Horizon Report
Video in the Classroom Presentation Script
YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/R3wNP4C9GOY
Friday, February 17, 2017
Diversity, Cultural Understanding, and Global Awareness
Diversity,
Cultural Understanding, and Global Awareness
As an educator I would model and promote diversity in
the classroom by creating a collaborative project that would involve showcasing
diversity. Students would be required to create a video using the free app
iMovie to create a video presentation related to their culture. Students would include
in the film their parent or guardian discussing their ethnic background. The
film can include cultural beliefs, foods, and languages associated with their
cultural. As an educator having the students explain
their cultural heritage allows for a deeper understanding and
appreciation of what each student brings to the classroom. This project would
be a good collaborative piece to allow for open-ended questions to give
students the freedom to discuss diversity in the classroom. To further
promote/model diversity in the classroom could be to have translators and translation
apps in the classroom to address language
barriers. As an educator I need the
students and parents to feel a part of the learning process without the worry
of not be able to be heard in the classroom. Including translators in
the classroom, would show the parent and student that their voice matters in the learning process. Notably, learning is universal, and it takes a collaborative
approach to making learning accessible to
all cultures.
Secondly, as an educator I would address cultural understanding by finding
learning material that represented all students in the classroom. For example,
if teaching reading, I could include different books from all around the world to
be read. As an educator, having all students exposed to different literature
around the world, would promote unity in the classroom. Each student can relate
in some fashion to the reading material and learn to embrace another culture
learning curriculum. Another tactic to promote culture understanding as an
educator would be to have students work in groups. By assigning specific tasks
to each group, students can learn how to express their problems and solutions
in a team environment. Students can learn from one another how to resolve
conflicts and value everybody’s contributions within a group. Lastly, another
collaborative project would be to have each student draw something related to
their heritage. Students can use the free app Drawing Something to share their
artwork digitally to engage the classroom. Gives each student an opportunity to
show visually how each culture operates and provides students with valuable
information to understand their classmates. Overall, to understand another person culture
is to have an open line of communication to learn from one another.
Lastly, to address global
awareness, students can use online apps like a wiki
to collaborate and communicate with other students around the world. The wiki allows for students to interact with
other international students to form a social
bond. As an educator, another tool to
address global awareness is Skype. With Skype,
students can speak with other students around the world in real-time. Skype
enables students to a have visual of the student they are speaking with to make it a real virtual interaction. Wiki and
Skype provide students a way to reach other students around the world to
understand how they learn and live. Overall, as
an educator to promote global awareness is using online social media apps to
interact with other students around the world to learn their cultural history
and learning curriculum.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Video Game Seduction Secrets
Video
Game Seduction Secrets
Playing games provide an
effective learning environment wherein
there is no punishment in the virtual
world for making mistakes but rather an
encouragement to try new adventures without judgment. Having that open-ended freedom to explore the learning environment promotes positive critical thinkers to solve theoretical issues. So, implementing games into
the classroom can work in the same manner to have students play educational
games that encourage a variety of problem-solving
strategies without penalty. The students can have free range to think outside
the box to solve complex problems in a manner that best suits them without judgment. Overall, games permit players to have
creative control and set the pace of how they will conquer the journey without
set perimeters.
Secondly, including interesting
educational tools like magic wands or keys that unlock mystery doors to the next
adventure, promotes engagement in the learning process. Learners out of curiosity want to succeed to
the next level because of the mystery bonuses and items that await them in
their educational journey. The “acquire,
test, master model” engages learners to experiment within the virtual world and
challenge themselves to evolve through intuition (Stuart, 2011). Games like
Portal 2 used the concept of puzzling challenges to promote experimentation continually with the virtual
world and rely on the players to use their reasoning on how to solve the
problems. Overall, the tools are an added exploratory feature embedded to
enhance the learner’s quest to progress through the game.
Notably, games like The
Sims games allows the player to control how the virtual humans will live in
their virtual world. The player essentially controls when and how they eat,
sleep, and interact in the virtual world. To some extent, players have the creative control to strategize how they
will interact with the virtual world. In an educational setting, students to a certain
degree have control over their
learning environment. Respectively, whether the student is actively or passively
involved in the gaming experience is their choice.
The gaming industry uses the senses of curiosity and motivation in
creating engaging games. Students will engage in
games that peak their curiosity and provide rewards along the way to keep them motivated
to learn. Game developers strive to incorporate twist and unexpected adventures along the educational
journey to keep learners on their edge of their seat for the climax of the
story. The players enjoy the interactive challenges because it provides them
control over their destiny. However, once the player reaches their desired
destiny, they are self-fulfilled in their accomplishments.
Furthermore, when it
comes to the design of accolades in a game, students enjoy being celebrated for
their hard work but also enjoy the motivational rewards when they fail the game. These reward designs provide a
disproportionate feedback that gives the player a sense of accomplishment and
empowers them to be life-long learners. Surprisingly, the theory of
disproportionate feedback can be celebrated in a win or lose situation. Oddly
enough the disproportionate feedback can be looked upon as a positive
reinforcement in the learning design.
