Story Jumper is a great web tool that can be used to create books online. Users can sign up for free to utilize this website. Once you sign up, you can create books to save and view online, free of cost, or you can purchase a hard copy. You can start from scratch, or use templates that are provided. This site allows you to upload photos to create different scenes, or characters in your book. I chose this tool because upon experimenting with Story Jumper, I found that it was easy and fun to use. It's a great resource that students can use and keep forever.
Story Jumper can be used in both inclusive and regular education classrooms. For the purpose of this blog, I will focus on helping students with disabilities. I would utilize this tool when conducting a creative writing lesson. Often times, students express dissatisfaction in writing assignments. However, by using this web tool, students can express themselves in way that deviates from the normal routine of the classroom, and use their creativity to create something truly meaningful. Students with disabilities may have difficulty gathering their thoughts, starting such a writing assignment, or even struggle due to lack of reading and writing skills. Story Jumper can help by providing a different means of expression and can be an aid with writing because of the spell check tool. By having the ability to upload photos, students can visually connect with what they are writing, and consider writing fun. Online interaction has proven to reach more audiences than that of radio, television, and print and should be incorporated into schools.
I used Story Jumper to create an example of a book. I started from scratch and uploaded photos to include in my story. Check it out here! http://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/8741402/Msshay#
Shelonda's Blogs
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The Digital Natives Amongst Us
Universal
Design for Learning (UDL) is a type of curriculum that is developed to break
down barriers for all students, including those with special needs, and
maximize their learning opportunities. (UDL, Youtube). This method of learning
proves that no one student learns the same, and each one can benefit greatly
from an education that varies representation of material, allows them to
express themselves freely, and fully engage them by capturing their attention.
As technology continues to advance, students are becoming a generation of
digital natives, “A generation that is the first to grow up with digital and
cyber technologies.” (Nelson, Rosen, Web 2.0) This means that this generation
has become experts at technological advances and experiences them on a daily
basis. For this reason, it is important for teachers to incorporate some of their
students’ interests and abilities into the curriculum.
Web 2.0 teachers incorporate such
advances like web sharing and blogging into their classrooms. Unlike previous
years of internet usage, information from one person or a group of people can
be accessed by many others. This “many to many” feature allows students to
search, engage, and participate in internet activities that although
educational, may appeal to them. In a special educational setting, it is very
important to use activities that students can find enjoyable so that their
attention is maintained. This would integrate the different means of representation,
expression, and engagement that is fundamental in UDL.
By using UDL and Web 2.0 with
students with special needs, students can work at their own pace for specific
projects because they can utilize the web from home. They may also feel more
comfortable in this setting, and more comfortable using multimedia tools as
opposed to traditional ones. Cooperative learning can allow them to feel
included amongst their peers and give them a sense of belonging. However, there
may also be some drawbacks. With so many people being accessible to the
internet, blogging can create hostility from students with different viewpoints.
Also, if a student were to post
information that was incorrect, they may be scrutinized by their peers, which
can affect their self-esteem. Other setbacks can come from students who may
want to engage in something more hands on. These issues should be handled
proactively by the special education teacher to ensure that UDL mixed with Web
2.0 creates the best learning experience possible.
References
Rosen, D., Nelson, C. Web 2.0: A
new generation of learners and education.
What is the Internet, Anyway?
After watching “What
is the Internet, Anyway,” an interview on The Today’s Show, it amazed me to
see how far we have come with technology. I understood how the hosts did not
know what the “@” symbol meant, or how it was read, because I remember having
the same questions years ago. I can remember a time when “Google” wasn’t
popular and people instead “Asked Jeeves”.
This just shows how fast technology can advance right before your eyes. As future teachers, there will always be some
things that we may still not understand that our “digital native” students may.
However, it is our responsibility to gain the knowledge, and not be embarrassed
by our now “traditional” ways. We have to consider that these students are
being exposed to these advances so frequently that if we utilize other modes of
technology that is in a sense, outdated, we may lose their attention and
interest.
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