Blog #8

The Assistive Technology Lab that we toured before spring break contained a lot of technologies that would be beneficial in school. Although I don't remember what they were called, I thought that the text magnifier and the program that changed the color of the computer screen would be most beneficial for classroom use. These technologies would allow students with certain disabilities to be included and follow along with the rest of the class. I think it is important that schools have the technology necessary to meet the needs of their students in order to ensure that all students are supported and given the tools they need to be successful. 

The structure of Blooms Taxonomy allows teachers to accommodate a variety of students’ needs by applying the appropriate questions and activities for children so that they may equally participate in a lesson. Teachers can use powerpoint to support learning at each level by incorporating things such as definitions, explanations, discussions, activities and so on in ones presentation.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_news/keeping-updated-break-down-ed-tech-trends-fads-and-tools-1556501770

Education World contains numerous articles covering technology in the classroom ranging from whats new, advancements in existing technologies, how to incorporate technology into your classroom and much more. I think it is a great way to keep up with technological trends as well as get a better understanding of said technologies and use them in ones classroom too. 

Blog #7

Adaptive technologies allow students with disabilities or students who are gifted to increase their independence, participation and success in classroom activities. These technologies can help students write, read, do math, and much more and without them, some students would not be able to follow the standard curriculum. While I have never known anyone who has used adaptive technologies, I think they are extremely helpful for those who need them and should be incorporated into any classroom that sees a use for them regardless of any challenges a teacher may perceive. Although I've never used any of these technologies, I could see learning how to properly use them as a challenge one may encounter. It is important to overcome this challenge so your students are provided with the support they need and given the opportunity to reach their full potential.

I learned a lot from working on the web page design assignment. While I have heard of weebly, this assignment allowed me to learn how to use the website builder properly. It was really easy to navigate and allowed me to incorporate whatever I wanted into my web page such as forms, blogs, audio and video. I would like to continue working with this site because there were a few things I could not figure out how to do including separating text into columns. The information I have learned by completing this assignment will transfer to my future career because it is likely I will have to create an actual class page at some point. I have included a screen shot of my web page as well as the link! Feel free to check it out.

http://eme2040pruitt.weebly.com/

Before this class I didn't know that social bookmarking existed. By using Diigo I have learned how to bookmark and annotate different sites and share them with others such as our class group. This application will be useful in my future classroom because I can use it similarly to the way we do in class. Diigo is a quick and easy way to share information with a group.