Monday, May 6, 2013
Assistive Technology with Jennifer Weir
WOW!!!!!! This was so amazing! I have been a member of disabilities services and a Special Education Major for three years and I never knew this program was there! Jennifer Weir knows so much and is so helpful. There are so many different technologies offered at TAMUCC. One of my favorite technologies was the Perkins Brailler, which is a braille typewriter. I thought this was so cool. I had always wondered how braille was created. It seems like a very difficult process, based off a system of numbers. But I think that once you get the hang of it, it would not be to bad. There are are so many types of technologies! I think this is absolutely fabulous!!!
Library Day!
Copyright Presentation
Library session notes
There was tons of information at our library session! I could not believe all the information It was honestly a bit overwhelming. I never knew that there was so much to know about copy writing WOW. The main topics were Creative Commons, Teach ACT and Fair Use. I go into more detail in my note listed above.
Final Session!: Service Project
In my final session with Nolan, he created a video about firefighters. He did not want to be recorded. So instead he found pictures on the internet that followed the topics he covered in his L-Learned Column of his KWL. In order to give credit to the photographers we created a Google Doc of his picture sources. He was very particular with his picture choices. He wanted them to "be real" and not seem staged. He also wanted the pictures in the video to follow in the same order he talked about them in the KWL. Once Nolan picked his pictures I set him up on Windows Live Move Maker. He was able to control the flow of the pictures and the amount of time each picture was displayed. Nolan then used a sound recorder to put his voice into the video. He was not very motivated to do this. I think it made him feel awkward I was so impressed with his speaking voice and what he was saying. However, he was not happy and refused to keep any of the recordings. At this point we decided to make a script instead and then create subtitles in his video so he did not have to verbally say all of the information. I know he was capable of recording all of his information, but he seemed to be getting stressed and it was "his" project. Overall I am so proud of him. Here is Nolan's Video.
Sessions Two and Three: Service Project
Next Nolan and I created a blog so he could post about his educational journey. He is a very simple teenage boy so he was not very interested with making his blog "fancy." I was very impressed with how he designed his blog. It fit him perfectly. In addition I also created him a Google Doc folder so he would be able to link his work to his blog.
After we created the blog I had Nolan create a KWL chart. When I first mentioned the KWL he looked at me like I was crazy. "What is that?" he asked. I was surprised that he had never been exposed to this strategy. I showed him some examples and then he was like "Okay." I used a template off of Microsoft Word for the KWL. He was very particular about writing in complete sentences. I was very impressed with his set up. He is his Final KWL. He looked through the internet to find the answers to his questions. He has some learning difficulties when it comes to reading and writing so I would help him determine if the site was credible or not. I was extremely impressed with his ability to remember facts and interpret them. We created a Google Doc. for his sources. Here are the sources that he used.
Over all I am very happy with these sessions and I am so impressed at what a hard and dedicated worker Nolan is.
After we created the blog I had Nolan create a KWL chart. When I first mentioned the KWL he looked at me like I was crazy. "What is that?" he asked. I was surprised that he had never been exposed to this strategy. I showed him some examples and then he was like "Okay." I used a template off of Microsoft Word for the KWL. He was very particular about writing in complete sentences. I was very impressed with his set up. He is his Final KWL. He looked through the internet to find the answers to his questions. He has some learning difficulties when it comes to reading and writing so I would help him determine if the site was credible or not. I was extremely impressed with his ability to remember facts and interpret them. We created a Google Doc. for his sources. Here are the sources that he used.
Over all I am very happy with these sessions and I am so impressed at what a hard and dedicated worker Nolan is.
Session One: Service Project
For my first session I want to introduce the student I will be working with. His name is Nolan, he is 13 years old and in 7th grade. He is home schooled and is my younger cousin. I asked him what he wanted to learn more about in his school work. We immediately hit a road block. He has a very religious curriculum and did not seem to want to know more about anything. He seemed to be looking for me to tell him what he wanted to learn. This is where I was able to pull the cousin card. I was able to prompt him off what I already knew he was interested. He is very interested in public service and what type of career he will pursue after high school. I knew he was interested in training service dogs, welding, and the army. From there he continued to talk about all the different things he found interesting about each profession. Before I knew it he had connected it to firefighters. He reminded me that on his Mom's side of the family had a family history of firefighters. Then he suddenly proclaimed that he would like to know more about firefighters. I told him that this would be what we would be focusing on.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Spreadsheet on Excel
I cannot believe the amount of problems I had with this assignment. I remember using Excel in middle school, and it is safe to say that it did not stick with me. I was only able to accomplish the first steps of copy and paste before I had to call in reinforcements. Thanks Meghan! Through reinforcements and trial and error I was able to create my spreadsheet.
