Assistive Technology Video

ePortfolio

The article on ePortfolios tells what an ePortfolio is and how it represents someone’s work. An ePortfolios is a collection of person’s work and it showcases their abilities. Years ago only architectures and photographs had portfolios to present to show their work and now anyone can have a portfolio with the help of an ePortfolio. People select their best work to put into their portfolios and it can be used to present to future employers. An ePortfolios is being used in schools for students to show progress and growth in their learning. Students can use their portfolios to take a look back at where they were months or even years ago in some area and where they are now in that same area. The good thing about an ePortfolio is that a person can put whatever they want in their portfolio and no one can remove what is in it except the person who creates it.



The video and the article give details about what an ePortfolio is and how to create one. An ePortfolio is great to have because it is a way for someone to showcase their work for future employment. Portfolios allow people to see the work they do on paper and an opportunity to evaluate their own performance. With an ePortfolio you can create, reflect, evaluate, and improve on your work. Having a portfolio even allows a person who is not comfortable doing interviews to show what they can do on a job. An ePortfolio is something I believe is great to have but should be protected like any other private document. Both the article and the video tells what an ePortfolio is but neither shows or tell how to protect one. Protection from others is always something to consider when creating a document that has personal information. As great as an ePortfolio maybe it is something many people wonder about how is will be protected.

Thought Provoking Question

How do you protect an ePortfolio even when you have a password?

Ethics

I read the articles on ethics and I liked the one titled "Do Students Respect Intellectual Property." The article was addressed as a question to two teachers who gave two different responses. I preferred this article over the others because it deals with students use of intellectual property. The two teachers have different responses for the question. Jenneifer Janesko teaches at a school in Germany and she believes that students do respect intellectual property. Jennifer introduced her students to the information on intellectual property and they applied the information to their studies. She did not say that it was easy or that her students wanted to do it, but in the end they did the work. Tammy Morris teaches in Alaska and she believes that students do not respect intellectual property. Tammy feels that although students know they should get permission, they just will not take the time to do so. She believes that students learn from watching what others do and if others do not get permission to use someone else work neither will they.





The article was on a topic I sometimes think about. Many times we are quick to say that students will do whatever they can to geat away without do the hard work. That's not always the case. There are many students who want to know what they can use of someone elses work and they should implement that work into theirs. Sometimes students are waiting to be informed by their teachers what they should do and what's required. I believe students would respect intellectual property if they had an understanding of what it actually is beforehand. Many students and others are unaware of copyright lawas and are not sure how to get permission for using someone else's property. We all search the internet for information and products and we never think twice about whether or not we have a right to the information or product because we believe that what's on the internet is public domain. If we are going to start respecting intellectual property it is something we should do at an early age. In schools now students are being allowed a day out of the week to go to the computer lab and that is the perfect time to start teaching them about respect others work. Starting at a young age will help ensure that the information has been provided and we all know that young children never forget anything.

Thought Provoking Question:

How can we start respecting intellectual property when we look at the internet has public domain?

Assistive Technology

What technology would I use in my class for a student who is legally blind?

Assistive Technology

Hasselbring, Ted S. and Candyce H. Williams Glaser. Use of Computer Technology to Help
Students with Special Needs. Children and Computer Technology, Vol 10, No 2.
Fall/Winter 2000. Pg 101 – 122.


The article “Use of computer technology to help students with special needs” is about how technology can help students with disabilities in school and everyday life. The authors define who are children with special needs and give a description of the different types of special needs and how technology can be used to help the students. The authors also write about barriers of technology and how many do not support the use of technology in the classroom. The purpose of the article was to provide information on ways technology can be used to assist people in their daily lives. Technology as become more advance and there are areas that many do not realize are available. With the use of technology we can make life less complex and accessible to all people. Children with special needs are no longer set aside in classroom with jus each other; they are now present in regular classrooms. Teachers need to know and be aware of ways to address the needs of all students and with technology they can.




This video is exactly what the authors were discussing in the article "Use of computer technology to help students with special needs." The video is great because it shows students engaging. I perfer using this video because it is everything the authors discuss and it is a great visual aid.