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__Assistive Technology__


 * 1) From visiting the websites and checking out the video clips, I realized how much assistive technologies are out there that many of us do not know about. In the video, a girl said throughout her whole high school years, teachers did not know about the kinds of technologies available for students with disabilities and so she struggled through those years. Only when her mom found out about them, she started using laptops to do her homework, projects, surf, and such. Just as technologies are growing so quickly, more advanced and better technologies for students with disabilities are being made. This is why I wanted you to look around at the websites to learn about available technologies that can benefit disabled learners. I have learned from personal experience that the parent(s) of a disabled student really have to be advocates for the student to get what he/she needs to be successful - especially in a general education environment.
 * 2) What really impressed me was the Wiggle Works website. I spent a good time checking out this website and thought it was very useful for student success. It is very beneficial for students with disabilities, but also beneficial for every student trying to learn how to read. As they read, students have the choice to highlight each word as they follow along or have the whole sentence highlighted. They are able to read along, make notes on the notepad, and it even gives an example of a compound word and asks the student to find more compound words throughout the book. They are able to change the story up through this special setting on Wiggle Works and color in the pictures, etc. It is a great site, isn't it? I know that some schools in Harford County have subscriptions (I believe the school has to have a subscription to be able to use all the features on the site). I think the activities would really engage students and make them more enthusiastic about reading.
 * 3) Technology provides a future for students with diverse learning needs. Without them, they would always have to depend on others for help. Of course students with diverse learning needs need assistance, but they are able to do things independently as well such as mobility, doing homework, surfing the web, etc. With college education and graduation, they are able to find a career, which everyone should be able to do. Being disabled should not limit anyone’s potential of reaching their goal, and technologies can provide success and future for those students.
 * 4) I never really had a personal experience with anyone who used assistive technologies, but from what I learned and observed, these technologies really help them perform everyday life. They are able to get from one place to another, able to communicate, do their homework for school, have access to websites that better accommodate them when using the web, and so much more. People who cannot talk are able to talk and say what they need, explain things to others, and just communicate.
 * 5) From this assignment, I really feel like I have a better understanding of what can help students with disabilities in school to help them succeed. Even if it seems impossible, like the boy who couldn’t use his limbs but learned how to play the trumpet by using a special trumpet, these growing advanced technologies can accommodate them to learn just like others. Even for non-disabled learners, what’s provided on the web is very helpful. Wiggle Works help children learn how to read, and is a great tool for special education students and non-disabled students. With this better understanding, I feel like when I am faced with students with disabilities, I can educate parents that there are assistive technologies out there and even learn many of them myself; the kinds of assistive technologies and how it works. I am sure that there will be more and more technologies developed to help disabled students be more successful in learning and in taking part in school activities. After all, if schools are expected to serve special education students in the general education classroom, then accommodations need to be available to help those students experience success with their non-disabled peers.

__Learning Styles Inventory Reflection__

When I took the Learning Styles Inventory Survey, it said that I am a visual/verbal learner. This is true, because for the visual part, I tend to learn better when professors have things written on the board that I can visually see like an outline or anything else pertaining to the lecture. It also benefits me when I have a textbook to follow along for the class. This way, I am able how to go back to the textbook and review it as many times and as long as I need to. Although taking notes aren't my favorite things, during lectures I tend to take notes a lot. I make it personalized, meaning I write on the side and wherever I need to in order to help me when studying. When I do study, I prefer to study by myself. I cannot concentrate when other people are talking and there might be complications when studying with groups. For example, I might want to study a section on a particular part, but the people I'm studying with might be reviewing and wanting to study together for other parts. I like to also make flash cards when studying, like when I’m trying to memorize definitions. I actually do not do this too much, but whenever I can, I do. Just like what the results suggested, it is better for me to limit words on the card so I can take a mental picture of it. For me, whether it's on a flash card or on notebook  paper, I tend to make a mental picture of the words. One thing that I found very useful that I do not do is making a visual reminder of the information before an exam that must be memorized. It said to make "stick it" notes containing key words and concepts and place them in highly visible places like my mirror, notebook, etc. I think this is a good idea because I am able to see what I need to memorize and I'll have it in places I go to a lot. While doing my make-up, I can study and if I forget a definition, I have the answer on the mirror. I knew a girl who used this technique to study for exams. She would take a large piece of paper and use sticky notes with facts and information to put on the paper. Then as she was reviewing/studying, she would move the sticky notes around in some type of organization to help her remember. It seemed to work well for her.

__CAST Website Reflect __ __ion __


 * 1) My overall impression of the CAST website was interesting. I learned about how our brains work and that students do not learn the same way as others, so being able to have more than one teaching methods are important. Recognition, strategic, and affective networks are critical and the website mentions these three networks throughout the chapters as they are the universal design for learning frameworks.
 * 2) I found a lot of interesting information in the electronic version of this book. I really liked how the chapters were all aligned on the right side and you are able to click on each chapter. Each chapter has a brief summary of what it is about and has more in depth look below the summary. On the left bottom part of the chapters are videos you are able to click and see which will help you better understand the contents. I liked chapter 2 and how they were talking about the three networks, what they are, how they work, and also it gave examples of real life scenarios and how these networks apply.
 * 3) The activities were interesting. For example, the one about reading a short passage and finding all the t’s was fun, but hard. I did it twice and both times I got it wrong. The third time when I actually took my time, I was able to get it right. This was meant to test us on word frequency. It said that many people perceive about 80% of the content words, 40% of word functions, and the rest of the words are predicted. I didn’t really gain new insights of my strengths and talents, but made me realize that often time, our brains do no pay attention to every little thing that goes around when we are absorbed into one thing.
 * 4) I felt that the materials on the CAST website were really good information. It goes into details about basically how to better teach students. Without knowing the background information, it is more of a struggle to teach students effectively. Although the CAST website was great, I thought the information on this website was a bit too much to be able to take it in a short amount of time. But I will use this website again when I become a teacher or before I become a teacher s o I can know how to teach children in various ways that works.
 * 5) I honestly thought this website had a great deal of useful, necessary information and do not know what else there could be more to know and explore. It had texts, videos, activities, diagrams, templates, resources, and examples. I hope you will bookmark this site so that when you have other classes where you might have to use the UDL information, you'll be able to go back and access information and help. You cannot possibly learn all there is to know about UDL in just this one assignment, but at least you've had exposure to the principles.

