Blog Post #6 Eyegaze Eye Tracker If this is not viewable here is the link for the video as well. Eyegaze Tracker
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Blog Post #5 Cyberbullying is a terrible problem that is affecting so many of our youth today. My own child is older now but was a victim of cyberbullying during high school. He was already having trouble fitting in and was depressed a lot of the time. Cyberbullying exacerbated the depression and he ended up in the psychiatric hospital for a week. This was one of the most trying experiences of my life and I never want to experience anything like that again. If I had another child, I would not allow any kind of social media under my roof, it's just too toxic of an environment. Image Description: Hands pointing out of a computer screen at a woman who has clearly had enough, simulating cyberbullying. One of the aspects of cyberbullying that surprised me from the readings was the gender differences. Girls in K-12 schools are more likely to experience and participate in cyberbullying than boys. Boys are more likely to be involved in face-to-face bullying and are more direc...
Blog Post #4 Image Description: The Natural Reader logo in blue print. Natural Reader is an AI-powered text-to-speech app that can be a fantastic assistive technology resource for vision-impaired, dyslexic, and ADHD students. Natural Reader can convert many text files including PDFs, emails, webpages, and even images and screenshots. Text is read aloud by the student's choice of over 50 languages and more than 200 AI voices (you can even clone your own AI voice). There is also an educational application, Natural Reader EDU, offered at a discounted rate for schools. Below is a video from Natural Reader describing their EDU program: Many features make Natural Reader a good choice for text-to-speech applications. The first is cross-compatibility with multiple platforms. Natural Reader is available using an online reader, a Google Chrome extension, or a mobile app. The mobile app is critical in modern times and lets students listen to documents, books, or lesson plans wher...
Blog Post #3 For this post, I would like to talk about Squishy Circuits. Squishy Circuits is an amazing combination of technology, fun, and learning in the form of conductive and resistant play-doh. But this is not your average play-doh. The salt and water in the dough function as a conductor allowing electricity to pass through. Using sugar instead of salt when making the dough makes it resistant to electricity and functions as an insulator, important for preventing short circuits. Using both of these doughs together along with a current, students can create a variety of projects that creatively teach engineering and STEM activities! These projects can move, light up, and more! Image Description: A flag project created with Squishy Circuits technology. The flag is designed with red, white, and blue dough, resembling an American Flag. Four white lights are placed within the flag, which can be turned on and off with a connection via black and red conductors to a Squishy Circu...
Blog Post #2 The topic for this module involves the intersection of information technology, literacy, and digital media. While doing the readings and podcast for this module, I reflected on how these concepts translate to my information diet. This self-reflection has shown that I am solid in many aspects of these concepts, however, some aspects could benefit from polishing. The P21 framework is an amazing resource for shaping how information literacy, technology, and digital media blend together and are incorporated with key subjects, learning skills, and life skills. The foundation of this framework is built upon standards, curriculum, professional development, and learning environments. According to these standards, learners who wish to be effective in 21st-century life need to master several skills related to information, media, and technology. These skills highlight the need for learners to access and manage information, analyze media sources, and use technology ef...
Blog Post #1 Hello everyone and welcome to my blog. The AASL guidelines were created to provide guidance to librarians, library leaders, and students. These standards are not a curriculum, instead, they serve as a framework to develop curriculum and programs to create lifelong learners at the grade school level. The guidelines are designed to be easy to use and emphasize vertical planning. The AASL guidelines are divided across 3 integrated frameworks, 4 domains, and 6 shared foundations. The integrated frameworks include Learner Competencies, School Librarian Competencies, and School Library Alignments. While these are presented as individual frameworks, they are interconnected and can only function correctly if all are addressed. The shared foundations of the AASL standards are the core values that should be promoted by members of the three frameworks. These core values include Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore, and Engage. Within each foundation domains...