In conclusion, games are
not seen as a waste of time now but rather a way to fulfill the intrinsic human need to have control and acceptance.
The students desire to have control over how they learn and embrace changes
that are vital to their learning process. Educational games need an array of options
that are relatable to the student’s needs. Embedding accolades that are
positive and negative build the learner’s
confidence to stay motivated in the learning process no matter how complicated
it may get. The overall design concept in
games is the virtual control to manipulate how to succeeded in the learning
journey.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Tactus Technology
Tactus
Technology
Tactus Technology created
a new type of overlay hardware that externally raises the flat keyboard and
gaming controls on the touch screen mobile devices to have a virtual hands-on
experience. The thin semi-elastic polymer glass surface fills up with this clear
micro fluid to produce real buttons to
enhance the gaming and typing experience. The fluid within the raised keypad adjusts to
the amount of pressure applied to the touchscreen buttons. So, the keys could
feel extremely soft or hard depending on the applied pressure. Notably, the
enhanced screen can morph down flat once the screen is no longer needed. Tactus
Technology hopes in the next few years to have this morph technology embedded
within the smartphones and tablets. Tactus Technology created the raised
surface to offer better control and feel to the surface of the mobile devices.
The cost of the Phorm keyboard with a screen
protector is $149.99 on Amazon.
Reference:
http://www.businessinsider.com/tactus-technology-tactile-touchscreen-2014-1
Friday, February 10, 2017
Top Mobile Apps
Top
Mobile Apps
Haiku Deck is an app that
students/teachers can use to create impressive,
engaging professional presentations to share on any smart device. The app is
easy to use and has over millions of professional looking templates to choose
from to enhance the learning experience. For example, teachers can use the app
to create lesson plans that have graphics behind the learning material to make
it eye appealing to their students. Students can use Haiku Deck to create short, meaningful presentations that showcase a
student’s comprehension of the material in a visual manner. Some of the
features of Haiku Deck are being able to store presentation in the cloud
database for easy retrieval. The price for Haiku Deck depends on the
subscription selected. The Pro package is $9.99/month, Premium support is
$29.99/month, and the Bulk subscription is $499.00/year. However, there is a
free version that can be used but limited to 1 publicly shared presentation.
Another helpful educational app is Knowji to help build
vocabulary words in a visual manner through animated flashcards with audio.
Teachers can have the students play this interactive app to gain knowledge of
new words and sharpen their skills on previously learned words for memorization
purposes. Teachers have the option to
use the pre-recorded pronunciation of the
vocabulary words or add a personal touch to the program by recording their
voice within the game. Students can benefit from actively learning new words
and watching entertaining stories of how to pronounce and use the terminology. The
cost for the app on iTunes is $9.99 and can be used with a smart board to
engage students in learning their vocabulary words in a fun, interactive manner.
Students struggling with math
can benefit from the Photomath app that uses the
phone's camera to capture a written math problem and provides a
step-by-step tutorial on how to solve the equation. Teachers can have students
use their mobile devices to understand difficult equations and learn how to
break down the math problem by using the app as a tutor. The Photomath app is great tool for teachers
to consider when students are stuck on a particular math problem and need additional
guidance. The price to download this program is free on google play and
Appstore.
A teacher
wanting to turn their quizzes or lessons plans into an interactive game can use
Kahoot to make this a reality. Teachers can input their questions into the
Kahoot database and choose an interactive game to display their material in a stylish manner. There are options to add
videos, images, and diagrams to add an engaging presentation for students to be
excited to learn and answer educational questions. This app is recommended to
have students work in groups to collaborate and critically think about the
questions presented. Students will want to engage in the lesson plan because
they get to solve the problems in game form. Also, students can discuss their
Kahoots or create their own to showcase their mastery of the curriculum. The
price to download this program is free and easy to use.
Lastly, open
communication within and outside the classroom is beneficial in the learning
process and the app Remind makes this
easier. Remind helps the teacher
communicate with students and parents with their smart device to make the line
of communications convenient. This app has real-time messaging and reminders on
important meetings to keep teachers ahead of schedule. Another benefit to
Remind is that it has a language translator that can translate over 70
languages. The translator is beneficial
when teachers have students that do not speak the English language and need to
communicate with the student in their language. Teachers can also communicate
with parents and students in email style as another means of communication. The
price of this app is free and a great social tool to keep the lines of
communication open in and out of the classroom.
References
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
The Future of Cell Phone Connectivity
The
Future of Cell Phone Connectivity
This article revealed an
innovative discovery of using the smartphone’s wireless technology LTE radio to
connect directly to other smart devices without a cell phone tower connection. The LTE Direct can outdo Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
connectivity ranges because of its 500-meter
range. Also, because LTE can operate on minimum power,
the smartphone's battery is not being overused. To make this transition
a reality, the manufacturer Qualcomm has partnered with Facebook and Yahoo to
find intelligent ways to utilize this
wireless technology. The primary intended
goal is to have smartphones connect instantly with people and businesses to
receive vital information. For example, smartphone
users could receive flight delays instantly by
connecting their phone to the airlines database at check-in. Alerts like
this allow the user to make an informed
decision on how to handle the situation promptly.
