Crystal Pullman's ePortfolio
Artifact:
Professor for a day - .doc
Professor for a day - .docx
Professor for a day - .pdf
Professor for a day - website
I had many problems with the assignments in this course! It is similar to a roadtrip I took to Montreal. I had never been there before, and really had no clue what the area was like. We didn't have a GPS, or even a decent map, and ended going the wrong way for hours! Similarly, I had never completed assignments like these before, and didn't really have anything to guide me in how to approach them or complete them. I haven't worked in a school, or dealt with school boards, before, and so it was a new experience. Once I got into it though, the assignments were alright.
"Although the use of assistive technology for young children is increasing, the lack of awareness and the lack of training continue to act as major barriers to providers using assistive technology" (Judge, Floyd, Jeffs, p. 1). I noticed this myself during my undergrad at Nipissing university. There we had SMART Boards, LCD Projectors, and much more technology, but many of my colleagues (aspiring teachers) did not know how to use it. The professors teaching us did not know how to use this technology either, and thus could not instruct us in its use. I knew how to use it as I attended seminars on much of the technology and had experience with it, and as a result I often spent many classes troubleshooting issues for professors than sitting in class listening to the lecture.
With the arguments of researchers such as Judge, Floyd, and Jeffs in mind, I centered several assignments around the idea of supporting teachers in the area of accessible technology, or as Judge, Floyd and Jeffs call it, assistive technology. My 510 and 512 projects were specifically designed as a technology resource for teachers, and this assignment, President for a Day, looked at improving the technology-situation at Nipissing University. I believe that improved facilities at Nipissing, and many Faculties of Education, would benefit their aspiring teachers by allowing them to become more familiar with educational technology, allowing them to incorporate it into their classrooms.
References:
Judge, S., Floyd, K., & Jeffs, T. (2008, October 1). Using an Assistive Technology Toolkit to Promote Inclusion. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(2), 121-126. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ808710) Retrieved February 6, 2009, from ERIC database.
