Exploring Opportunities with Window's Vista

Windows Speech Recognition: Window's speech recognition software adapts to the voice and speaking style of the user with each use, making it more personalizes every time the user gets on their computer. This software was designed for people who wish to dramatically reduce their use of the keyboard and mouse. The computer can follow personalized commands or "say what you see" commands, which would mean that if you wanted to open a file, the individual must simply say "open file" and then state the specific file that they desire to view.

Another very helpful tool that is offered with he this speech recognition software is a "How do I" help tool; this means that you can ask the computer if you don't know how to perform a certain task and the computer will help you. While this specific help tool is only available in the English language, the rest of the speech recognition software is available in many other languages. This software also offers a tutorial to help users get started, which can be very helpful if you are unfamiliar with this new technology.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of the speech recognition software, at least for me personally, is that you can dictate e-mails and other documents. Which means if you want to correct your wording all you have to do is say that you want to correct... and state the selection that needs revision. Also, with this software there will be no more having to select the save option over and over while writing a paper. Instead, the user only has to command the computer to save, and it is done. This would be very helpful to young children, who often forget how to save or open files on a computer.

Classroom Communication

As far as communication in my early elementary classroom goes, I will have a great degree of communication with the parents outside of the classroom, since younger children don't hold most of the responsiblility. A majority of my communication with my actual students will be done in the classroom. It will be my responisibility to keep parents up-to-date on their son/daughter's standing in the class and possible areas that they made need extra help with. Or to even keep parents informed as to what classroom activities are coming up and about future projects that I may require help in putting together. I think the best way to communicate with these parents would be to set up a classroom website that is password protected and provides email service, such as a google site. That way I can post pictures of projects, reflect on student performance, and have individual converstations with parents all in one organized location. This would also be helpful to the parents, so they don't have to go all over the web to stay updated on their child's learning.

Response to Adobe Connection Session/ Virtual Lab

I really like the group presentations over the Adobe Connection Session, it felt really advanced and different, which made it more interesting than normal lab. One problem that I had with it though, was that each group kept cutting in and out, and it got worse as the presentation progressed. I didnt catch much information on the last 2 presentations. It was challenging to organzie everything when we weren't together in person, it took a little more organization and commitment from each group member. I think a tool like this would be great to use for high school students in a large school, and also for high school technology students. However it doesnt have very much use in a first grade elementary classroom. I enjoyed the experience though!

Pre Lab #7 Leap Pad

I reviewed Leap Pad, which is a tool to teach basic reading skills to young children. I want to teach both elementary and special education and this is very realistic tool for both. Leap pad consists of a base holder, to hold the books, and a touch pen. There are many different books offered that can be inserted into the leap pad learner. After the book has been inserted, all the student must do is touch the green go sign on each page and the book will automatically know what page it is and what to read. The book will start by reading the page, but the great part about leap pad is that if the student is having trouble with a certain word or words on the page, they can use their touch pen to go over the word, and the Leap Pad will sound the word out for the child. Also with this tool, there are games offered at the bottom of pages to drill and practice what was learned on that page. And in some of the books, children can even use the touchpen on the illustrations and they will make noises or reveal surprises. This really increases the enhancement of the students learning.
I could use this tool with my students who are just barely beginning to read and still have trouble sounding out tough words.
Other instructors have used this tool in classrooms of beginning readers to make reading more fun and interactive for the children.
This tool is an open ended tool because it provides students with information but has no specific goal, the students can accomplish what they will with the leap pad. There is an interactive a part of each book. This tool has great educational value.

Wall of Words- Family Education Network

This website is an early elementary word game website. Here is the link: http://fen.com/studentactivities/WallOfWords/wow19.html

This website increases the effectiveness of learning to put together sentences. It also times the student and creates a challenge. This game is an excellent place to begin putting sentences together and for elementary students to learn sentence structure.

Count On - Sum to 10, 20, 100, etc

This is a website for a basic elementary math game using addition. Here is the link: http://www.mathsyear2000.org/magnet/minus3/sumtox/index.html

This website is another basic, early elementary addition site. This website increases the effectiveness of learning by making addition into a game. It even provides different levels of difficulty, so that learning continues into the next levels of addition. Enhancement is also increases because students recieve a visual confirmation if they get the correct answer.

Ambleweb Addition Machine

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/additiontest.html

This website is useful because it increases effectiveness, by turning addition into a game children are more motivated to learn the material. This game also provides a check answer service to help students achieve accurate answers. I also believe that this site increases the enhancement of the learning by providing a visual and offering different levels of difficulty. This is a fun game that increase the comprehension of addition.