In My Language

1. Reactions
At first, I was a little disturbed by the video. The noises and actions of the person were very unusual when compared to most of society. I didn't understand what she was trying to say or do. When she went to the second part of the video and did the translation, I was amazed by everything that she could convey. I didn't realize that she had the ability to communicate with people like that. Her sentences were fluid and complex. I had no idea that she would be able to talk like that. It's really amazing what technology can do to assist people with disabilities. However, it's really depressing to think that there are people in the world who wouldn't treat this girl like a person because of her disability. There is nothing she can do to prevent or change her disability. This video showed me that as a society, we need to learn about people with disabilities so we can become more accepting of them.

2. Has your impression of autistic people changed after viewing this video?
Yes, my impression has definitely changed. I had no idea what people with autism were capable of when given assistive technology. I always thought that they were less intelligent than others, but I know that is not true after viewing this video.

3. How has technology changed her life and allowed her to communicate?
The girl is able to use a computer to type out what she wants to say. The computer then says what she has typed. Without this technology, this girl would have no way to communicate with the outside world and people would be confused and reluctant to interact with her. With the use of the computer, she can show people that she is a real human being.

4. Do you think You Tube should be allowed in schools? Why or why not?
I definitely think You Tube should be allowed in schools. Although there is alot of inappropriate content, students can benefit from viewing videos such as this one. For students who have never met an autistic person before, this video gives them the opportunity to see how one may act and speak. I think You Tube can be a useful source for video clips to enhance a classroom discussion and give students more information about a topic. However, there should be some sort of block or firewall set up by the school so maybe only teachers could access the site. Students would be able to access it only with teacher permission and supervision.

cell phone cameras...

Over the weekend, my friends went to see a concert in Poughkeepsie. At the door, they were told that they could not bring in cameras or video cameras. However, they wanted to be able to capture the concert for future memories. Enter the video phone! With this, they were able to record their favorite parts of the concert and bring them home to share with myself and our other friends. This is such a convenient form of technology that can really be used at any time, in any place.

While the use of the cell phone in this case was for purely entertainment, usage could also be a great way to capture things as they are happening when students are not in the classroom. Pictures of nature or something that is going on around them can be instrumental in the classroom. Camera phones allow students to obtain these pictures in seconds and share them with the class at a later date.

blogs...

Although I have had either a Myspace or Facebook account for a couple of years, I have never created a blog before this semester at school. Now I am required to keep blogs in two of my classes. At first, I was confused as to what the purpose of these blogs would be, but I think I am starting to see why they are useful.

In my technology class, we are using blogs to discover how they can be used in a classroom for students in grades K-12. As an English major, I think blogs would be a great way to have students keep an online journal for class. Teachers could give a topic each day or week, and the students would be required to write whatever they wanted about that idea. As a result, teachers would get the opportunity to get to know their students better because they are getting an inside look at what is going on in students' heads. I think many students would find that they enjoyed blogging because it gives them a chance to get their feelings and ideas out in an easy and convenient manner and would continue blogging even after the assignment was over.

In my art of culture class, we are using blogs to post some of our homework assignments and questions we have about the class. I think this is also a valid use of blogs for a k-12 classroom. Rather than students printing out homework, they could simply post it on their blogs. The teacher could access each blog and see what students are doing. This is also a great way to begin a portfolio to see what kind of work students have done over the course of a school year and the progress they have made.

Hi! So it's Tuesday afternoon and I'm procrastinating. I spent a little time on Facebook, a little time instant messaging my friends. However, I am soon drawn back to Facebook and the numerous pictures that my friends have put on display.

As I look through all the pictures from this past weekend, summer days and nights, and even last year, it makes me really thankful that we have digital cameras. The digital camera has helped preserve simple memories that may have otherwise been forgotten. It's so weird to think about the days when my family had a camera where the film had to be dropped off and developed. We would have to wait days to see what pictures we had taken and whether or not we even liked what we had captured. Now, I can take a picture, decide instantly whether or not I like it, and either show it to my friends or delete it. There is no wait time, and I feel like I can relive any moment that I have captured on my digital camera at any time.

In June, I went to Cancun with some of my friends. To say the least, we were all disappointed when we had to leave. However, as we sat on the plane, about to pull away from the gate, we were occupied with looking at all of the pictures we had taken that week. To be able to relive our Mexican experiences was like reliving the trip over again. Even today, we still look at the pictures to remind ourselves of what a good time we had.

My digital camera has become such an important part of my life. I love being able to relive some of my most fun moments and share them with the people around me.

Welcome!

Hi! Thanks for visiting. I will be writing on this blog once a week about my thoughts on technology.