SLIS 761 - Blog Post # 5: Assistive Technology for Students With Low Vision

 

            iPads are pretty amazing tools that benefit people of all ages and abilities.  Years ago, when the elementary school I taught at obtained 1 to 1 iPads, teachers and students alike were delighted.  As a teacher, I could use my iPad to keep track of student behavior merits and appointments on my calendar, check emails on the go, and integrate learning games and ebooks into my instruction.  My students, of course, LOVED the apps!

           

         Coincidentally, iPads have many design features automatically built in that can be utilized to assist students with low vision! If you have an interest in learning more about the many ways iPads can be used as low vision assistive technology, check out the additional links at the bottom of this post!  For the moment, however, I’d like to draw your attention to one specific feature, VoiceOver.

          VoiceOver is iPad’s built-in screen reader which, once turned on in the device settings, will read aloud whatever part of the screen the user happens to be interacting with. Perkins School For the Blind provides tips to new users in their article, Getting Started with VoiceOver on the iPad. For students with low vision, this feature is a game changer.  No more worries over tiny app icons and microscopic print. Impressively, while mastering all of the VoiceOver gesture commands will take time and practice, the tool is intuitive enough that children as young as three can begin learning to use this amazing device.

To learn about other ways that iPads can be used to benefit students with low vision, take a look at the links below.

* This article suggests iPad settings that should be enabled for the most accessibility for low vision students: https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/blog/how-make-ipad-accessible-low-vision-0

* This article describes and teaches additional iPad accessibility options for students with low vision: https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/curriculum/introduction-ipad-accessibility

* This article contains even more information about ways iPads can be used as assistive technology:  https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/getting-started/ipad-low-vision

SLIS 761 - Blog Post #4: Ereaders and the R.A.T Model

 

   

https://www.rd.com/list/best-ereaders-worth-buying/

    Ebook readers are a handy piece of technology that can be used in the classroom, or anywhere at all, to enhance the reading experience.  Ereaders are similar to tablets in their web browsing capability, but they are uniquely designed with the enjoyment of reading in mind. Because of this, most have a special screen, called e-ink, that mimics paper in a way that a backlit LCD screen cannot. In his article, The Best Ebook Readers for 2021, Sacha Segan (2021) explains that this advantageous feature means ereaders are easily read in full sunlight, they are easier on one’s eyes, and they retain a longer battery life than tablets. Additionally, averaging approximately 6 inches, these small wonders can easily store over 1,000 books (Segan, 2021)!

            Evaluating ereaders through the lens of the R.A.T. technology enabled learning model, developed by Dr. Joan E. Hughes (n.d.) in 1998, spotlights the benefit of ereaders over traditional books particularly in the student learning processes dimension. The acronym, R.A.T. stands for replacement, amplification, and transformation.

Source: Adobe Stock

            Replacement is the most basic use of technology in learning because it serves as a different means to deliver the same instructional content without necessarily enhancing the learning process (Hughes, n.d.).  Ereaders certainly do serve as a replacement for physical books, but they bring far more to the table than fancy substitution.  Ereaders check the box for amplification as well. They amplify the learning process by enabling readers to interact with text more efficiently.  Readers can highlight text digitally, take notes and record metacognitive processes on digital ‘sticky notes,’ and gain instantaneous access to definitions of unknown words.  Additionally, when an audio counterpart to the text exists, ereaders serve as a sort of reading partner which is a very advantageous feature for struggling readers and English language learners in improving fluency and comprehension (Beers, 1998). Font size can also be adjusted to provide a large print resource for students with visual impairments (Veroniiiica, n.d.). 

https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/ereaders?phrase=ereaders&sort=mostpopular

    Finally, when analyzing ereaders using the R.A.T model, one finds that they possess transformative qualities as well.  Hughes (n.d.) explains that technology is considered transformative when, it changes instruction and learning in ways not possible before. Ereaders enable users to literally carry thousands of books in one hand or a back pocket. This ease of access along with the other learning tools ereaders afford affirm their high-ranking value as an educational tool in classrooms.

            Teachers interested in exploring best practices regarding the use of ereaders in their classroom may enjoy this article which lists 10 tips to consider before, during and after implementation. For further support, specific ways ereaders can be used in the classroom and links to even more related articles can be found here.  Finally, what is an ereader without ebooks? To begin building a digital library, explore this list of sixteen sites where one can download kids’ ebooks for free!

 

References

Beers, G. K. (1998). Listen while you read: Struggling readers & audiobooks. School Library Journal, 44(4), 30–35.