Another LTE direct invention is Facebook’s experiment with using their mobile
app to connect with local businesses and nearby friends. Facebook’s mobile app
would allow for people to set-up impromptu chats and find out about local
events all from their smartphone. Notably, retailers
like Macy want to be able to track and connect with their shoppers via their
smartphone as a marketing strategy. Even Yahoo is creating a tour guide app
that will download information from the internet to the user’s smartphone to
guide them in the best direction to meet all their points of interest.
Surprisingly, networks are finding LTE Direct beneficial in solving network
glitches that occur when there are too many people trying to connect to one
cell phone tower. LTE Direct would provide the necessary wireless data needed to
keep smart devices streaming online even
when the network is down. Overall, LTE Direct can provide the appropriate wireless technology required to keep users connected and informed.
Businesses can capitalize on how to sync
promotions and emergency information to smartphone users in an inexpensive way.
Reference:
Monday, February 6, 2017
Realsense Technology
Realsense Technology
What Realsense technology
does for images is heightened one’s perception
on how to create authentic video chats rooms
and presentations in an interactive 3D manner. Users can create chat rooms and
presentations that explore innovative
ways to interact with others through touch
and sight. The user can create 3D images that can represent the user in a chat room or virtual
presentation as a creative way to engage the audience. Next, gesture
control in Realsense technology enables a gamer to use their natural body
movements as the controls to manipulate the screen. Realsense technology gives the gamer an
interactive connection with the computer screen to play various games that utilize body gestures. The interactive
connection gives the gamer an opportunity to be creative in how they humanly
connect to the game. Thirdly, with Realsense technology videos, users can create a variety of human-like avatars to bring a unique visual and collaboration to a chat room setting. Users have
an opportunity to create a virtual setting that is not only informative but
interactive. Furthermore, users have the
ability to scan their faces into the computer and create a digital body of
themselves to print off as a figurine. The 3D image prints created can even be embedded
into decorative crystal paperweights that give
the visual of a miniature human being in hologram form. Lastly, with Realsense
technology users can change the background settings within their video chat rooms. The Realsense technology has a feature that can remove unwanted
objects from the background and replace them with other background gallery pictures to enhance the video chat
experience. Users can create a meaningful
podcast that can be eye appealing through creating various backdrops that
relate to the podcast. Overall, Realsense technology promotes users to interact
with the virtual world as they would in the real-world.
Realsense technology uses the human senses like
touch and sight to make the virtual experience a more human interaction.
Reference
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/realsense-overview.html
Socrative
Socrative
Socrative is an
interactive classroom app that allows real-time active learning among
students. This app allows the teacher to create instant questions or activities
to assess the students understanding of the course material. Teachers can get
instant reports of students graded assignments and use that data to determine
the best instructional approach to ensuring students truly understand the material. By students providing instant
feedback on short answer assignments and multiple choice questions, the teacher
can determine what specific parts of the material are unclear to the student. This process keeps the teacher and
students collaborating on ways to understand the material presented.
Some features that make
Socrative a great learning app is the fact that teachers can easily create
virtual rooms that students can join by using their special login code. Students can post questions that
are related to the course and collaborate with classmates
that can assist in understanding the course material. Another interactive
feature is creating space race games that have questions from the course
material that students can answer correctly to gain token points. Students will
be engaged in the learning while having fun being competitive in finishing the
race. Overall, the student and teacher will have an open line of communication
to understand what is needed to master the
curriculum with real-time feedback successfully.
Reference:
https://www.socrative.com/
Reference:
https://www.socrative.com/
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Horizon Report 2
Horizon Report 2
Five Blogs to Follow
http://www.coolcatteacher.com
Gamingspace
Gamingspace is an open digital forum where students, teachers, and parents can explore new ideas for learning in the 21st century. The adults and students explore various games that are beneficial in the curriculum. The games presented provide authentic and exact assessments of how the learner is progressing in the classroom. Overall, provides an open line of communication to understand how games can be incorporated into the classroom to help students succeed in their lesson plans. Allows the students to have a voice in how they would like to learn in the classroom.
What should be your
point of emphasis when designing discussion forums?
My point of emphasis when
designing a discussion forum is presenting topics that students can relate too.
