PowerPoint: A New Perspective

I spoke briefly about this in my post on Web Accessibility Resources, but I wanted to expand on it here. In my original post, I wrote:

"Powerpointlessness - I love it! Until reading Scoring Powerpoints, I have generally been of the opinion that Powerpoints should never be used in the classroom as a way to say "I'm integrating technology". While still true, I do see now the benefits of helping students prepare effective Powerpoint presentations with accompanying supportive documentation since remains a critical skill in the 21st century. But, it can not be the only tool used by students! If you want to explore some of the ways that Powerpoint can be used effectively in the classroom, here are some Powerpoint Tutorials to get you started: Powerpoint in the Classroom, Internet for Classrooms."

That was before I completed my Interactive Powerpoint Assignment for class. I have created many a PowerPoint (or StarOffice Impress) presentation over the course of my career but I have never created one that was designed to be used as an interactive lesson. It proved to be an interesting and motivating challenge. The mindset in creating a presentation of this format is very different than a presentation one creates with the intent of a speaker using it as supporting documentation. The interactive PowerPoint needs to be a standalone module that interacts with all students regardless of any limiting disabilities (unable to read, hearing impairments, sight impairments, etc...) they may have. I had intended to actually use this lesson with a 1st grade class at my student teaching placement but it was rejected as it didn't fall within their curriculum guidelines or methodologies. In any event, I enjoyed creating it and would like to share it with you. Feel free to use in your own class. The link below allows you to download the PowerPoint show. If you would like the editable version, just let me know.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Interactive & Accessible PowerPoint

You can also take a look at the accompanying documentation designed for teachers which explains the lesson's goals, curriculum standards met, and differentiated instruction/accomodations. The document also contains numerous resources and citations.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Interactive PowerPoint Teacher Supplement

Finally, I have one more tutorial to share with you from the Florida Gulf Coast University. I hope that using the tutorial and samples provided you will be able to create your own fully accessible and equitable interactive PowerPoint lessons for your students. If you do, please share. I would love to see your creations.

Serious Games

Serious Games are a category of educationally focused games, activities and virtual worlds that are designed to help students think critically while they believe that they are "just having fun". You might also hear these games called "Games for Change." In this editorial by Suzanne Seggerman, she ponders whether Obama Plays Video Games? given the impact that these games can have on promoting change and engagement.

There are quite a number of these serious games that have popped up and I wanted to share some of them with you. Here are some games that I find particularly interesting:

Peacemaker - A game about the conflict between Israelis and Palestianians
Food Force - Fighting global poverty
Free Rice - A vocabulary game that donates 20 grains of rice for every correct answer
Peace Corps Challenge Online Game - Addressing issues of sanitation, microfinance, education, women's issues, water contamination and more
Play The News - Changing news consumption from passive reading to active engagement

To read more about these and other games check out "How Internet Games and Virtual Worlds Can Help You Deliver a More Global Education" by Laura Adriance.

RSS Feeds and Education

I’ve been a long time user of RSS feeds but only recently discovered a way to keep up on the RSS feeds that I follow.

I largely use Google Reader as my RSS reader however I do use FreeRange on my cell phone quite often as each of the sites below will note. I have occasionally also used the Windows Vista gadget to monitor feeds.

And now, here is a list of my ten favorite educationally related feeds.

1. A Life Without Limits – Rolling Into the Future

Blog: http://alifewithoutlimitsrollinintothefuture.blogspot.com/

Feed: http://alifewithoutlimitsrollinintothefuture.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Description: Debbie, an individual with a disability, maintains her own blog to push past the stereotypes and inspire others to pursue their dreams “no matter what.”

Justification for selecting this one: I was actually searching for a blog written by someone with cerebral palsy to prove that there are people with this disease who are doing it. I wanted to find hope and motivation for my cousin Josh who has CP. While I don’t know what Debbie’s disability is exactly, I thought the point was made that technology transcends disability and breaks down barriers of communication for all.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader.