Segan, S. (2021, July 8). The best ebook readers for 2021. PC Magazine. https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-ereaders

Veroniiica. (n.d.). Ereaders and low vision. Veronica With Four Eyes. https://veroniiiica.com/2017/07/26/ereaders-and-low-vision/

SLIS 761- Blog Post #3: Blog Share

 

Dear Elementary Teachers,

It is no secret that you have an incredible responsibility that entails not only conveying book knowledge of all content areas to your young charges but also nurturing their curiosity, a love of learning and, perhaps most importantly, a growth mindset!

Maintaining a growth mindset is important at every stage of life. We all have holes in our knowledge and gaps in our abilities.  We all have skills we dream of learning “one day.” One day I will learn to kite surf!  Well, perhaps I will, but I digress. What we must teach and model for our students is the attituded that it is not important to know all the answers or possess all the skills all the time. When they encounter a hole in their knowledge or a gap in their ability, we must teach them to say that they just do not know the answer or have not mastered the skill YET.

To support classroom teachers, school librarians can work with students and encourage a growth mindset by teaching them information seeking strategies that promote independent learning. As an added benefit, this “collaboration [between classroom teacher and librarian] allows opportunities for school librarians to incorporate information literacy skills and technology into curricular content in classrooms” (Wine, 2016, p. 213).

teachthought blog (2021) shares progressive learning resources and ideas that address 21century skills needed by today’s students including the skill of how to think for oneself.  In her article, How To Help Your Students Develop A Growth Mindset, blog contributor Jackie Gerstein (2021) describes a 3B4T strategy that students can practice in both the library and classroom. The strategy emphasis the process of learning by encouraging students to independently find information. The 3B4T strategy is not an entirely new concept to most seasoned teachers who may be familiar with the Three Before Me strategy. Step two of this modern version, however, includes technology-based inquiry. Working together, school librarians and classroom teachers can use the 3B4T thinking strategy to organically weave inquiry-based learning and technology into daily lessons. 

Teaching students how to use technology to independently uncover answers to their questions empowers and prepares them to become lifelong learners as they learn to say, “Hold on, I don’t know YET.”

 

References

Gerstein, J. (2020, May 26). How to help your students develop a growth mindset. teachthought. https://www.teachthought.com/learning/how-to-respond-when-students-say-i-cant-do-this/

teachthought: We Grow Teachers (2021). teachthought. https://wegrowteachers.com/about/

Wine, L. D. (2016). School librarians as technology leaders: An evolution in practice. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 57(2), 207-220. doi:10.12783/issn.2328-2967/57/2/12

SLIS 761 - Blog Post #2: Information Literacy and Fake News

I tend to be skeptical of sensationalized news “information.”  I can’t recall a specific time when I was taught how to evaluate information or to be cautious of certain presentation styles. This trait feels like part of my personality but, I am sure it has undoubtedly been nurtured by teachers and shaped by experiences along the way.

I frequently interact with people who become very intense when conversations center around political topics.  Heightened emotions stemming from the acceptance of sensationalized news and an inability to consider whether the information may be incomplete or written with a biased lens often stands in the way of what could otherwise be an interesting conversation.  As Valenza (2016) points out, and many people fail to consider, is that "Professional journalists engage in rigorous fact-checking and adhere to sets of professional ethics, but they are not entirely immune to bias or agenda or the pressures of a deadline."  It is nearly impossible to eliminate bias entirely so we must simply learn to recognize it.

Because of these personal experiences which sometimes become uncomfortable interactions, I tend to avoid mixing current events into the adult education content I teach.  I realize that current events is a great topic for generating students’ interest, but I worry about opening a big bag of emotionally charged worms inside my classroom. 

The readings and resources shared in this week's module have challenged my reluctance to avoid using news and current events as part of my instruction. Digital literacy has been a huge focus for my program the last few years. Since most adults today rely on digital news sources (Valenza, 2016), not addressing information literacy skills, particularly how to determine the validity of a news source, leaves holes in my students’ education.  

As a future school librarian, I will need to practice, model, and be familiar with resources and strategies that help one evaluate information. Collecting and sharing these resources with my current students and working with them to develop information literacy skills is a great opportunity to begin developing teaching strategies and talking points that might be organically woven into conversations with future students while assisting them in the library or that might become the basis for teacher trainings.

Some digital literacy resources I’ve added to my new collection this week:

•          What is fake news?  Tips for Spotting Them – Fake News for Kids
•          Super 3 Research
•          The Big 6 and Super 3
•          Test your ability to spot fake news with this game! 

 

Reference

Valenza, J. (2016). Truth, truthiness, triangulation: A news literacy toolkit for a “post-truth” world. School Library Journal. https://blogs.slj.com/neverendingsearch/2016/11/26/truth-truthiness-triangulation-and-the-librarian-way-a-news-literacy-toolkit-for-a-post-truth-world/