Creating topics that are engaging will keep the lines of communication open to
allow the students to speak freely and keep the discussions going. I would
want the students to feel free to incorporate real world news that can tie into
what is being discussed to showcase their true understanding of the topic
presented. Overall, I want to design a
discussion forum that is going to promote collaboration and be engaging enough to
keep the students interested in speaking further on the topic of choice.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
VGo
VGo
VGo
is a stand-alone rotating robot that enables a person to be present in
real-time from a distant location to interact with colleagues. This virtual
robotic hologram has auditory and speech capabilities to interact with the
people in real-time. This device is controlled 100% indoors by remote control
and relies on Wi-Fi signaling to be interactive. VGo can be used in a group or
individual environment to interact with the people around them. The motorized
unit stands 4 feet tall but can be extended up to five feet. Other features include a camera, microphones,
and video display. The battery life for VGo ranges between 6 to 12 hours once
charged on its charge dock station which comes with
the purchase of the unit. The VGo app allows up to twenty people to download
the application needed for communication purposes. The person signing in from
their mobile or PC device will have access to control the movement of the robot
by dragging their mouse. The only stipulation is that one person can operate VGo at a time. Overall, the
product is very simple to use and requires no training session.
The
price of VGo is around $2,499.00 and comes with all the necessary tools needed to
setup the product. Included with the purchase is a subscription package that
includes various warranties like full hardware, software, VGONet Connectivity,
and unlimited helpdesk support. Other
optional purchases are the height extension and additional charging docks.
Additionally, customers can have their VGo customized to include Verizon 4G LTE
but will be responsible for renewing the subscription to Verizon.
With
this in mind, school systems can use VGo for home bound students that are
terminally ill or teenage mothers. VGo would
allow these students to have a chance to interact
with their peers from home actively. Because these students are not
physically able to go to school, they can at least feel like they are still a
part of the class. Due to the mobility of VGo, students can participate in
library projects or recess as normal in a virtual sense. Students would not
lose valuable memories or fall behind on coursework
because they can access in remotely to complete assignments. Also, can use the robot to interact with an international student overseas to learn
about their culture and schooling. Students
could have the opportunity to have a foreign exchange student in their class to
interact with in exchanging valuable learning experiences. VGo is a great tool to incorporate active learning in
the classroom.
Lastly,
to maintain this type of technology in the classroom would require a
subscription plan that included a lifetime maintenance plan. Since VGo offers unlimited help desk support; maybe the company would be willing to
add-in a lifetime maintenance plan to educational facilities. School administrators may have to
research grants that would take care of the subscription packages that relate
to the hardware and software programs. Keeping the units safe and secure would
need to be a collaborative effort by all facility members to ensure all units are in their appropriate docking stations.
Overall, VGo offers a pretty reasonable package deal to ensure consumers can
maintain their robots.
Reference
VGo.com
Reference
VGo.com
Plicker
Plicker
Plicker
is a tool where teachers collect real-time formative assessment data by using
their mobile devices to download the results. The tool enables teachers to
measure what the students have learned and how much they have mastered. Plicker allows for instant feedback on class
quizzes and poll questionnaires.
Students will think the critical thinking assessments are a game and
become heavily involved in mastering the coursework.
The great part about Plicker is there is no need for the student to
be connected to a computer to input their answers. Students just simply hold up
their white Plicker cards to provide
their answers. From that point, teachers simply record each student answers by using the Plicker app on their smart device to have an
instant poll on how the class excelled on
the quizzes.
One way to use Plicker in a classroom is by creating a racing game using the smart board. Each team will select a group name that in turn will be their race car name on the race
track. The groups will have to collaborate
to answers random questions presented on the smart board. Each group will have
one Plicker card to provide their answers to the questions presented. As each group correctly answers a question,
their race car will move around the race track. The group that crosses the
finish line first will win the game. This game
format would be a great way for students to critically think through the
questions to come up with the correct answers. Students will be engaged in the
learning process and learn how to work collaboratively in a team.
Another way to implement
Plicker into the classroom is during field trips
to record student’s attendance. For example, students can be assigned a
personalized Plicker when entering the bus and then the teacher can simply scan everyone on the bus with their smart
device. After the field trip is over and
the students have loaded the bus, the teacher can scan each student again to
ensure all students have returned to the bus. If there is a student missing,
the teacher will be alerted on their
smart device of who is missing and search for that student. Plicker is a resourceful app to keep an accurate account
of students.
Reference
Plicker.com
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Nearpod
Nearpod
Nearpod is an interactive
classroom tool where teachers can create
and customize lessons plans in a presentation
that students can access from any mobile or PC
device. Teachers can customize presentations to include a mix of videos, quizzes, images, and
Drawing-Boards. This app also features an assessment tool to gauge the
individual student or the entire class success rate. Students can answer
questions in real time and submit their responses by their mobile devices.
One use of Nearpod is
conducting presentations that students can receive instantly through their smart devices. Students have the freedom
to review the presentations as often as they may like without the worries of
missing any key points of information. Teachers can add additional information to the presentation by simply dragging and
clicking the desired item to embed into the presentations. Students will have
an interactive way to visually see up close the presentations teachers are presenting in class. Teachers can
simply access in remotely on a PC or
mobile device to begin the creation and output of the work they have completed
for the classroom.
