Week XIV: Using Games for Teaching and Learning

This week we learned about Second Life and online games that can be used for learning. Although games can be used just for entertainment, we can make anything educational. I do think Second Life is a very interesting game, however, I don't think that it should be used for educational purposes. Google Earth is a great application that can be very useful and educational. I would like to figure out how to use it to make traveling movies and such that will allow me to document my trips. This is a great source for teaching geography and where a child lives.

I feel that it is very important to have a fun learning environment in the classroom that utilizes online resources. I hope to do this in my practice to teach my patients resources online. I think it is a good idea to show them instead of just handing them a sheet of paper saying what they need to do. There are no games that I can play with my patients and since many of them will be older, I do not think that would be appropriate.

I came across a thread that talks about gaming in the classroom. You can find it here.

Week XII: Creating a Professional Web Presence

During this week's class, we talked about the importance of creating a web presence. We went on our Facebooks and discussed what we are showing to the world. Since our lives have become so public, we must make sure that we are in control of what others know about us. I, personally, have always paid attention to what image I was portraying on Facebook and Myspace. It is not always easy to realize when you have added something that is not going to be perceived as inappropriate but we must try. Most of us have a web presence but for class, we had to create a professional web presence. You can view my webpage here. This purpose of this assignment was to have a professional page online that will allow others to know about us. It includes stuff we want to share in a format that is more professional and appropriate than Facebook/Twitter/etc.

When I have my own practice, I will have a professional web presence for my business. I plan on using many tools that I have learned from this class. My application of these tools can be found in those weekly posts. I want to have a website for my practice that will inform my patients of how to contact me, what services I offer, insurances that I accept, etc. I am looking forward to creating this page and increasing business.

I found an article about creating a successful web presence for a business. It was written by Steve Strauss and posted on 4/11/2010 on USA Today. Maximizing your web presence is key to building your small business.

Week XI: Open Source Software

This week we talked about social networking and open source software. When we discussed social networking, we mentioned the pros and the cons of it. It is important to realize that not all people are aware of the pragmatics that occur when using the internet. It is important to education our youth on what is safe to use and how not to trust everything you come into contact with while on the internet. There have been many unfortunate events that occurred because of bullying on the internet which can not always be prevented since it is such an open place. We also learned about open source software which is software that is typically available online. The codes are available for many people to manipulate and change to create the end result of the product. It is almost like having a lot of people create a product together but they do not even have to know each other. Music, games, resources, etc have been created through this method.

Since open source is a methodology and a practice, there are tons of resources online that are created this way. Although I am not likely going to create an amazing program for other to use on the internet, I will utilize these resources. I do not know exactly what sources I will use when I am an audiologist, but I am sure that I will be able to find something that will make my life easier personally and professionally.

When researching more about this topic, I came across a website that helps you find and develop open source tools. It is called Source Forge and it is free! You can even browse for tools by category which can make it even easier to find what you are looking for. This is a great site and I hope you enjoy.

Week X: Tech Tools for Critical Thinking

This was a great week. We learned about a different way to organize our thoughts through concept maps. All people learn differently. That is what I really appreciate about others. Although I may make sense out of one way of doing something does not mean that someone else can understand it. So concept maps are a great tool to organize you thoughts for yourself or to show others. You can see my example of a concept map when making the decision for which graduate school to attend in my previous post. As you can see in the concept map, USF seemed like the best choice. I have actually made the decision to attend USF so it seems that it really worked out for me!

As an audiologist, I can use concept maps and other tech tools found online to help me be productive in my business. It is important to share you ideas to others when trying to build a business. If I do not own my own business at the beginning, I can make this for suggestions or a way to better my interaction with my patients. This is not a direct tool that I can use regularly, but I can definitely benefit from it.

I found another really cool tech tool online to share. It is a free tool that allows you to call this number with a memo for yourself or something else and it will send the transcription and your audio to your email. The transcription is said to be very good, too. You can also send it to others so if your phone is not web-enabled but you want to send an email, you can do so! Check it out here!