In the beginning the concept of "Insert/Function" was completely lost to me. However, once it was explained to me I realized what a great tool this was. There were so many possibilities Dates, times, sums, products, sin, tan. ect. I could not believe that there were so many shortcuts. I do not think I was taught this in middle school! Math is can be easily messed up just by the simple mistake of hitting a wrong button or using a wrong number. "Insert/Function" takes away many of the variables that can cause a mistake. Everything you type is clearly in front of you and when using big numbers, it is a significantly faster to use this shortcut.
I had to draw back on my middle school memory to remember how to make a chart. This process entailed me looking up a YouTube video. Once I saw the first steps in the video I quickly remembered the process.
I used the inquiry based approach by attempting to draw back on my prior knowledge of Excel. Once I got the hang of the program I started to wonder how the different functions worked. I began experimenting and found that if I did not put in the function right an error would occur. In order to use the functions you have to know what you are doing. This is good because it helps insure that your information is right.
Inquiry Questions:
Plan your dream vacation, and create a budget
What will your expenses be?
Create a chart to represent your data, which chart would be the best?
In what ways would creating a budget on Excel be helpful?
In the beginning the concept of "Insert/Function" was completely lost to me. However, once it was explained to me I realized what a great tool this was. There were so many possibilities Dates, times, sums, products, sin, tan. ect. I could not believe that there were so many shortcuts. I do not think I was taught this in middle school! Math is can be easily messed up just by the simple mistake of hitting a wrong button or using a wrong number. "Insert/Function" takes away many of the variables that can cause a mistake. Everything you type is clearly in front of you and when using big numbers, it is a significantly faster to use this shortcut.
I had to draw back on my middle school memory to remember how to make a chart. This process entailed me looking up a YouTube video. Once I saw the first steps in the video I quickly remembered the process.
I used the inquiry based approach by attempting to draw back on my prior knowledge of Excel. Once I got the hang of the program I started to wonder how the different functions worked. I began experimenting and found that if I did not put in the function right an error would occur. In order to use the functions you have to know what you are doing. This is good because it helps insure that your information is right.
Inquiry Questions:
Plan your dream vacation, and create a budget
What will your expenses be?
Create a chart to represent your data, which chart would be the best?
In what ways would creating a budget on Excel be helpful?
Movie Making
For my unit plan I students are expected to see and demonstrate patterns within the world. The content area for the movie is science. Students must be able to recognize patterns between environments through living and nonliving organisms. The video I created will be used as an anticipatory set which will introduce the content unit to the students. At the end of the unit students will be expected to create their own video demonstrating their knowledge.
I am not surprised to say that making the movie was a bit of a challenge. It took a while for me to decide exactly what I wanted to include in the footage. Once I started filming however, I began to see so many possibilities. At first I attempted to talk in the clips but soon realized that I could not say everything I wanted to say in only a few seconds. This was especially hard knowing that the video needed to be only a minute long. I realized I elaborate A LOT! I decided that I could always figure out how to shorten the video clips so I filmed in sections allowing me to select the best parts. (You can always cut out footage, but it is impossible to add in footage you did not film.)
Deciding weather or not to keep the original audio or insert a voice recording was my next decision. I found that what was previously recorded did not get my whole message across, in three seconds. I used the sound recorder on my computer to overlay on the video.
Though the art of movie making is new to me, I feel that with more practice I will be able to execute my initial plan very well. I see great potential for future use in my classroom.
S.K.
I am not surprised to say that making the movie was a bit of a challenge. It took a while for me to decide exactly what I wanted to include in the footage. Once I started filming however, I began to see so many possibilities. At first I attempted to talk in the clips but soon realized that I could not say everything I wanted to say in only a few seconds. This was especially hard knowing that the video needed to be only a minute long. I realized I elaborate A LOT! I decided that I could always figure out how to shorten the video clips so I filmed in sections allowing me to select the best parts. (You can always cut out footage, but it is impossible to add in footage you did not film.)
Deciding weather or not to keep the original audio or insert a voice recording was my next decision. I found that what was previously recorded did not get my whole message across, in three seconds. I used the sound recorder on my computer to overlay on the video.
Though the art of movie making is new to me, I feel that with more practice I will be able to execute my initial plan very well. I see great potential for future use in my classroom.
S.K.
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