Chapter 15

I was interested to learn more about the adaptive input devices which allow students with disabilities to use computers more effectively.  The disability accessibility software that has been created would be helpful to students with disabilities in any classroom.  I also like the idea of the alternative keyboard for computers such as the Intellikeys.  By using this technology students with severe disabilities are able to participate in using many of the same online technologies as that students in general education. Many of the websites the book gave for at risk students would be useful aids for teachers who are facing this challenge.  These websites include http://www.iping.com/ for students who have difficulty remembering things and http://www.pleaseread.com/ for student who are not at the same reading levels as the other students in their class.

I definitely agree with the mainstreaming process.  I think that the inclusion of students in special education into general education classes is helpful for their growth and development.  I would definitely use alternative use technologies in my classroom such as joysticks, switches, screen readers, optical character recognition, and alternative keyboards.

I would be interested to learn more about disability accessibility software.

Chapter 4

The idea of information "pictures" which are developed through organization of data was interesting to me. The example the book gave about the U.S. government's descriptive profiles helped to explain how important these "pictures" can be when done correctly. The disaggregation technique of taking student data from a general database and grouping the information by certain characteristics could be a useful tool not only for classrooms individually but also the school as a whole. I also liked the idea of Max's Toolbox as a scaffolding tool for young learner's or learners with cognitive impairments.

I will definitely use word processing tools in my classroom for a number of things: creating handouts sending letters home to parents, lesson plans, announcements, etc,.  Spread sheets will also be very useful especially for keeping students homework grades and totals organized.  Also using database software I will be able to compare students grades and also be able to track students progress.

I would like to learn more about information "pictures" and how they have been used in schools and in with other groups or organizations.

Chapter 13

I was interested to learn about computer programs that would automatically morph animation images, without any help from the animator. This would definitely save the animator a lot of time when the work is already rather tedious. I was unaware that there were now computerized kilns, even though I am not surprised.  This would be very helpful in a classroom especially for a teacher because it would allow them to fire ceramics work during the night so that they will be able ready the next day. I was also interested to learn more about graphic scanners that allow you to transfer photos, drawings and text into digitized images. I think that Photoshop is now something that all students should be introduced to in high school.

I like the idea of creating a movie as an art project. More and more movies, TV, and commercials are becoming an even bigger part of our society. This project would be a good introduction to a career direction a student might want to take. I also think that being able to digitally document works of art o n the computer is also important.  By creating a class website students can display their artworks and be able to show them to different people out side of class (this could include college admissions people).

I would like to learn more about the most recent animation programs.

Minute by Minute

This article was very interesting to me. I think that formative assessment is a very important part of teaching effectively.  This is supported by the statistic they article gave:“students taught by teachers who used assessment for learning achieved in six or seven months what would otherwise have taken a year (1998).“ Two other things that caught my eye were the ideas of “range-finding” questions: to reveal what students know at the beginning of an instructional sequence, and a “hinge point”: determines the direction the lesson will go, depending on student responses.  I thought that both of these ideas could be very effective ways of teaching in almost any classroom.

I would definitely share and clarify intentions and criteria in my classroom.  When I was in school it always helped me to see what a student had done to get an “A” before me.  For many students I fell that this would be helpful when they are introduced to a new assignment.  I also really like the idea of using “exit passes” in my classroom.  This would be a great way to track students progress and understanding on a day to day level.

I would be interested to learn more about how teachers can activate students as the owners of their own learning.