Webspiration

This week's assignment showed me one of the best resources that we've learned in this class. I never used concept maps because I always felt that they take too much time to create. Once it's on the paper, you can't change it without it taking a lot of time. These websites are just amazing! They are also fun. I like that I was able to bring my personality into my Webspiration concept map because of the images and colors. Instead of making my map about tools, I made my map about a huge decision in my life. I am currently trying to decide which of three graduate schools I want to attend. I've been discussing my options with many people over the past couple of weeks and thought this was a great opportunity to document it all so I wouldn't forget. I shared this with my mom so she was able to see my thoughts about all of it, too. If I learn something new about a school that makes it stand out (or makes it less appealing) I can add that, too, and I won't have to adjust anything.

These tools are a great resource for making decisions, planning events, organizing ideas, etc. I will definitely use this in the future. I can use this in the professional world as an audiologist when trying to come up with a design for something or a business plan for my practice. If I end up working as an educational audiologist, I could make a concept map for teachers. The map would allow them to visualize and understand the changes that they need to make in their classrooms and the outcomes of those changes.

My concept map is an expansion of a spider map. I found a webpage created by the University of Memphis that demonstrates different types of concept maps. I think this is helpful to just see the different types because you can see how it can be applied to different ideas. It can open your mind to different ways to think and express your ideas.

Here is an example:

Here is the article.

Week IX: Social Tools & Cloud Computing

This week's class taught us about GoogleDocs, cloud computing, and social bookmarking. GoogleDocs is a resource that I would like to start using more often. It is similar to a wiki in that different people can view the document just to read it or to alter it, and then save it so others can see it. I think this would be a great tool for a work schedule in a restaurant that changes often. It would also be great for group projects or sign-up sheets. I have wanted to use it in the past, but I get stuck because not all people have a Google account so they would have to make one. Some people are hesitant about doing this.

Cloud computing is something that I had never heard of prior to this week's class. This is a metaphor for the internet and is the purchasing of servers from companies that physically story the hardware to maintain all of the websites that consumers use regularly. Our email, for example, is not something that is stored inside of our computer. We rely on the websites we use and the companies that provide them to support our files and messages. Many of the larger companies do this through cloud computing which allows them to use as much space as they need when they need it. When usage goes down, so does their requirements of servers so they pay less.

GoogleDocs is something that anyone, regardless of their career, can use. I plan on using this in my practice for it will make many things more mainstreamed for my employees and myself. I do not plan on having a website in which I will need to use cloud computing but it is interesting to learn about it and understand how the internet works. I am glad to have learned about this.

I came across "sustainable cloud computing" when I was researching it. I came across an article by Ariel Schwartz from September 30, 2009 called "Can Cloud Computing Ever Truly Be Sustainable?". The article discusses how some companies try and be sustainable at their data centers by balancing their energy use, but the author questions whether or not this could ever be truly attained. I think this brings a good perspective to something that you don't intuitively think about when discussing cloud computing.

Week VIII: The Sound of...Podcasting

This week we learned about podcasting and digital media files. I enjoyed learning about how to use GarageBand on a MAC and free software for PCs like Audacity. We all know the purpose of audio files, whether it is to create a video, listen to music, or get news off of the internet. Podcasts were created to change the audio files from websites into a downloadable form for mp3 players. Although I have not used podcasts before, I feel that it is very beneficial for others. One way that I would find this to be used for entertainment purposes would be radio shows that are not broadcasted in your area. For me, I enjoy listening to Real Radio 104.1 which can be heard in the Orlando area. They do stream their show online and it is available for podcasts. I could not listen to this live for it is early in the morning, but if I put it on my mp3 player, I could listen to it whenever I wanted to.

