Blog Post 3

Peer Editing and Peer Editing with Perfection

When it comes to peer review, I have decided that approaching the problems headfirst and just outlining them in a comment is the best way to go about it. So long as you don’t completely bash the classmates writing, constructive criticism in a comment is the best way to go. I believe the Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes video called this person a mean Margaret. Being sure to compliment the writing and how things flow is an absolute must and would help them take things not quite as personal. If you approach the person in a comment in a polite manner and keep the attitude out of your critique, then there is no problem with leaving a comment. If the person would like to continue on with the conversation, moving to e-mail would benefit in that sense.

I find things like this are a good resource to have, not just for this class but all classes. I’ve found as I move along in my History classes and reach the higher levels, peer editing is an incredibly valuable resource. Being able to collaborate with people in my class, even if their papers are on a different topic, is nice. It’s always best to have another set of eyes looking over your paper. Someone else can always find something you did not see before. As educators I’m sure we will be approached by our students and fellow educators for help in this aspect as well.

Technology in Special Education

I really like the fact that one of our posts focuses on technology and special education, because I don’t think this aspect of education can be forgotten as we move forward. Last Fall I took my Special Education class and the professor required us to go out into a facility used for special needs children. I chose Learning Tree and was able to witness first-hand technology and special education. There were several children there that did not speak but were able to communicate with an iPad. It really is something to watch the student with a teacher and being to learn just like another other student, all because of technology.

In my classroom, I would do the same. One of the things we talked about last year was how special education students are kept in separate classrooms, away from everyone else. They are essentially kept from receiving the same education other kids receive. I strongly believe that if we have technology such as an iPad app that will allow a non-speaking child to speak and learn, they should be granted the same education as well. I believe progress in special needs should be granted the same allowance as progress in regular classrooms.

iPad and Autism

Being that I am in a Social Sciences/History concentration of education, I automatically went right to the History and Geography section. I found World Book – This Day in History. In it you select a day and it gives you photos, illustrations, music and speeches from that day. I believe this is one way to really make History come alive not just for special needs children but for all students in the subject. It’s one thing to read a transcript of the Emancipation Proclamation; it is a completely different thing to hear it. I believe this app could be used for a special education student to be able to learn and grasp the subject, as well as stay focused.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts

The first thing I noticed about this video was that it was posted in 2009. If she can do all of this, connecting her students to the world and teaching them to think outside of the box, then it should be more than possible now. There are so many new advances and apps being developed that it would seem silly not to use it. Vicki Davis shows exactly how to implement all of the technology we are learning about in EDM 310 in an everyday classroom.

Learning is a community challenge. I would have loved for the opportunity to teach the class or learn from a fellow student. Sometimes things are just different coming from a peer. Group projects, when effective, can prove extremely useful for students. When all members of the group are willing to collaborate and learn together, everyone benefits. This applies to how Vicki Davis says that her students taught each other Terraform. In a classroom with technology, there are some cases you rely on the knowledge of others. That is what I like the most of the Digiteen effort. You really do learn with others not just in your state or country, but from around the world.