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| Teaching In The One Computer Classroom |
| 04.15.04 (2:54 pm) [edit] |
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Managing a one computer classroom can be difficult. There are many effective ways and ideas out there to manage your one or two computer classroom. Share one idea you learned today of a way teachers can effectively use one computer with many students. You could even share some ways you have managed your computer in the past.
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| Accessibility on Your Computer |
| 03.21.04 (9:59 am) [edit] |
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Wow - there are so many options right there on your PC to use to help people of all abilities. You need to go to the Start menu, Click on All Programs, next click on Accessories, then Accessibility, and here is where you get to the good stuff. :lol: You can pick Accessibility Wizard, Magnifier, Narrator, On-Screen Keyboard, and Utility Manager. The Accessibility Wizard takes you through step by step to give you options on text size, cursors, color schemes, disabilities, and you can even change the mouse to be more accessible to left hand people. I had a little bit of an issue changing all of my features back to how I had them before - but it is not too difficult at all. The Magnifier allows you to magnify text in a seperate window - which can be controlled by the mouse cursor or the keyboard focus.The Narrator reads aloud the events on the screen and typed characters.The On-Screen Keyboard features a keyboard that pops up on screen that you can use to type with your mouse.
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| Changing Websites |
| 03.21.04 (9:20 am) [edit] |
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I just learned an easy way to make websites more accessible to people with all abilities. There are so many things you can do when creating websites - however this is changing a website that has already been created. On Internet Explorer you can change the color, font size, and font type to a less frills type website by: 1. Clicking on the Tools button at the top of the page, 2. Scroll down to Internet Options, 3. Click on Accessibility in the bottom right hand corner under the General tab, 4. Then click on the boxes that you would like your browser to ignore. Such as if you have a student that has a difficult time reading and would get overwhelmed by a website with a lot of small text - You can check the "Ignore font sizes specified on web pages" box. Then go to View at the top of your page, click on Text Size and change the font size to Large or Largest. This simple accomodation can make the informational website page a little more feasible for some of your students. It is easy to click off of this option as well. Just follow steps 1 - 3 above and click off of the option. Try it out!
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| Assistive Technology vs. Universal Design |
| 03.20.04 (6:37 pm) [edit] |
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On my quest to find out more about assistive technology I have come across some great sites that give examples of how to help students of all abilities. Schwab Learning This is my favorite site I have found so far. You need to click on the following link on the site: Websites Georgia Tools for Life:Learning Disabilities & Assistive Technology. Once you click on this site it breaks assistive technologies into each subject and gives you examples and ideas to use in the classroom. Assistive Technology Training Online Project (ATTO) I love the tutorials on this site. A great step by step site about Assistive Technology.Definitions: Assistive Technology: Note that AT means different things to different people. Out of the many definitions I have read I have compiled this definition - A service, item, or equipment used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals. It seems that AT is a more after the fact approach.Universal Design: A philosophy of considering the needs and abilities of all when it comes to services, education, and products to be used by people with the widest possible range of functional capabilities. It is an up front approach. There are seven principles when considering a Universal Design theory:1. The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.2. The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. 3. Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level. 4. The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities. 5. The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions. 6. The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue. 7. Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility.
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| Back On My Blog... |
| 03.20.04 (6:00 pm) [edit] |
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Wow - it has been a while since I have last posted. I have been busy with my masters - but thought - it is time to blog again on a professional level. There are so many things I am learning about and I might as well share with others and keep a journal to look back at what I have learned over the year.
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| Netiquette |
| 12.03.03 (8:24 pm) [edit] |
Netiquette can be defined as etiquette on the Internet. Check out this link on netiquette: Core Rules of Netiquette. A good way to make sure your students are following netiquette rules while blogging would be to have them sign a contract. What rules would you suggest to have on a netiquette contract? Once I have some ideas, I will create a PDF version of a contract for teachers to use with their students. This post is open to any educator or person with netiquette suggestions.
*March Update - Well I didn't get much feedback on this post - but am still looking for ideas for a blogging/netiquette contract.
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| Using Blogs in the Classroom |
| 11.19.03 (10:24 pm) [edit] |
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Blogs are being used in the classroom for various educational purposes. After looking through the blogs to the left, what ideas did you come up with on how teachers could use blogs in the classroom to increase student learning and achievement?
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