I plan on using Audacity whenever I need to record something and clip it together in the future. When creating my audio file, I tried to be creative and have a story behind my clip. The guitar that is heard was made for me by a old friend. He created the piece for me about 8 years ago and I've had it in my music folder through several computers since then. I paired it with rain in the background and a ticking clock. The story that my piece portrays is a teenage boy alone in his house in the country. He is sad about the girl he loves being so far away. He is looking out the window of his house after dark and it is raining outside. Just sitting alone, he decides to play his guitar and reminisce about his summer love. I had a great time with this project and have listened to the piece several times since then.

When looking up more about Podcasting, I came across a website called PodcastAlley. This is a pretty cool website because it explains what podcasting is and allows you to subscribe to different podcasts that you enjoy. You can look them up based on genre, comment on them, and upload your own. I think this would be great for people who have a lot of time to listen to things like this such as truckers.

Sound files are going to be useful for websites in the field of audiology. Podcasting, on the other hand, is not the most effective method to communicate with clients for they may not be able to relay a message if your clients are unable to hear it. Visual representations are going to be more effective for my future clients but the sound files that will come with this can be enjoyed by clients with a mild to moderate hearing loss and hearing family members.

Week VII: Digital Storytelling

I thoroughly enjoyed this week's topic of digital storytelling. Digital storytelling is the integration of music, videos/stills, with creativity to tell a story. In class, we watched a video about a love story made from scenes from World of Warcraft. When I think about all of the videos that I watch on YouTube that people take the time to put together, I do not always appreciate the amount of time that it takes. Digital I had the opportunity to use Animoto to create a 30 second video using pictures from my trip to Australia. Through this, I realized that there is power when you put pictures and music that mean something to you together. This week's class as well as our homework and presentation made me think about how much I appreciate the stories that others have to tell. Digital storytelling allows people that don't have programs on their computers to use free applications online and share their memories.

Digital storytelling is something that I can use as an audiologist because I am put instructional pictures together on how to use a hearing aid, change your environment, etc. I think it would be a creative way to educate my clients and is untraditional yet professional. I look forward to using different free applications to share stories of other clients to inspire those that are more resistant.

I perused YouTube to find a video that demonstrates how audiology has a place in digital storytelling. I found a video that uses images and short video clips to explain Central Auditory Processing Disorder. It was posted by nowtohear.com on February 22, 2010.

Week VI: Visual Literacy

This week we learned about Visual Literacy. According to visual-literacy.org, visual literacy is defined as the ability to evaluate, apply, or create conceptual visual representation. At first, I did not quite understand the topic because we were just looking at pictures and our goal was to use Photoshop to create an image. I did not think that this has any specific term associated with it. After completing my visual literacy project, I can see that there are underlying themes that some pictures convey and photographers are displaying their concept of something through their artwork. Even after researching the topic independently, I do not fully understand the concept.

I looked for a visual representation of the visual literacy concept. I found this image on a Purdue website and feel that it helps to add an organization to the idea.

When thinking about visual literacy in the field of audiology, I feel that it is important to portray a good visual image as a professional and a service. The environment that I work in after receiving my doctorate will create a perception for my future clients. It is important to associate my office with good service and this will be done through my good clinical experience and the other visual images that I portray. The clothes that my employees and I wear as well as the cleanliness and organization of the office will provide a more legitimate and respectable atmosphere. As with a former post, the website that I create for my office must also have a purpose that can be understood by the youngest and oldest of populations.

Week V: Image Manipulation

Also during this week, we discussed image manipulation through programs such as Photoshop and other older methods that were used prior to computers. We saw the "Top 10 Doctored Pictures" which really opened up my eyes to what the media portrays to us. I know that models and many images used to sell products to consumers are altered, but I didn't think that political or war pictures would be. Ethically, I think that pictures taken to inform the public of what is going on in other countries or in the real world should not be altered. Images that are used as propaganda and are altered to portray something different than reality is wrong. Although I don't think it is right, I am not as bothered by the manipulation of images of models or other images used for entertainment or sale. I do feel that these changes of models to make them more "beautiful" and slender gives children the wrong message, especially little girls. I feel that we need to show our youth that who they are is absolutely enough and they don't have to live up to the images of very slender models.