Another use for Nearpod
is embedding customize quizzes within the
presentations. Can creatively add quizzes within the presentation to assess the
student’s understanding of the material presented. The quiz presenter has an
easy to read evaluation analysis report that
shows how the students are progressing in the classroom. This report allows the teacher to make the
necessary lesson plan changes needed based on the student's comprehension of the class material. Nearpod’s real-time
feature on assessing students’ knowledge of
the material is a great method for formative assessments.
Reference
https://nearpod.com/
Horizon Report
Horizon
Report
The author disproved the
value of using learning styles in instruction because of its false validity and
effectiveness in determining a student’s actual learning method. For example,
the author states “learning style inventories are considered force-response
choices” (Gillespie’s, 2014). The article uses the teaching methods in a
science class to provide evidence of this force-response theory. The author
states even though the learners prefer demonstrations when explaining
scientific theories, does not classify all learners as having a visual style.
The course is naturally set up to be taught in a visual manner and has no
correlation with a learner’s specific style of learning. Distinguished
psychologist finds learning styles unnecessary in general education by the fact there are no proven records that
learning styles exist after conducting a thirty-year
educational evaluation. The author claims educational content are categorized regarding
the meaning and not by learning style models. The author states one’s superior sense does not
necessarily mean it is the best model for
gauging how a student learns (Gillespie, 2014).
I
would consider implementing the choice board concept into the classroom to
provide students with options regarding their course work. The choice board
style I would pick will be the menu style template to upload to a smart board.
Students would use their mobile devices to select their lesson choices and
proceed to a drive-thru window to complete
their transactions. The only catch at the check out window will be that
students must have at least one required assignment on their plate to check out. If
for some reason, some students are having
a hard time deciding what lesson plans to choose, I would create interactive grab bag lesson plans. These grab bags
would have a mixture of various lesson plans in them and students can work from
these bags to complete the required class assignments. So, not only will
students have choices in their course work, they will even have options on how
they will select their course workload.
References
Gillespie, R. (2014, January 19). 10 Statements
disproving the use of learning styles in education. Retrieved from
http://reedgillespie.blogspot.com/2014/01/10-statements-debunking-using-of.html
Monday, January 30, 2017
BYOD
BYOD
BYOD is a trend where
students can bring in their personal iPads or smartphones
into the classroom. The advantages of students bringing their own devices are that it increases the level of interaction
within the classroom. Students can digitally collaborate with their teachers
and classmates on project ideas. Teachers
can have students download applications like Dropbox to have a storage place
for homework assignments or journals for later retrieval. However, the disadvantages
of BYOD are keeping students focused on school work. Some students may lose
focus when they are distracted with interacting on social media sites while a
lecture is in progress. Another issue is protecting students from cyber bullying during school hours. Some students
may fall prey to other students posting negative information on sites like
Facebook and become consumed in wanting to defend their good name. Lastly, not
all students have the funds to afford smart devices and may feel disconnected
from the classroom. Teachers would need to have a few mobile devices on hand to meet the needs of those who are not
financially able to purchase a handheld device.
In the future, plan
to incorporate BYOD in the classroom teaching technology at Brew Tech. I
enjoy knowing students are active participants in their course of study. By
allowing students to use their own handheld
devices, they are already familiar with the features on their devices which makes
it easier for the students to interact in class. For example, most students
have smartphones with Google drive;
this would enable them to learn a new technique on how to use this drive
to save their journals. Also, can have students to download unfamiliar apps to
increase their excitement about learning. For example, I could create QR Codes related to technology and have students
reach in a bowl to pull a code. Then each
student would scan that code with their phone to find out their project topic. Overall, students desire to learn
something new but sometimes require visuals to comprehend the material. By
utilizing the smart devices already owned by students can increase the level of
interest for students wanting to spend a few hours learning.
Ways to manage BYOD in
the classroom would be to set the ground rules at the beginning of class of
what is acceptable and not acceptable regarding
the use of their smart devices while in class. To ensure the students are clear
on the rules, have them sign a BOYD contract
that reinstates the rules. Lastly, another solution would be to create a
lock down app that would only allow students to pull the necessary applications for
class purposes.
What this trend means for
digital equity is that school administrations need to meet with school boards
to research grants that can be used to purchase technological devices. For
instance, 11th-grade students
learning algebra could benefit from a smart board in the classroom to play interactive
mathematical games to understand formulas. To gain support, administrators in
the school system can conduct yards sales as a means to raise funds to go
toward the purchase of technological devices. Can get the support of
neighboring schools that are well off to donate their used tech devices to underprivileged
schools. Even gain the support of the community by having a tech drive to
retrieve donated mobile devices. Ask retired IT workers to volunteer their time
to upgrade and fix devices as needed to aid in the cost of paying a tech
support team. Teachers might want to bring in their own devices and conduct a group project. Overall, it will
take a collaborative effort to meet the demands of technology in the classroom.
