. Another challenge for adaptive technology is the cost. The translator tablet or specialized computer for the visually impaired come at a high cost. If a school is underfunded then the student has to provide this themselves. This inherently hurts impoverished students with disabilities more than affluent students. 

      A great site to stay informed on tech trends is Engadget.com. The front page of the site always has the latest technology news. Today it discussed the Cambridge Analytica scandal with Facebook as well as the new Samsung TV that allows a mode to "see through" the TV. There are different subcategories relating to "gaming," "entertainment," and a "Tomorrow" page that discusses where technology is going and what people are working on. 

PLN

      When I worked as a summer camp counselor it was always necessary to have an appropriate game for each age of kids. Seeing as how children get bored of games rather quickly I always had to look for new sources of fun. Pinterest was very helpful in this search. I learned games from elementary teachers that they played with their classes; I read about game that were intended for adults but could be modified to suit a younger age; and I even found games that someone played with their family at a reunion. Pinterest brought all of these ideas together and I found them just by searching "group games" or something like that. Now imagine that same pool of ideas for lesson plans or interactive activities. Pinterest is great for teachers because it allows the whole teaching community to collaborate and share what worked in their classroom with other teachers across the country.
      The National Education Association has comprised a list of professional development programs to help teachers in many ways. The NEA has a series of Webinars that teachers can sign up for and attend online at their convenience. Listening to other professionals discuss new thought provoking ideas not only provides a new way to approach a lesson, it also motivates teachers through a sense of community. Teachers who successfully incorporate what they learned from a webinar will share their stories with others.

Blog #7

      Twitter is a truly incredible social media platform. I remember creating a twitter in 2007/2008 when the site just opened. The twitter that I made for this class has changed how I use twitter. On my regular account I keep up with pop culture, my favorite artists, meme pages, etc. On this twitter I follow news sites and sites related to education. I find interesting articles every week that pertain to my teaching profession. It is really great to have a personalized community for education technology, teaching theories, and political policies. 

      The Weebly site took a minute for me to get used to but once I did it was super easy. At times I could not figure out how to split the page because there is not a column option. I love the idea of a class website. I added a calendar page which I feel would be super helpful with students. It is a more friendly way to post information from the syllabus. If I use this later in my career I will add more direct contact information and keep it up to date with links to assignments. 

      http://joshmeinerteme2040.weebly.com/

      

      

Diigo is a pretty nice site. However, it is dependent upon the community. In this class we had to find trustworthy C.R.A.A.P.Y. websites. With other communities it is not as regulated so unless the group has a lot of members who participate it is not worth it. The amount of work put into a Diigo reflects what you get out of it. In the future I will try to show this to other Spanish teachers and hopefully they will add their friends and we can create a community with all the Spanish teachers in the county or state.