Blog Assignment #3

Peer Editing 

Taking the time to explore What is Peer Editing? by Paige Ellis,  Peer Edit With Perfection, and Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes is definitely worth the time.  I was always familiar with the 'sandwich method' which is compliment, suggestion, and another compliment.  These videos were very helpful.  The video Top Ten Mistakes video had me cracking up especially because I have encountered every top 10 peer editor.  Moreover, the video was made by little kids which put a unique spin on the critique.

I commented on my C4C Blog #2 using the guidelines in the videos linked above.  Basically, compliment, offer suggestions, and then corrections.  Stay positive while improving, revising, and editing.  There is an exception to every rule, however my rule is to make suggestions privately to avoid anybody becoming uncomfortable or embarrassed because writing can be personal.  Moreover, not telling someone about terrible grammar and spelling mistakes is as bad as commenting publicly because allowing poor published work on the internet is more embarrassing for the writer.

Assistive Technologies  Amy Archer 2012

Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children was inspiring.  The video shows that classrooms can be all inclusive.  Moreover, as teachers we are giving children a voice.  For example, The Mouthbatten created by Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, FL.  The Mouthbatten is a device that acts as a computer for blind students.  Basically, the mouth batten types braille and receives and transfers files from a computer while translating braille.  Personally, I love that we have these assistive technologies.   These technologies help to be more inclusive with students with disabilities while making learning more effective.  I would incorporate this into my classroom during group projects and assignments and to help me understand braille so I can help more students.

Teaching Math to the Blind by Art Karshmer at the University of San Francisco is informative  and interesting.  I have never thought about how blind students viewed math through braille.  The idea is a group of blocks with braille that fit into a work board that would help blind students line up the numbers accordingly and set a foundation for more complex math problems and later studies. This is important because it gives blind students a chance to pursue scientific careers.  This would be a great assistive technology to use in the classroom.  I would use it just as shown in the video.  iPad Usage For the Blind  created by Wesley Majerus  explains how to use an iPad if you are blind.  Wesley explains ibooks and how liberating it is to be able to listen to books on the iPad. This is a revolutionary tool for learning because blind people can enjoy more books, search the internet, and simply have more liberties.  I would use this in a classroom for blind students and students with hearing disabilities.  Deaf students can create sentences and have the sentences read through learning applications that are easily downloaded.  Also, more blind students can participate in group reading projects and assignments.  This is a great tool. Viki Davis: Harness Your Students Digital Smarts Viki Davis is an incredible teacher who believes  learning through paper and pencil only does not  ensure that all students will thrive and succeed.  Additionally, she wants to empower each student to learn how to learn, collaborate, and become comfortable with technology.  For instance, Viki encourages students to define and explore unfamiliar terms because technology is a literacy.  "So many teachers think, 'I need to know everything before I can teach it,' You think of the power students have when they find out and they figure it out...I did not teach the terraforming group how to terraform. They were teaching me."  Viki has a great outlook on teaching and learning.  She has connected a relatively rural community globally.  

In this video, I like how students teach other students and that Viki learns with her students.  This empowers the students and lets them learn in their own way.  Viki created the Flat Classroom Project which studies trends in information technology.  The project give the students a chance to write reports with other students to aide in learning.  This way students can get the knowledge and see how it applies in real world situations.