2. Assistive Technology

Blog: http://assistivetek.blogspot.com/

Feed: http://assistivetek.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Description: A blog “on the topic of assistive technology, eLearning, mind mapping, project management, visual learning, collaborative tools, and educational technology.”

Justification for selecting this one: Since my area of focus is educational technology, I wanted to find a feed to follow that would identify appropriate uses of adaptive technology in education. It just so happens that the author of this blog, Brian Friedlander, is my husband’s cousin and I have been following his blog since he posted a recent update on Facebook.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader.

3. Mike Saggese’s Blog @ 508 Portal

Blog: http://www.508portal.com/?q=blog/555

Feed: http://www.508portal.com/?q=blog/555/feed

Description: TecAccess is an accessibility consultancy practice who maintains an accessibility and disability community blog. The blog spans at range of topics from “accessible technology and Section 508 to the business case for accessibility.”

Justification for selecting this one: While the blog clearly has its own agenda (selling it’s consultancy services), I found the posts to be interesting and relevant to bringing equity into the classroom.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader.

4. No Limits to Learning

Blog: http://nolimitstolearning.blogspot.com/

Feed: http://nolimitstolearning.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Description: The tagline for this blog says “celebrating human potential through assistive technology” and the author of the blog invites readers to comment on children, disabilities, assistive technology and education.

Justification for selecting this one: I found this site in searching for adaptive technology but it captured my attention through several posts on the use of Wii as an assistive technology. I am strong proponent that the Wii motion control should be embraced as a way to enable greater accessibility in education.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader.

General Education Interest

5. Cool Cat Teacher

Blog: http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/

Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoolCatTeacherBlog

Description: Cool Cat Teacher’s philosophy is “teaching content with new tools, enthusiasm, and the belief that teaching is a noble calling.”

Justification for selecting this one: I found this site while looking at the blogroll of another blog that I follow and I am continually impressed by the interesting posts and technology integration discussions. I also really like the “Daily Spotlight on Education” series because it provides nuggets of information in a short post.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader.

6. EdTechTalk’s 21^st Century Learning

Podcast: http://www.edtechtalk.com/taxonomy/term/9

Feed: http://www.edtechtalk.com/taxonomy/term/9/0/feed

Description: A web radio show that explores the intersection of education and technology.

Justification for selecting this one: I’m a big fan of EdTechTalk, a platform that hosts numerous podcasts for their community of educators interested in discussing and learning about the uses of educational technology. I picked the 21^st Century Learning show to highlight since it meshes with my passion for utilizing Web 2.0 tools in the classroom.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader.

7. The Clever Sheep

Blog: http://thecleversheep.blogspot.com/

Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/TheCleverSheep

Description: The author is a teacher who has self-proclaimed using media and other communication technologies in education for years. The blog desires to engage in meaningful conversations with other educators who also see themselves as learners.

Justification for selecting this one: This site is a new acquisition to my collection of blogs that I follow but I’ve been impressed with the informative nature of the posts so far. I’ve predominately read this thread on my phone and found myself sending posts to email for later follow-up. To me, this is a sign that the blog is worthwhile.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader.

8. The Power of Educational Technology

Blog: http://edtechpower.blogspot.com/

Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThePowerOfEducationalTechnology

Description: Liz Davis is the director of academic technology at an independent school near Boston. She is very active among the community of educational technologists and her blog postings inspire other educators to integrate technology in the classroom.

Justification for selecting this one: This was the very first blog that I began following. I found it through my network of educators on Twitter and quickly became a fan. She provides interesting and useful links to educational software tools and inspiring stories of successful classroom implementations. Additionally, her blog serves as a professional learning community through its various followers and associated comments.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader. In addition to these methods, I also get blog post updates delivered directly to my email.

9. LParisi’s Twitter Stream

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lparisi

Feed: http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/6212782.rss

Description: Lisa Parisi is a 5^th grade teacher on Long Island who has created an environment in her classroom that is both respectful and collaborative. They use project-based learning approaches and lots of technology integration.

