June+11+Class+Notes

June 11 Class Notes:

__1) **Assistive Technology:**__

 * Mostly for kids with disabilities but also great for all students as well.
 * Picture based overhead allows materials to be manipulated without having students handle it themselves.
 * Also benefits English as a second dialect, cognitive disabilities, learning disabilities, and gifted and the talented
 * English second dialect: English and a second language ie. Indigenous language
 * Cognitive disabilities: Problems with mental processes that impede thinking
 * Learning Disabilities: Problems with learning due to problems such as concentration and focus. Ie dyslexia
 * Granted/Talented: Bored or unchallenged student


 * Various Programs Assistive Learning**


 * Comic life, StoryBoard Pro, United Steaming, Video Camera, Kidspiration, Inspiration, LiveScribe, E-Mail, PowerPoint, Keynote, Slideshare, Flickr, Websites, Scratch, Building a Robot, Motion sensor/Light sensor, Google, iPod/iTalk/Podcasting, SMART board

Completed a Instruction Strategy worksheet with respect to various learners. Some was beneficial, some was neutral, some was not so beneficial.

Document Camera

Range of models that include digital camera to advanced models that have all the bells and whistles which include time lapse, RGB outputs, s-video, SDcard, etc.

[|Setbc.org] is an excellent site with assistive technologies for children with disabilites. This includes software that can alleviate disabilities for student. It is politically incorrect to deny any service for these types of students so go nuts with assistive software.

//**As new teachers, do not fear asking questions. Ask questions ! Get ideas or information from other people as they are usually more than willing to help.**//

=__2) Illuminate Example and the absent class__=

[|Visit here for a poll]

Practice the use of illuminate to do an online course. Not all people will be receptive to online type classes so it is understood if some people change while online.

The NECC is an amazing convention of technology in education. Do check it out some day if you can.

=**__3) Wiki article - Assignment__**=

Look at a wiki article that has a deficiency.

=__4) The problem of integrating technology with education.__=

The example of students in an airplane but looking at a globe. Poor implementation and integrating of technology in the classroom.

=__5) Images and Movies__=


 * Originally with a record that went ding as you are expected to turn the page to follow along with the voice
 * Now have digital cameras and even built in cameras to allow students take pictures of stories or others and incorporate it into a story
 * Google Earth allows students to show a bit of their home and shows that everyone is human and real people with parents

Comic Life
 * Free trial but costs 30 $ to register. Surrey has a school site license
 * To use:
 * Create a layout
 * Add photos
 * Add text or speech
 * Letting for sound effects: Personalize !
 * Capture yourself or others to personalize it.
 * Can add backgrounds then (holding the apple key) can add objects and create a layered story. Create to give a core set of objects/people/backgrounds then allow them to create their own individual stories.

iMovie
 * click the camera button to open the video

=6) Presentations=

Tullia - Google Earth Presentation

 * ====Presentation Notes: Found here.====
 * GPS: Global positioning device
 * Tracking, Emergency (Avalanches) in Cellphones, Navigation, Mapping, Timing
 * Not used in classroom due to costs, but with iPhones allow such systems to be used in the classroom

Geo-Caching
 * Hide objects in an area and get other people with GPS to find it using coordinates
 * Geo drawing: Using GPS devices walk in a field/city and draw the path taken

GPS: Lesson Plans
 * Main problem is that lesson plans do not exist
 * Lets us be more creative

Google Earth
 * Database of the old atlas
 * Can view countries, cities, and even pictures of cities
 * Expanded to include information of certain landmarks
 * Mixed Google Earth with Rome to create an virtual Roman world
 * Explore cities as 3-D bubbles

Discussions
 * Gym Class: Track the movement of student over the weekend
 * Physics: Use real world examples to generate data for problem
 * GPS vs. Compass: Compass should be used to generate knowledge of its use in the world
 * Exploring different world: Visit countries in virtual worlds to explore the world first hand.

Jeremy - Google Sites Presentation

 * Keep students on track and up-to-date with class and what is due
 * Easy to create a website that is functional and purposeful
 * Main [|Google] Sites
 * When creating sites: allows site to be private or public
 * Click Create site.
 * Fill in some boxes
 * Done
 * Click edit to edit the site itself such as insert images, add text, videos, etc.
 * Add features such like a wiki ie. "Announcements" that only certain people can see
 * When a new announcement is added can send an email to all students
 * Filing Cabinet: Upload files, google documents, worksheets, etc. here

Awesome crazy site by [|Mr. Ratcliffe] to illustrate google docs in a 405.

Pros and Cons can be found the on google docs site [here when I get the link]

[|Google Apps]: Upgrade and exfoliate your site using the google applets.

**Synopsys**

 * Experience of the class: Java, C, C++, C#, HTML, Logo, Basic
 * 3-D programming environment that allows the creation of animated stories/videos and games
 * Drag and Drop system so no knowledge of syntax required
 * Designed to be first introduction to object orientated programming
 * Similar to java/C++/C# so can readily switch to those languages

**Features**

 * Add objects to a 3-D world
 * Manipulate the objects to do motions, interact, or traverse a virtual world
 * Create games that react to the keyboard functions or mouse clicks
 * Add your own custom objects and methods to manipulate the people of the world

**Integration in the classroom**

 * It is //__FREE__//
 * Software so requires a computer but with minimal requires
 * Mac and PC //and// linux installable
 * Geared primarily to secondary/college students but [|Alice: Storytelling] can be used by 10 year olds
 * There are optional textbooks to aid in teaching Alice

**Barriers**

 * Initially viewed as highly specialized for programming
 * Optional textbooks are pricy - $65 for a single class
 * Large 300 meg installed but installation is simply unzip and run
 * Resilient staff who do not wish to learn new software

**Lesson Plans**

 * Program mini stories or games
 * Create 3-D animations similar to comic life
 * Teach math - coordinate planes, distances, 3 dimensional shapes and volumes
 * Teach Science - Ecosystems, molecule interactions, physic examples

**Future**
Learn the ideas of object orientated programming without syntax Highly flexible world allows manipulation of individual body parts Installable on both mac/pc Limited by the student’s imagination Easy to set up || Crude and archaic graphics may turn off some students Program can be buggy: crashes, not saving, randomly closing Learning Curve: Sometimes hard to get the characters to do exactly what you want Lots of abstract thinking and math is required –may be too difficult for students || Other Programs to Explore: [|Scratch], [|Mind Rovers,] Some flash program [Need to find from Kevin]
 * Alice 3, in partnership with EA and SUN, releasing beta Sept '09
 * Allows Programming Stages: Drag and Drop interface and graduated to syntax programming
 * Integration of Alice with Netbeans to allow importation of projects which can be edited in java
 * **Pro's** || **Con's** ||
 * Free