__Virtual Fieldtrip Reaction:__

 When I took the virtual field trip of the whaling industry, I was pretty amazed by what I could do. This website was very interactive and I felt like I learned a lot of information in a fun way. Instead of having to sit down and read an article about whaling, I was able to go on this website, click, read, see pictures, read quotes, view short video clips, etc. This website was very organized; it had the topics on the left side that you could click on to learn more about them, and when you clicked on one of them, it had the introduction on the top, picture and captions on the left, and information on the right that you could scroll. I would definitely incorporate technology into my curriculum. Being able to go to these websites to learn and do activities are very beneficial to young learners as they are able to learn visually, kinesthetically, and by hearing. Being able to allow students to explore websites is a great method. For example, I would make students go to the American History website, click on the Magic Lens link and try to let them read it without the lens first. Then have the students use the lens to read it and in groups try to make sense of what the documents are about. This will be a difficult lesson because the documents are hard to understand so challenging them first and then teaching and going over the documents can be a lesson.

Link to glog poster:

This glog is on Ivan Pavlov, a theorist who worked on a theory called classical conditioning. From his own experiment with his dogs, he realized that when he paired a stimulus with another stimulus, there is a response. Ex: Pairing of a bell (stimulus) and food (another stimulus) would make the dog salivate (response). This helped teachers to use reinforcement and punishment in schools.

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This poem is called //Jeyriall's Flowers// by Rayne Avalotus. It is a beautiful poem about the breezy autumn season. It is very descriptive and would be great to teach children about the different seasons and poems (descriptive poems, rhymes, flow, etc).

[|Movie Maker Project]

The title of my movie maker project is called //The New Kid//. It is basically about a new third grade boy, Billy, entering a new elementary school in the middle of the year. Because of his small body frame and freckles, he gets targeted and is bullied. After all the emotional pain he goes through, there is a breaking point where he goes to his parents and let's them know what is going on and his parents take action and meet up with the school principal to find solutions. At the end, the bullying issue is resolved and Billy is now satisfied.

__Final Exam Reflection:__

 I was asking because I believe technologies are a huge part in education. Today’s generation students are learning to use technologies at a younger age now, and they are looking for that instant gratification. Students are “digital natives” where they are born into a world in which technology is used everywhere and they are accustomed to use them. I believe teachers who do not use technologies in their classrooms should start using them to better enhance students’ learning. Not only are they beneficial to your typical students but those who are disabled. Technology has done a tremendous job teaching students with disabilities (mentally and physically) to learn and communicate.  Online, there are tons of websites designed to help students learn in a way traditional teaching methods cannot copy. A chalkboard, lectures, and pencil and papers are ways that can be incorporated in lessons, but technology should also be a big factor or tool that should be used. It keeps them engaged in their learning, and is also interactive which are important when teaching students. Not all students learn the same way, so having variety of methods to teach one common lesson is critical. Being able to visually see, hear and move and click their mouse to perform a desired outcome is much more beneficial than having to just answer questions on worksheets with pencil and paper on their desks. For example, there is a website that takes you on a virtual fieldtrip of the museum and allows you to click in order to view closer, further, around the building in circles, read information of he works, etc. There is so much you can do that not only is this website fun and creative, but also educational. The picture qualities are great and make you really feel like you are in a museum. This is just one example, but there are tons of other websites that can really engage young learners to have fun and learn.  Technologies are so important to students with disabilities. For example, those students with Autism who cannot communicate can use specially designed laptops or technology to assist them when communicating. They are able to click on pictures of what they want, need, explain, etc. Before assistive technologies came into the picture, they were only able to communicate by pencil and paper, writing each letter out or not able to communicate at all. Those with physical disabilities have specially designed chairs to help them be mobile and get from one place to another. It makes learning much more comfortable and easier. Even if students with disabilities are not using specially designed assistive technologies to help them learn, using everyday technologies like mentioned previously are beneficial to them, or perhaps everyone!

 **My belief about technologies has changed slightly from the beginning of the semester. I always did believe technologies were an important tool to use in classrooms, but never realized how much it has an impact on young learners and the kinds of websites available for learning. I was stunned by the kinds of educational websites that can be used to teach students. These websites are not just text on a background, but interactive. You are able to click many different places that would take you on a tour. For example, the website that teaches you about mummification and virtual fieldtrip to the museum was amazing. The website on American History was also very interesting and let’s you dress up people and move your mouse over certain sections that explains what specific clothing were used for, made out of, etc. This could be a great website when it comes to learning social studies. This class has made me realize how important it is use technologies because we are living in a world where children are expose to them more than ever. They are starting to use them at a younger age now and just the traditional method of teaching does not seem to work as well as having meaningful, engaging, and interactive technologies to help them learn.** JEYRIALL'S FLOWERS by Rayne Avalotus