Justification for selecting this one: I spent half of my observation hours observing in Lisa’s classroom and I am supremely impressed with the levels of achievement and engagement by her students. I have chosen to profile Lisa’s twitter feed rather than her blog because quite frankly she updates Twitter a lot more frequently.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader. While I could use any number of Twitter clients to follow this feed, using a feed reader ensures that I don’t miss any.

9. Technology on CNN

Website: http://www.cnn.com/TECH/?eref=rss_tech

Feed: http://rss.cnn.com/rss/cnn_tech.rss

Description: This is CNN’s online Technology section, kind of like the Science section in the Tuesday Times. It provides an overview of the latest and greatest news reports on technology.

Justification for selecting this one: I’ve included this thread here as a reminder that it is always important to keep up to date on your content area of specialist. As an educational technology specialist, I need to keep pace on the latest trends in technology and not just the latest trends in educational technology.

Format Received: I use Google Reader as the method by which I get updates posted to this feed. I also use FreeRange on my cell phone. Free Range is a mobile application that presents the contents of feeds provided by Google Reader.

Computer Accessibility Resources

I spoke earlier about Web Accessibility Resources, but now it's time to think about Computer Accessible Resources. This includes any hardware or software features built into your computer and discuss possible computer add-ons that help make computers more accessible. Inevitably, this discussion leads to a debate of PC vs. Mac. I have been a PC user for years but I won't dismiss the fact that Apple has some very nice features included on the Mac that make it ideal for some applications (as in uses, not software), and even some schools. That being said, the PC seemingly is much better equipped for individuals with special needs than the Mac. To begin with, here is a testimonal on the PC advantage.

Beyond that, Microsoft has provided a wealth of resources about the accessibility features it offers - much more than Apple provides. Here is Apple's stance on accessibility. That''s it? Ok, sure, they say they have all these features but there is no additional supporting documentation. You'll see what I mean in a minute.

Microsoft, on the other hand (for all my complaining about its faults) has done a great job on this aspect. To begin with you can watch video demonstrations of four aspects of accessibility (Display and Appearance, Sounds and Speech, Keyboard and Mouse, and Accessibility Wizard). Then, jump on over to Microsoft's main accessibility page to see Fact Sheets and Tutorials for Windows, Office and Internet Explorer of various versions. If you really want to get down and dirty, check out Accessibility Technology: A Guide for Educators which also includes an Assistive Technology Decision Tree, some research reports on the topic and a great breakdown of assistive technologies by impairment.

Finally, although not solely focused on computer accessibility, eSchool News is a great resources for teachers.

Happy Whyville Halloween!

This "enhanced learning opportunity" invited us to attend and report on the Whyville Halloween party.

The very first challenge was obtaining the secret code. There were several ways you could do this. The first was to invite another person to join Whyville and if they were active enough, you would be sent the code. So, I sort of cheated. I invited myself (using another email address) and received a Ymail with the code. Here is the email.

Halloween Party Secret Word

Since robinweb, one of your Halloween Party invitees signed up for Whyville, you get to hear the special Halloween Party Secret Word. It's 'corpse' spelled backwards: 'esproc'. During the Halloween Party on October 30 from 1 PM to 8 PM Whyville Time, visit Dr. Leila's house and say that word in chat. You'll be instantly transported to the party!

The other way was to chat and see if someone would share the secret word with you. The first time I tried this I was told “ymmum” was the secret word but later found out that was last years. The second time I tried it, before reading Ymail, I found it that it was “esproc”. That’s great but dmwraight & I still had trouble getting into the party. Why? We kept saying the secret code and then walking through Dr. Leila’s front door. Instead you had to say the secret code and hit ENTER! That was not intuitive. I actually figured it out by accident because I was getting frustrated and hit ENTER without even thinking about it.