The effects of this technology
trend will lead teachers needing to attend workshops that would prepare them on
how to implement technology into the classroom. There will need to be hands-on activities that allow the teacher to
work with the new technology to gain insight on how it will work in their
classroom. Ultimately, to meet the professional development needs, must evaluate
the technical skills teachers will need
to be effective and efficient. Have to evaluate the teacher’s personal interest
in using technology in their classroom. Need to evaluate the teacher’s
weaknesses as it relates to technology to build a developmental plan that will
build the teacher’s confidence in using technology in the classroom.
If students
do not study technology, they will probably be at a disadvantage in the workforce.
Because the way of the future is technology driven, it would be in the best
interest of the student to learn all forms of technological devices. As the
type of jobs offered begins to shift
towards technology, students need to be able to showcase their skill sets in
technology. Most jobs will begin to be virtual in nature, and the high demand for being technology literate will
soar. Students need to prepare for a virtual workforce to compete for future jobs.
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Reflections of Assistive Technologies
Reflections
of Assistive Technologies
Fourteen year old student
Elle O’Gormana was born with Cerebral Palsy which led to her being confined to
a wheelchair. In addition to her medical condition, Elle needed a device that
would assist her in communicating with her classmates and family. For this reason, Elle’s team of experts were
working diligently to find the best suitable technology to meet her needs. The
teams working with Elle discovered that she could communicate effectively with picture
boards. Elle went through a variety of speech-generating picture board devices
and found that the Dynavox met her special needs. Elle interacts with the Dynavox by wearing a head mask that synch’s with her eye movements to activate the
on-screen pictures that the device will generate into a speech format. In addition
to this feature, Elle has the capability to communicate with her peers by
email. This feature allowed Elle to stay connected with her peers and not feel alienated
in group discussions. Notably, the Dynavox has extra storage space to add
additional picture icons as needed. This feature is beneficial for Elle because
as she progresses in her learning environment, she will need additional
pictures along the way. Overall, Elle can be a normal student within the
classroom because she can use her Dynavox as a means of communication. She has
the capability to participate in class discussions and collaborate with peers
as any normal teen would. Even though Elle is physically handicap, she is
intellectually strong enough to handle looking at pictures to express her
desires.
In the same fashion,
Mason a six year old first grader born visually impaired faced obstacles to
find the appropriate assisted technologies that could meet his special needs. Because
Mason was legally blind in the left eye and had partial vision in his right
eye, posed a unique challenge to address his needs. Due to his poor vision,
Mason needed special assisted technologies that could enlarge his text fonts to
a resolution suitable for his visual impairment. In order to meet this need,
Mason was given an iPad that was specially made with extra-large fonts. This iPad
was equipped for Mason to view his spelling words in larger fonts and to hear
the sounds of the letters he pressed. Another assisted technology device that was
very accommodating was the class smart board. Because of the large resolution the smart
board could handle, Mason was able to view and interact with the device with
ease. Along with these tools, Mason was given a Mount Batten Braille device to assist
him in taking notes at school and at home. This assisted technology device was
Mason’s paper and pencil to key important notes and correspond to audio files.
In addition to taking notes with this keyboard, he was also able to learn how
to read braille by this special device. With
all of these assisted technology devices, Mason was able to function in a
regular classroom with his peers. These tools allowed Mason to be independent
and confident in his learning environment. Mason does not have to rely on
others to assist him in completing his daily task because the assisted
technology provided gives him the necessary components to meet his special
needs.
Thirdly, a first-year
college student named Susanna Sweeney-Martini has cerebral palsy which affects
her muscles movements. Even though she is confined to a wheelchair, she has
some movement in her arms but not enough to handle a mouse and keyboard efficiently.
Susanna needed a specialized computer that was voice activated to be successful
in the classroom. In the beginning, Susanna had issues with getting the assisted
technology she needed to be functional in school. However, with her parent’s persistence
she was approved to receive a voice activated laptop. This laptop allowed her
to speak her written assignments into the computer and translate her words into
text form. This specialized laptop gave her the confidence to be an active
participant in the classroom. Susanna was happy that she was approved and eager
to complete her studies in college due to her speech to text laptop.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Games Can Make the World Better
Games
Can Make the World Better
My initial impression of
this segment was excitement to hear that online gaming could possibly be used
to solve real world issues. However, the number of hours needed to achieve this
level of problem solving was extreme. If it is going to take twenty-one billion
hours to solve just one major issue affecting the world today, this format may
not be so effective. (McGonigal, 2010) Nonetheless, if everyone was willing to
donate some extra playing time to speed up the required hours needed to solve
world issues, then this process may be worth trying. In listening to the
concepts of what gaming does psychologically and emotionally to individuals can
be a great starting point in developing games that center around those
concepts.
After watching this
segment, the greatest impact that could affect my game design would be how to
replicate real time current events into a virtual game. For example, say I want
to create a game that helped young adults budget for a real home in the future. I would need to observe and research human behaviors in order to incorporate a genuine representation of the home buying experience in the virtual game.
Recreating the true psychological and emotional turmoil’s in real life would be
a tricky element in a virtual game. Creating a virtual model to replicate the real world would be met with many detailed
issues.
