Universal Design Principles

After reading the Universal Design Principles, I feel that the principal “Perceptible Information” would be a good fit for using in the technology of a blog. Perceptible Information design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities. The reason I plan on using a blog is that I feel that a blog is very much universal. For example you are able to add video, audio, screen reader/Braille and pictures to your blog. By doing this you are giving your audience the tools to better understand what you are trying to teach them. Along with if by chance your audience may be blind or deaf. In my case I want to educate parents who have a child on probation. I feel if you just use the blog as a place to upload only documents to read. Some of the parents may get bored very easily. So I feel that having the opportunity to also add video, audio, screen reader/Braille and pictures to the blog. This will better educate the parents on what probation is about and for the parents to feel more a part of a team in helping their child to succeed while on probation and in the community. This also allows the parents to post their own comments and questions they may have about probation.

Tutorial: Web Accessibility

When I first saw the question “does the Design of the OTL 542 site follow web standards?” I would have said it does. But after going over the “Web Accessibility Principles” website. I realized this was not the case especially when it comes to people with certain disabilities. CSU Global does a good job at trying to accommodate people with disabilities especially for a person who may be blind. In which there are plenty of audio and video’s to listen to. However, when it comes to people who may be dyslectic it would be nice to have a video with a PowerPoint for the student to follow along with, too better understand what is being taught.
One accessibility issue I see in OTL 542 is that in the “Web Accessibility Principles” website they are using a more tutorial approach where there is more of a remote function to show the student what they will be learning and which is more of a hands on approach. This would also be more helpful for the student who is struggling with cognitive learning. This function would set the stage of what the student is going to be learning in class and what is to be expect from the student.

I would like it if CUS Global would use a more a tutorial approach when it comes to learning new things. One example would be when we were learning how to use a podcast. I had troubles trying to imbed my podcast into my blog. I would have liked if there was a tutorial on what to do. I did like the hand out that Ms. Anne had given us. But I am more of a visual person so the handout along with the tutorial would have helped me to better understand what was expected of us.

Over all I believe CSU Global is doing well. They are a new online school and I know there have been some bumps in the road. However, I feel they have been great when it comes to issues that we as students have had in the past. At least with what issues I have had.

Critical Thinking #4 Podcast

http://randijo.podomatic.com/entry/2010-08-08T09_58_21-07_00

Toolbox or Trap CMS

After reading Lisa Lane’s article, I feel that course management system is a trap especially if you are a talented teacher and find it hard to apply your creative techniques in an online class vs. an f2f classroom setting. The trap being, that the online class is already set up for the teacher, in which they have already built in pedagogy for the teacher, which limits the talented teacher to teach. It is more of a “cookie cutter” approach to teaching. In the course management system setting, your new lecture is the “discussion board”. However several facilitators use this online classroom approach successfully. I for one like the online classroom setting as it gives me time to think about what I want to say in the discussion board and I do not feel rushed as I do in a regular classroom setting. I am not the type to raise my hand, in order to be called on because I don’t want to be the one to “feel stupid” if I ask a stupid question. This is what is nice about the online class when you ask a question, you do not get the body language or looks from the students as you would in a regular classroom setting if you were to ask a “stupid question”.
Another disadvantage to course management systems is that the instructor’s role is to provide a rich learning environment, and in order to do that there needs to be social interaction, self-assessment, and independent projects. These techniques are better supported by the learning management systems that encourage such pedagogy at the novice level. The more the course management system promotes traditional pedagogy, the more likely it will limit faculty creativity and flexibility and creativity are the foundations of academic freedom and good teaching. This is not to say that it is not possible to be creative and flexible in using course management systems, it all depends on how much the teacher knows and how computer savvy they are to utilize the software they are teaching from.

Journal Entry Mod 2 Part 1

Part One:
With all this new technology in the 21st century, there have been times that I have felt overwhelmed. For the most part I love a challenge, but since all the new technology I feel that I need to keep up with all the latest and greatest technology out there. However, I do make sure I keep up with the basic technology that is required from me to help me with my job. Then I get bored with what I know and need to find new ways to challenge myself. This is one reason I am taking this masters degree in order to “update” the Probation Department on what is out there and how we can communicate and utilize the new ways of using the internet and we as probation officers can “work smarter and not harder” to help us relieve some general questions that are asked of us with the demand of our high caseloads. I feel if I can get a website set up for parents and their children who are on probation and inform them that there is a place on the web to get information. For example: about locations around their town that work with kids that offer community service hours, a place to go and get a mental health evaluation done, therapist in town or drug and alcohol counselors in town. This would be a great start and asset to helping the child to succeed while on probation and off. Let along a blog for the parents or child to ask questions about probation or the Courts system. I feel this would be a wonderful tool to start out with and it will also help out the probation officer to give to their clients as a “one stop shop” for all their resources and questions the child and parent may have.

Journal Entry Mod 2 Part 2

Part Two:
After viewing Dr. Wesch’s videos it really put things into perspective for me. It reiterated to me that I still do not know all the cool and exciting things out there in regards to the World Wide Web and how we in this world of digital communication communicate. The light bulb went on when the video was showing how chalkboards use to be the way of communication. With the 21st century of the world of digital it has brought us a long way from the chalkboard and we are spending less time having to write lectures over and over on the chalkboards. With the new smart boards all we have to do is just type our lectures once and save them for our next class we may teach. We can also add graphics and video to our learning along with getting faster results when we are looking for resources to help us on what we want to learn or know about.

Friendship Card

Here is a Friendship Card that was done with "Sure Cuts A Lot Software" http://www.craftedge.com/index.php?rfid=9485516&ref=e07068445100312e64c7102f9086b03f
and the designs are from http://www.svgcuts.com/ and the Cricut Expressions.