SpicyNodes

Pros and cons

Pros
Spicy nodes is a great tool for presenting an idea, plan, and information. There are many templates that you can choose from. It is visually stimulating and holds the attention of the viewer. It is perfect when you want to display your information with graceful flow. Once I got use to working with it I began to use it to help me study in other classes and it helped me retain a great deal of information  in a short period of time.






Cons

I am not the best and spelling and Spicy Nodes didn't indicate the words that were misspelled. So, I assumed that all the word were spelled correctly when in fact it was not.  later I had to go back to correct all the misspelled words. Other than that I enjoyed working with Spicy Nodes and I believe that it has many educational uses.

Education For All

Every student deserves the same education. Just because the child has trouble learning does not mean that that child will fail. Times are changing and new tools are being invented to help student learn and grow to be more independent.  Assistive technology has made it possible for children with disabilities to participate, learn and love learning.

According to PBS Parents “Assistive technology is any device that helps a person with a disability complete an everyday task. If you break your leg, a remote control for the TV can be assistive technology. If someone has poor eyesight, a pair of glasses or a magnifier is assistive technology.”

Here are some Examples of assistive technology from Types of assistive technology:

Alternate keyboards -  featuring larger or smaller keys or keboards and keyboads made for one hand

Electric pointing devises this is uded to navigate the cruser on the scree without the use of hands. By use of ultrasound, infrared, eyemovenemt, nerve signals, or brain waves.

Braille embosser – transferres computer text to emboss output braille translation programs change text into braille that can be printed using the embosser.  

Screen readers- are used to say everything on the screen includiong, text, grapics and control buttons. Screan readers are essential for stdents who are blind.

Some examples of low Tech Assistive technology:

Wheelchairs- used for student who need assistance getting around.

Reading magnifiers- Used to help students with impared vision see clearer.

Customized pencil grips- For students who need assistance holding writing tools.

All that was mentioned are just a few examples of Assistive technology tools. These tool can be used in the classroom to help the students learn and the teacher achieve the desired goals and objectives. 

Imagine the smiles on the students face when they are able to learn and participate with their peers. And the imagine how happy  the parents of the students will be to see that their child will benefit from such tools. It is not only rewarding but life changing to the students, teachers and parents. 

http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/learning-disabilities/strategies-for-learning-disabilities/assistive-technology/

http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx

Gaming is "Fun"damental

“Dog’s Letter Pit” focuses on identifying letters and letter sounds. The content is fit for preschool and kindergarten students. The objective of this game is to identify letters and spell simple words such as “Hot, Cat and Pot.” Understanding the objectives of any game helps pinpoint the grade level that the game targets. This will then sculpt a model of what I want my rubric to consist of then I can build one with all relevant categories. According to  Rubrics: definition, tools, examples, and references: http://www.tltgroup.org/resources/flashlight/rubrics.htm  “A rubric is an explicit set of criteria used for assessing a particular type of work or performance.”   

With technology progressing each day part of my job as an educator will be to engage students to learn. What better way to engage students than with online educational games.  Online educational games like “Dog’s Letter Pit “ are one of many examples of tools that can be used in the classroom to help students meet their objectives and goals. Online educational games can also benefit special needs children for example, autism. “What is autism?” According to the National Institute Neurological Disorders and stroke: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm  "Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a RANGE of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. The spectrum includes a milder form known as Aspergers syndrome. It occurs in all ethnic and socioeconomic groups and affects every age group. Males are more likely to have an ASD than females."  

As a mother of a high functioning autistic child I am well aware of the benefits of online educational games. The many educational applications that are made available by a simple download are endless. Watching my daughter learn and have fun with online educational games makes me happy and the improvement in her academics is noteworthy. Benefits of Online Games For Kids:http://www.more4kids.info/673/online-games-for-kids/ states  "Children who play games online are able to enjoy the reward and satisfaction that comes with the small goals that are often established in games." 

 

Administering tests to see where the students are will help me choose the right online educational game. With an assessment of content I will be able to see exactly what are the student strengths and weakness individually and as a group. Gathering feed back and researching are great ways for teachers to learn more about the individual student and the class all together. This will help me to determine what game will engage students. Also, testing will help me to find out if the game is effective and worthwhile.  

Dog's Letter Pit: http://pbskids.org/wordworld/characters/game_dlp.html

Stephen C. Ehrmann (2013) Rubrics: definition, tools, examples, and references. Retrieved March 12, 2013. from http://www.tltgroup.org/resources/flashlight/rubrics.htm

Benefits of Online Educational Games  for Kids (2009, April 9)  Retrieved March 12, 2013. from http://www.more4kids.info/673/online-games-for-kids/ 


NINDS Autism information page.(2013, February 4th) What is autism?. Retrieved March 12, 2013. from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm 

Refection #1 Spicynodes

Hafa Adai, Here are some notes that I made for my reflection #1 assignment using Spicynodes. I thought it would be a great way to organize my thoughts and learn how to use a new presentation tool. Take a look!