Yesterday we continued working on the group and subgroup projects. It was interesting to see how each subgroup responded to the students' needs. The discussion on the approaches that people took - how they thought of the needs of a Grade Three and a Grade Six student was very telling of their work with students. I was impressed at the deliberate choices that people made. How would a typical Grade Six boy speak? How can we invite his classmates to engage with him? I feel that everyone did as Barbara asked which was to put the student first.
I kept thinking about this as I was searching through iTunes and the APP store. So much to take in and so much possibilities. It is so tempting to get carried away and get lost in this world! However, I'm trying to focus on trying to find technology that would support the student that I have in mind. I don't want this to be finding something cool for a kid to work with and then bridging this gap. I want this activity to be about meeting his needs and helping him to develop. My biggest worry is that this could be the equivalent of a "carrot" rather than a useful tool that would be utilized to achieve a specific goal.
I spent much of the time in class and since then scrolling through the apps to find something suitable for my student. And in doing so, I found a couple of interesting things. One app that I found interesting seems to be similar to Proloquo2go. It's called MyTalk Mobile. I haven't come across any reviews on it as it seems to have just hit the market. One of the advantages to this app is that it is much cheaper than Proloquo2go which may be helpful to some families who are interested in purchasing this on their own. However, I'm not sure about the voice options on it. On the attached YouTube instructional video the voice that you hear on the behalf a child is a male voice. I'm not sure that this would be beneficial socially for a student. Another product that I've discovered is called TapToTalk app for Nintendo DS; it turns the Nintendo DS into an ACC. I've included a link and a review of the product for you to read about.
http://www.taptotalk.com/
http://www.callscotland.org.uk/Blog/Blog-Post/?reference=138
Hi J,
ReplyDeleteYes, I share your concern that these high tech apps be more than a carrot. I am curious about your mention of the reviews. Is there any place besides the iTunes store where educators review specific apps, not just as entertainment, but for their educational value?
Hi! I've found that if I do a google search on the object + review it helps me to find reviews. However, I'm not finding too many reviews with regards to educational reviews on some of the devices. It's a good question for Barbara. I'll ask in the a.m. I hope that you're having a great weekend... aside from the rain!
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