Blog Assignment #3

Peer Editing

After watching the two videos and reading the power point on peer editing, I learned some information that I had never thought about before when peer editing. According to the video What is Peer Editing, there are three steps to peer editing. The first step is to always give compliments first, and say something positive. The second step to peer editing is to give suggestions such as specific ideas about word choice and organization. The final step to peer editing is to make corrections. While making corrections, check for punctuation, grammar, and spelling mistakes. However, stay positive when peer editing. Before watching the videos and reading the power point, I did not realize their was a correct or incorrect way to peer edit. This information has helped me to better understand the proper way to peer edit.

Peer editing is a very important process. It helps students to learn how to both give and take constructive criticism. However, peer editing can be abused. The video Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes, was a humorous video about ways peer editing is abused. Throughout school, I remember people just like the examples in the video such as Picky Patty, Social Sammy, and Whatever William. Most people liked Picky Patty to edit their paper because she would point out every detail that needed changing which was great when the teacher counted off for the smallest errors. Personally, I think peer editing should be done privately. I do not mind taking constructive criticism, but I would prefer for someone to tell me privately what is wrong with my paper rather than sharing it with the world. For this reason, I have chosen to email my classmate with the advice I have for their post.

The Mountbatten

Before watching this video, I was unaware that technology such as this existed for blind children. I learned that this machine allows for audio and tactile feedback because as the student types braille, the machine announces what is being typed. The machine can also save, transfer, and receive files from a computer. The video also mentioned that this machine is great even in classrooms where students and teachers do not know braille.

As the student types braille, it converts it into print and displays it onto a screen. This technology is incredible, and I could definitely see myself using it in my classroom. These children could now turn in assignments to the teacher who cannot read braille because the machine can send files to a computer. Now, blind children can participate in the normal classroom activities.

Assistive Technologies

I did not realize so many assistive technologies existed. It is great that students with disabilities now can participate in a normal setting through the help of assistive technologies. As an aspiring math teacher, I found the video Teaching Math to the Blind very interesting and helpful. The model Professor Art Karshmer presented in the video would be very helpful because it allows students to line up the math problems in the same way a sighted student would. Professor Art Karshmer is correct in that if students do not have a good foundation in early math, it is almost impossible to catch on in more advanced math courses.

Both the iPad Usage for the Blind and the Teaching Mom What Her Deaf/Blind Child Is Learning On the iPad were very interesting videos on assistive technology. The iPad VoiceOver feature would be great for blind students. This allows blind students to more easily read books. As is seen in the video, Teaching Mom What Her Deaf/Blind Child Is Learning On the iPad technology can sometimes be frustrating. As a teacher, my job is to be able to help my special needs children work their pieces of assistive technology. The videos on assistive technology have made me aware of the difficulties some people face and have helped me realize that I need to quickly learn how to use this technology so that I can properly help my students.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Vicki Davis has a unique teaching perspective in which she uses every kind of technology to allow her students to connect to the world. She also has a philosophy that every teacher should embrace. Vicki Davis believes that every child can learn, but every child has their own strengths and weaknesses. When students are only allowed to use paper and pencil, only certain types of students will succeed. She customizes the required curriculum around her students so that every child is learning the material in a way that best suits them. Vicki Davis is teaching her students to learn more effectively by showing them how to use all forms of technology and look up information and terms that they are unfamiliar with. Her students are learning to become thinkers and not rely on the teacher to spoon feed them with the information they need to pass the class.

Vicki Davis is allowing her students to teach each other as well as herself. Just because she is the teacher does not mean she knows everything about technology. She allows her students to learn and share what they learn with the class. Vicki Davis has great ideas about teaching that I would love to use in my classroom. She understands that not every child learns the same way, and in the same way she customizes her lessons to suit the needs of her students, I need to be able to help my individual students succeed. As a future teacher, I need to be able to use current technology so that I will be better prepared to help my students.