Respectively, play and
learning can be combined to be an influential learning experience. Since games
have the potential to build confidence and critical thinkers, this is a great
tool to incorporate in the learning process. Games like Diner Dash and Sims
create virtual worlds that develop your virtual intellect on how to survive in
the real world. The learning tools embedded within the games teach how to live
on a budget, how to make connections, and analyzing how to prioritize what is
important in life to achieve stability. Even children have tablets like Leap
Frog to learn math and spelling by engaging in arcade games to understand the
concepts. The key to gaming is keeping the gamer attentive and motivated to
reach their highest potential. Gaming promotes collaboration and endless ways
to solve unexpected problems that may arise. Learning seeks the same need for
collaboration and strong critical thinkers to engage in the learning process.
Overall, the combination compliments each other and creates innovative ways to
research other avenues to expand on how we currently learn.
Reference
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Intel Compute Stick
Intel Compute Stick
Links in regards to Intel Compute Stick:
The Intel compute stick
has been described as a mini portable computer on the go that can be loaded on
devices that have HDMI ports like a smart television. Intel loaded Windows
8.1 onto the stick and has Bing as the search engine to browse online. The power
usage regarding the Intel Compute Stick was rated to be excellent on saving
power. However, storage space was a great concern for users looking to load
extra files onto this stick. With having to load updates from Windows, it takes
up almost half of the storage space. However, there is a micro SD slot to
expand the storage space if needed. To access the files on the Intel Compute
Stick will need to have a keyboard and mouse present to start the setup process
of the stick. Even though the stick is Bluetooth enabled, must load this
feature by using the keyboard to complete the setup process. The overall
performance rating was that the unit was a little bit slower than a tablet’s
processor. Bandwidth on the Intel Compute Stick was very limited and streaming
games is out of the question due to the limited memory. Can’t open multiple programs
at one time and basically limited to two open programs. However, on the bright
side the Intel Compute stick allows for a real browser, plugins, and streaming
videos at 1080P. (Ung, 2015) Overall, the purpose of this compute stick is to
enhance your smart television experience. Have the capability of turning your television
into a functioning computer to surf the web or stream online videos. Future use
of the compute stick is yet to be discovered.
Intel Compute stick is
beneficial in education due to the ease of portability in and outside the
classroom. Teachers can load their lesson plans on the stick and share the
information on multiple types of monitors. Depending on what is being taught
that day, teachers can plug and play the intended material without having to connect
to a computer terminal. Classroom teachers can promote collaboration by using
the surfing feature of the Intel Compute stick to download poll questions
students can answer by using their keyboards to select their responses. This
process allows the students to be active learners and have an open line of
communication in the classroom. Another great use for the Intel Compute stick
in the classroom is to be able to stream live videos that relate to the subject
being taught. For example, if the students are preparing for a field trip out
of the country, teachers can stream videos regarding that country to prepare them
for what they will encounter while visiting. This enables the teacher to build
excitement and anticipation into providing a sneak preview of what to expect.
Overall, the Intel Compute stick can provide a flexible and portable means to
expanding where and how learning will take place. Teachers are not limited to the
classroom to access important lesson plans to share with the students. Great
interactive tool in the classroom because of the internet surfing capabilities.
Allows learning to be mobile and fun without the need to have multiple bulky
desktop computers to access online information.
References
Ung, G. M. (2015, 04 22). Intel Compute Stick
Review: It could make your TV smart, but it's short on other use cases. Retrieved
01 22, 2017, from
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2911078/intel-compute-stick-review-it-could-make-your-tv-smart-but-its-short-on-other-use-cases.html
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/right-device/compute-stick-for-education.html
Wearable Technology
Wearable
Technology
HoloLens
Link
to site:
This wearable technology is
much more advance than the standard Google Glass device. The device has
embedded holographic lenses, speakers, and an Intel processor that sets this
pair of unique glasses from its competitor’s. Other features include a cooling mechanism
that prevents the glasses from overheating and is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled. A
fascinating feature is that the glasses have a variety of sensors installed
within the unit to enable smart sense technology in detecting the space needed
to interact with the environment. The HoloLens has a 2- mega-pixel camera that
can take photos and record your virtual interactions by way of four
microphones. The glasses can create a screen that goes up to 15 inches and can
capture your real surroundings. Even can track your hand and head movements to
make the experience even more engaging. The creator of the glasses is working
on embedding a “pinning” mechanism that enables the user to lock in their
hologram and can review the object from all angles. Microsoft engineers are in
the process of including a “holding” feature that would allow the user to hold
their creations and manipulate it in the virtual 3D environment. (wareable.com)
The way this wearable technology
could be utilized in education is to create virtual textbooks that allow the
student to learn science, history, or math to name a few subjects in a different
format. For example, students learning history can interact with historical
figures in a hologram environment. The student can see and learn from the actual
person in a virtual sense. That keeps the student engaged and able to have an
appreciation for historical data. Likewise, with math, the student who has
trouble learning algebra, can have a virtual tutor that can assist the student
step-by-step by providing interactive games to assist that student in
understanding the formulas. Lastly, students can dissect virtual animals to
understand the layout of the body without the need of having to dissect an
actual animal for a school project.