One day, I hope to have my own practice as an audiologist. I envision decorating my office with images to provide a more stimulating and pleasurable environment for my clients. It is also guaranteed that these images are going to be manipulated photos or artwork. Personally, I do not see myself creating my own images or using Photoshop much as an audiologist. I will most likely pay a graphic designer to help me with my company's images and as long as it is for entertainment purposes and one's perception of the real world is not altered, I do not mind.

I found an article that discusses the controversy of image manipulation. It is an article written by Vikas Malhotra that is posted on thejavajive.com. I feel that this article provides a good discussion of the controversy and explains image manipulation prior to the computer.

thejavajive.com

Week V: Media and Information Literacy

During this week, we learned about image manipulation, Photoshop, and information literacy. In the presentation that we watched, I learned about the designing and formatting of online media or presentations. I remember learning about this in high school and have tried to put it into practice in my presentations since then but a refresher is always important. We learned that not all PowerPoint templates should be used for presentations, colors must be contrasted, and if you must put text over a multi-colored background, you should insert a textbox with a single colored background.

A very useful tip that I received was to always have a link back to the homepage on every page on a website. My future practice's website will benefit from this week's lesson because it will make the website more accessible and user friendly. I plan on making the site very pleasing to look at while being informative and easy to read. Many clients may be older and using a computer may not be easy for them, therefore the most straight forward the site the better.

I searched online to see if there was anything out there specifically for audiologists to use when it comes to websites. I found out that there was the first annual Audiology and Hearing Aid Internet Marketing Symposium last August. This is such a great resource and I plan on utilizing it when I am a professional. There was also a video that AudiologyWebsites.com has posted that is long but provides some great information about website marketing for audiologists.

Week III: Web Technology

http://www.fuelinteractive.com/blog/2008/04/my-social-medianetworking-talk.cfm

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this week's topic, Web Technology! We learned about the term Web 2.0 which I had never heard of before. Web 2.0 is different from the original Web 1.0 in that it is an interactive internet whereas users of the world wide web upload images, write blogs, comment on articles, etc. This is pretty much the only internet that I've ever known so it is interesting to look at it in a different way. When I started using the internet, I had a had a DeadJournal which I modified to fit my liking and then they started charging so all of my friends moved over to LiveJournal which some people that I know still use today. We were given a great resource which was a website providing us with different examples and links to sites that are considered Web 2.0. We all had to write about 3 sites which was extremely beneficial because it allowed me to explore sites that I have never used before. I know that there is a lot out there on the internet that I've never seen, but the extremely useful tools that are out there to be used with photos, family trees, cooking, etc.

In my career as an audiologist, I will use Web 2.0 often. I plan on having a website for my practice where I have links and interactive programs. I will refer my clients to other websites where they can blog about their hearing loss or Deaf culture, too. Other than that, Web 2.0 will not be an extensive part of my career. Most of my interaction with my clients in person or on the phone so I will be able to maintain the one-to-one interaction that the internet has replaced for my professions and relationships.

I found this image on Voices.com. It provides an easy-to-understand visual representation of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. The contrast that the image provides between the two terms allows for us to better understand the explosion that Web 2.o has provided users.

Week II: Education Technology

During the second week of class, we were exposed to the concept of "educational technology". Today's students are living in a world with a never-before-seen connection. They are no longer in a private world but rather a world where their parents can reach them by a text immediately, their friend's Facebook stati remind them of their upcoming paper and they can email their teacher for explanations of assignments they do not understand. Children receive so much stimulation from television and computers that it is important to incorporate all of this technology to make a more efficient and effective learning environment. Educational technology is the practice of this integration between books and desks with SmartBoards, computers, websites, microphones, blogs, etc. For some teachers or school systems, the easy to understand concept is hard to put into practice. Not all school distracts are financially able to bring 'basic' technology such as a computer to their schools, let alone each classroom. Aside from economic reasons, the lack of training that teachers receive for these technologies also pose a problem. These are just two examples of explanations for the difference in the technological landscape of the world's education system.