The other early step was to get a costume. Unfortunately I didn’t have a lot of clams left so I couldn’t buy much. I bought a pumpkin face for only 10 clams. So, here I am in Whyville:
Here I am in costume:
Once at the party, the first thing you see is a whole ton of people in front of Hauntington Mansion.
It took a while to figure out what else there was to do. It was a big help going to the party together with dmwraight because we both were figuring it out together and sharing what we learned using Facebook chat. She discovered the clicking on the ghost would provide information on the different activities:

Then, clicking on the door the haunted house brought you to the lobby where there were different scary things to observe (spiders moving, paintings looking at you, etc…).

I was intrigued by the staircase so I clicked at the top and it took me to a staircase to nowhere.

This staircase had two views and went on and on and on. I followed it up at least 6 levels but then gave up. Someone told me I could catapult things off the side and I tried it but apparently had nothing to catapult. I went back down the staircases, back to the lobby of the haunted house and then entered the other doorway. This led me to the dining room.

In the dining room, you could see if a reflection of yourself in the mirror if you were in the right place. I couldn’t figure it out though. In this picture it looks like I am in “eyeball soup”. dmwraight is at the bottom left of the table. The only way out of the house is by clicking on the crow on the branch at the back window. I then went to the graveyard to explore.

The graveyard was just another place to chat with your fellow partygoers. The tree on the left had eyes that kept blinking at you. I perused around about and discovered that you could enter a secret portion of the graveyard by clicking on the grey tombstone by the right tree. I pinged dmwraight so she could join me.
This is where the witch’s brew was that the ghost told us about. You could drink the brew and the avatar responded “yuck”. I then went to the Ghoul Shed where apparently avatars could create private party rooms at the Whyville Halloween party.

I attended sloane5’s party but no one was there.

The last activity was that you could vote on avatar’s costumes. You voted by saying “vote avatarname” when you were in the room with that avatar. You could see which avatars were in the lead by clicking on vote tally.
To reflect on this experience, I would say that it’s definitely geared towards participants of a younger age. While it was interesting to explore, I found it a little bit disappointing. There was so much more they could have done (more interactive activities for example). Again, it’s obviously not an activity that a visually-impaired student could participate in even those with limited sight because it’s so busy on the screen and there is a ton of movement to follow. However, for those with physical disabilities it might serve as a way for them to “attend a Halloween party” that they could not attend, or may feel uncomfortable attending, in real life. I think this would fill more a social need than an educational one. Other than learning about the holiday of Halloween and perhaps the concept of voting and citizenship (loosely) there aren’t too many educational outcomes that the party would provide to students with or without disabilities.

Digital Citizenship

There is a whole area that should be discussed whenever you start introducing students to the power of the Internet. It's all about digital citizenship - what it means to be a contributing member of the digital society. The conversation needs to start with what it is and is not ok to do online.

• Here is a great video about fair use that can kick off the conversation.
• For younger kids, you might want to start with this interactive question and answer cartoon about copyright and related issues.
• This article from the New York Times is another good resource on Making Use of the Public Domain.

Ergonomics and Adaptive Technology

Ergonomics, the science of work, or more specifically, the science of determining the most natural positions for work, applies to everyone. However, for those with disabilities, finding the most ergonomic positions is not always easy. Many of these individuals need adaptive technology to help them adjust to the best position for them. Here are some resources to companies and products (from low tech to high tech) that just might help these individuals be more comfortable.

Rifton - This company makes an assortment of products to help individuals be more mobile.
Laptop Laidback - For those more comfortable flat on their back, this company provides a solution for laptop usage in this position.
Heads-Up - A simple low tech solution for helping individuals with poor muscle tone keep their heads up.
Wenzelite Rehab - Mobility and seating solutions so that individuals can participate equally.
FlagHouse - Lots of solutions for those with special needs, but here is a simple solution to scissors for those children who can't manipulate them. It's called Adapt-a-cut.
Onion Mountain Technology - Specializing in low tech adaptive technology, these pencil grippers might be just the thing to improve writing in a classroom. For more great ideas, see also LoTTIE kits (Low Tech Tools for Inclusive Education - a collection of low and mid tech tools designed for teachers, classroom aides, and support professionals to use with K-12 students who have special needs).