In closing, this up and
coming wearable technology has the potential to be a great product in the
education system. Even though the cost at this point is high, the features and
functions of this product is endless. Students can interact with their
environment from virtually anywhere and have the capability to learn valuable
information in a unique format.
Reference
The second wearable technology
is the Tech Temp Tattoos that can interact with technological devices by way of
just touching your natural skin.
This wearable technology
is currently in the testing phases on what can be incorporated with this
technological invention. Currently, there are tattoos that can track your alcohol
levels, track fitness levels, and read facial expressions. The tattoos are
currently being used in the medical field to monitor patients with neurodegenerative diseases. The cost of these tech tattoos is relatively cheap. For
example, the cost to make the fit tattoo is around $1.50 to produce.
(wareable.com) The concept of these metallic tech tattoos is too function much
like your smart watch but minus the bulkiness. The data collected can be scanned
with a smart device and the information can electronically be sent where needed
for review. Great future wearable tool to monitor and track patients in the
future.
However, the product
could be used in the classroom on field trips, scavenger hunt games, or for autism
students in the future. For example, teachers can have the students wear this
wearable device when going on field trips to get keep up with their students. This
will enable the teacher to track students that may have wondered off by
pinpointing their exact location via their smart devices. In regards to scavenger
hunt games, teachers can have special made tattoos that relate to their topic
of the day to have the students scan their arms to review clues to help them solve
mystery problems. Lastly, those students in class that have autism can have a
special tattoo that enables the teacher to scan their arms to download the
recommend learning plan for that student. Keeps the student and teacher interaction
going to make sure each student has a fair advantage at comprehending the
learning material.
Reference
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality
The article by Todd
Haselton provided the current and future uses of augmented reality in society.
Haselton’s article used physical locations and places to showcase how augmented
reality can be used to display the digital side of our environmental
surroundings. Smart device users can take a virtual tour of their surroundings
and interact with their environment through navigational applications to
heighten the digital experience. However, an associate professor at Georgia Tech
named Blair McIntyre, PhD explained that for the augment reality to truly be
effective, the “virtual content has to align with the right parts of the
physical world”. (Haselton, 2009) Even with ensuring the content aligns
correctly, it also must be interactive to fully embrace the digital world.
The implications of
augmented reality now are still being explored. For example, smart phone users
can download navigational apps that allow the user to place their camera over a
section of town to virtually locate the nearest subway terminals. However,
currently the virtual navigation app is not very precise to the exact location
of the subway terminals. It will get you close enough to the area but fails to
provide alternate entrances into the subway terminals. Other augmented reality
apps that can be found in the app store of the smart phone are apps to locate
the nearest eatery places, landmark buildings, and trending tweets. All these
applications require the user to use their camera and GPS to actively see the
nearest places to eat or pinpoint historical buildings. These apps give the
traveler a sneak peak of what to expect inside those buildings. Regarding the
trending tweets, the user can take their phone and scan for tweets to read the
comments regarding the area. These apps enable the user to have that
interaction with their environment in 3D format.
Additionally, the
implications of Augmented Reality in the future is uncertain. Because it takes
so much data to process these programs, bandwidth is a major concern for smart
phone users. The invention of stronger processors and available data are the
hurdles to overcome to fully evolve augmented reality. Another concern is
making precise models that will truly replicate the natural structure precisely
to interact efficiently and effectively. However, augment reality can be
meaningful in the business and gaming industry. The reason these areas can be
resourceful is because it can be designed to be confined to one location
without the need of expansion. For example, in the medical field, doctors can
view the human body in 3D to show how to correct an alignment with preplanning
applications. Can show the injured area and provide accurate feedback on the
procedure needed to fix the issue. This allows the medical team to show the
patient on screen in real time the area that is being corrected and the medical
staff can manipulate the image to show the best possible procedure to initiate.
In regards to the gaming industry, there is talk of a console that can project
the game into an interactive play room. Gamers can physically interact with the
virtual world through 3D animated items to conquer their fictional quest.
Overall, technical issues leave the fate of augment reality in limbo.
In conclusion, augment
reality is still in the trial phases and the future of this technology is still
a mystery. Currently most augmented reality apps are on smart phones and have
limited range on interactive features. Even though the GPS and navigational
components are not precise, the apps provide a close enough proximity for
travelers to enjoy the interaction. Once all the bugs can be sorted out, the
future of augment reality can be endless. The medical and gaming industries can
utilize augment reality to advance the outlook of how to view medical
procedures and virtual gaming systems.
References
Haselton, T. (2009, 11 19). Augmented Reality:
What It Is, how we Use It, & What It Will Become. Retrieved 01 19, 2017,
from
www.laptopmag.com/articles/augmented-reality-what-it-is-how-we-use-it-what--it-will-become
Link to article:
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