I do not think that educational technology only applies to school settings. Parents have the ability to incorporate many aspects of a child's experiences into "teachable moments". There are many negative things that have come from the boom in technology that we have seen such as online bullying, a lack of privacy, sexually explicit websites, and dependency on video games. I feel that parents, or those that are responsible for the proper upbringing of a child, have a responsibility to expose these issues and shed light on them. It is important that we provide our children the knowledge of how to overcome obstacles that they may encounter and open up dialogue about the child's perspective on negative things in their environment. These discussions show the child the reality of our technology in the 21st century and allow them to learn and make informed decisions for themselves.

As a future audiologist, educational technology means that I have the ability to use technology to provide my clients with as much resources as possible to benefit from our interaction. I can provide them with websites that discuss hearing loss and show them demonstrations using computers or screens on how to use their hearing aids. The concept of educational technology is not something that ties together with audiology automatically but it is a practice that I choose to use to enhance my client's experiences. I want them to know that I am able to use all of my resources to provide them with the best service possible and allow them to have everything that will help them increase their quality of life.

While researching this topic, I came across a video on YouTube. It is a video of a girl who lives in Spain with her parents. She receives piano lessons via Skype from an instructor in Chicago. I chose this video because it shows that distance means nothing when it comes to receiving an education these days. It displays how technology can be used in unconventional teaching practices so a child's learning is not spared.

This video was found on YouTube and posted by soultravelers3 on June 08, 2008.

Week IV: Ethics and Audiology...(Additional Post)

This week we spoke about copyright laws, plagiarism and the ethics behind it all. Copyright laws and the copyright symbol are seen very often and we think we know about them. Up until this week I had a poor representation of what copyright truly is. I didn't realize that it was put in place to protect the author of the original work and that it extends to literacy, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other published and unpublished works (www.copyright.gov). Under copyright laws, ideas and non-tangible work is not covered but they are covered in plagiarism. Plagiarism is stealing or passing off the ideas or words of another as their own (plagiarism.org). Ethics come into play because we must educate children and students that it is ethically wrong to commit fraud by using someone else's work and claiming it as your own. I feel that I intuitively know this, but I was most likely educated about it as a young age. Not all students have this opportunity so I feel that this is a subject that must be expanded upon in the school system.

This video is a bit long but it will bring you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and will provide you with one of the many opinions of a Deaf individual in regards to altering the auditory status of a child. The man in this video is talking about making his hearing child deaf. This story is meant to parody to the cochlear implant controversy over whether or not if is the parents' choice to give their child a cochlear implant to make their deaf child hearing. This is a booming technology that is continually improving. This topic causes great controversy in the Deaf world among those with hearing loss and their families (hearing or not). Many people that are Deaf feel that implanting a child before they can make that decision on their own is abuse. My position wavers frequently when I think about my stance on it but in the end, I feel that it is the decision of the child's family and although at times the audiologist may disagree, it is not their child to make the decision for.

The terms "copyright" and "audiology" don't seem to confront each other very often. However, I can see possible issues when administering common tests or sharing information to students and clients. In several classes, I have been exposed to several methods that audiologists or speech language pathologists have created for their clients. This includes questionnaires that they create administer, games that they have created, written materials they provide their clients, etc. My teachers always give credit where credit is due, though. Ethically, an audiologist should not take credit for a test or material made by someone else. When observing in audiologists' offices, I have noticed that they share information with their colleagues and borrow great and useful items from each other. This is important because it allows one audiologist to allow another audiologist a more efficient and effective method of doing something. I have always seen these audiologists give background to their patients by saying, "A great audiologist named _____ told me that if you turn the music on this level.....etc". Just like any other field, it is important that we not take credit for other people, direct people to the correct sources to receive information, and share but protect anything that we create so others cannot benefit without the creator also benefiting.