Walker in Special Effect!

This is my son Walker. He will be 11 years old on Tuesday, June 10! He is quite the sportsman!

Photo with Special Effects!

Wow! Learning to use the special effects was a little harder for me! I needed extra tutoring. Thanks Tamara and Margo. I like the way this dandelion turned out. It looks a little like a Warhol print to me. I really like the edge contrast effect and the background. I like the way you can try and try again all of the different effects.

A picture I took today 6/7/08

Augusta Cohort Out-take!

Augusta Cohort June 2008

Teacher-Created Electronic Books: Integrating Technology to Support Readers With Disabilities

• The Need:

No Child Left Behind data suggests that students with special needs still lag begind others

and remain a significant concern for teachers and administrators.

• The Solution:

One way to meet the needs of these students is to use assistive technology. This is defined

as anything that is used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of a child

with a disability. Assistive technology allows us to meet the needs of individual students

in the regular classroom.

• Electronic Books, either commercial or teacher-created increase the level of interactivity

and are an excellent way to use technology in the classroom.

• Through e-books students are exposed to sound, animation, and interactive activities that

scaffold learning. The students are able to master tasks that otherwise may not be

accomplished independently. (Students with disabilities often feel confident with the use of

technology to support learning.) NAECY suggests that technology should be employed as

an active part of the learning process.

• E-books support students with both physical and learning disabilities by enhancing the

format and the opportunity for multiple readings. E-books boost self-esteem while

providing access to texts that were previously out of reach.

• Through multiple readings of text, e-books support student vocabulary acquistion and

comprehension while modeling fluent reading.

Solution: Teacher Created E-Books

• Using Powerpoint insert photos, clip art and text to create an e-book.
• Record narration if desired.
• Use the students' natural language as accurately as possible.
• Allow students to record narration if possible

After listening to the student-generated e-book as a group, copy the final product and load

onto each of the desktop computers in the classroom. Encourage the students to view the e-books during independent reading time.

Goals for Weekend One for GARTS 6008

O.K. Confession time! My kids think I am a techno idiot! I can use technology for very basic things - e-mail, word processing, basic powerpoint etc. Anything above and beyond I am at the mercy of my kids! Not a good spot to be in!

Goal #1: Improve overall technology skills. I want to really understand what I am doing so that I can actually do it again without asking for help!! Especially from my kids!!

Goal #2: I take thousands of digital photos at school and at home. I use digital photography in my classroom in a huge way. I make matching activities, books, charts, visual schedules and booklets for parents. I only have the basic skills of snapping the photos and loading them onto the hard drive and printing them. I cannot edit them in any way!!! Many, many times I have needed to delete or alter the photos in some way and I have no idea how to use any photo software.

Goal #3: Become proficient at blogging! Wow! Cool! Already on my way!

Goal #4: We are going to use video self-modeling in my program this coming school year. I need to be a lot more savy for out putting digital video on the computer for students to view.

Goal #5: (Personal Goal) Now that I have a million digital photos....how do I organize them or "scrapbook" them? Help?