Blog #11: Non-computer based technology

There is one program that is non-computer based that I really like. This technology is to help children with their letters and writing skills. This system is called Handwriting Without Tears. It is for children who have trouble with their fine motor skills, may have a vision impairment, or may simply be struggling with the writing skills. This program works by giving children a couple different shaped pieces of wood and they can make their letters using these pieces. This allows these students to not get too frustrated when they are having trouble with their writing skills. The student can do their writing, but by physically forming the letters with wood pieces instead of actually writing them out. Eventually students will begin to get the idea of how to shape the letters and begin to write them out successfully. I really like technologies that allow students to show what they can really do.


To read more about the importance of writing and the Handwriting without tears program you can read a newsweek article about it at...
http://www.newsweek.com/id/67956

You can also check out the home page for Handwriting without tears at ...
http://www.hwtears.com/index.html
This site has all their products on it and ways for parents, teachers, and therapists to use the sytem.

This program has come a long way since it first started. It can even work on children's cursive ability.

Blog #10

After watching and listening to many of the ERIC research projects, I feel that I may be a little more open to using technology in the classroom. I still am more of the hands-on activities and getting down and dirty in their work than a computer person. I will be more open to using technology though. I do believe that I will try and incorporate some of the programs that we have learned about in my class. I was really fascinated by the disposable digital camera. I believe those are a really cool idea and I could use them in my class. I did not know they even existed until the presentation that Emily mentioned it in.
I will also utilize the internet a whole lot more when looking for lesson plans. There are a lot of resources out there for me to utilize that have lesson plans and video clips and quizes on them. I find these sites really handy. They make it so I don't have to come up with my own ideas of the top of my head. It is nice to look at what other people have done and see what has worked and what hasn't. I believe the use of computers and technology will probably be more used for my use in my career than for students, but we will have to see. It may also depend on the technology access in the school I end up in.

Incorporating Technology into the Physical Environment

The article I read was entitled "Designing Successful Technology-Rich Elementary Schools." This article was really interesting because the authors did not discuss how to incorporate technology use into the classroom through curriculum, but through physical means. Many studies have shown that the actual physical environment can either enhance or impede learning. This article is about a study being conducted with fifth graders and how they are physically placing computers and furniture into the classroom. This was a study about the ergonomics of the classroom. In the study they are looking at how to create a setting where computers are in arms reach of all children, but are not in the way or a distraction. Also in this study the designers are work with the teachers to discover what works best for the children and what the teachers prefer. It was a very interesting to read about every aspect of the room design they worked on. It ranged anywhere from carpeting to the desk size and the teacher placement in the classroom. It was nice to look at a slightly different topic related to technology.

I would have to say that I liked the article. I would probably give it a 4 out of 5. All the details that went into designing this classroom so it best worked for the students was very cool. I would be really interested in reading about the final results, since they were only two years through their study at the time this article was written.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/1999-02/HFaE-DSTE-010299.php