Class Transcript October 31, 2003

9/9 :~: 9/26 :~: 10/3 :~: 10/7 :~: 10/31 :~: 11/7

To maintain confidentiality, pseudonyms are used for all participants in the transcripts, with the exception of myself. 

*+**** Patricia--Kathrine--Ryan entered Room1. Time:Fri Oct 31 13:00:14 2003

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>hello.  happy halloween!!

Amber>>hello Tricia how was your trip?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>my trip was wonderful.  aect is a big, friendly conference.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>we completed some interesting assignments this past week.

Amber>>I believe I was at the one when it was in GA

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i'm not sure if i mentioned to you that aect published my first article, so i will be forever faithful to the organization.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>amber, are you facilitating the discussion today, or is somebody else?

Amber>>what was the article?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>the article was, 'a portrait of academic life:  creating an online research portfoli

Amber>>I am since we are still trying to get everyone back together.  Faith is leaving for her trip--Grace should be coming not sure Hope is trying to get on she is in the transition of office moving

Amber>>How exciting what issue I will have to read

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i was just looking at the online 'techtrends' publications.  i'd have to look up the issue.  it was fall 2002.  i expect we'll have a 'knock them off their seats' micca presentation. i'm looking forward to it.

Amber>>Lets go ahead and discuss a little about the devices and strategies you have visited the last 3 weeks.  It is or has been a very intense set of eading---the idea was to show all of you what is out there not that we plan to become experts--but I really do not think general educators know how much is avaiable

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i'll be happy to begin discussing devices and strategies.  i'm ready for the discussion.  i posted to the discussion boards this morning.  did you have a chance to see my responses?

Amber>>At the same time I was trying to (on the instructional design side) show a number of ways to communicate via online--e.g., PP, word (which way did you like looking at notes the best>) as well as video and audio clips, transcripts etc... other online chat discussion areas etc....

Amber>>yes for week 7 which is one of the things I wanted to cover but I guess I'll send an email to all--the reason the week 8 discussion threads are listed as due Nov 4th instead of this past tuesday is because on my side (instructor side) they were up and I couldn't figure out why no one had posted when I looked further they had not updated to the stufdent side--oh well at least the readings were there and we can discuss that here today

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>good question.  to view the ppt i had to be logged into the course. i wasn't able to open the ppt in a separate window.  that was a bit limiting.  however, still effective.  i think i noticed there were 69 slides in one presentation.  i would have liked the option to save it and come back to it on my own time. i see what you are saying about what you could view. 

Amber>>don't you have to be logged into a course for the word as well? why can you not download to a file?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>week 7 was full of course expectations. i feel like i am constantly working on course activities, and i'm just barely keeping up with assignments.  the phrase 'academic rigor' comes to mind. i am learning so much, and enjoying how and what i'm learning, but it's a lot.  more than most classes. about being logged on...

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i just like to be able to view ppt in ppt, as opposed to a webct window.  yes, word must also remain in webct. it's fine.  i work within the window and it works.  the message is clearly being understood. 

Amber>>the last 3 weeks have been deep--although you can send people out to visit sites about products its very hard to deal with how it all "fits in" unless you tie it to an activity...

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i think the activities are great!  really good learning modules!

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>there's just a lot of them.  i'd like to take a 2nd level AT course, really.  would the course be taught the same with undergrads in the class?

Amber>>Ta least we are coming out of the thick forest and can start to "slow" down and apply these now to some activites that one might face in a general classroom

Amber>>Yes the course is usually the same but I always tell them up front what to expect.  What is strange is the first time we run a class (i.e. like this one I'll get 3-4 takers and then it increases by word of mouth rather than decrease--

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>yes, there is a steep learning curve, and then once there is a general understanding, it's time for direct application.  i completely understand and concur.

Amber>>but I do listen to input and will try to limit as a matter of fact perhaps a few of the week 8 we can make optional--folks can read the assignment but only apply if they have time--that might work

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>you know i was going to suggest that!  my sugggestion was going to be can i choose 4 or 5 out of the 7 choices.

Amber>>the big idea is to have you understand the resources that are out there so that we can apply to some things coming up and in the classroom

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i thought.  7 mini projects.  that's one project a day. they take time, but please understand, i believe the projects are worthwhile.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>so, as you know i've been developing an online companion portfolio for this class.  i added the 'switches' information and output barriers to the content. 

Amber>>somehow I got bounced off and yet now I am in three times--there . 

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i also interviewed and worked closely with an AT professor at TU to gather information for my AT paper.  she has shared my online paper with other faculty and i've received good feedback from them.  even an undergrad stopped me in the hallway to say that she saw my AT informaton on the web, about what AT is available at TU. the paper was a meaningful assignment for me.

Amber>>should be only 4 activites for week 8 (last week) and 3 for week 9 this week perhaps I will have everyone choose 1 from week 8 and on we go to week 9 that would work best

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>let me know the requirements, and i'll do my best to meet them.  thanks for considering my feedback.

Amber>> at any rate tell me about what devices you found most intersting that perhaps could be used by any teacher (general)

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>there are so many...one in particular is a round switch that can be touched to activate an object. 

Amber>>how could this be of use in a general classroom?  on a regular basis or for specific needs students?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>well for example, my 5 year old loves to turn on his 'touch light' night light.  the same concept as the round switch.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>in a general classroom, it could be used in a reading corner to provide more light for independent or paired reading.

Amber>>Any others?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>yes, please access this page, and we can discuss. http://pages.towson.edu/pryan/at/projects.htm

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>Screen readers permit visually impaired individuals to have the text on a screen  read to them by a read aloud software program.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>A monitor can be altered by using a a screen magnifier.

Amber>>Excellent--but which do you think could be used regularly for "average" students who might otherwise slip through and we don't think about why they are not successing

Amber>>Yes--the magnifiers are an excellent example

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i accessed the 'word' help index for accessiblity and noted the modifications that can be made in the general classroom.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>for example, One can change the size or magnification of text and objects, zoom in on or out of a document, make toolbar buttons larger, scroll and zoom in a Word document by using the Microsoft IntelliMouse pointing device.  all of these features can be implemented in the general classroom.

Amber>>so many times teachers are now using PP but the try to fit all there notes on to 1 slide and unless a student can read that through the 1:1 computer if they are in the classroom it makes it hard to read

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i agree.  a printout of  slides would be a good modification in that case.  (blown up)

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>as was mel's case in the case study reading.

Amber>>there are so many things out there--simply things that students can us and teachers can find that make this problem less a problem

Amber>>Yes!

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>and this class is helping me to recognize what can be done, and in turn i will be sure to share the information with many (hundreds) of future teachers.

Amber>>What I also find intersting is that alot of these strategies are used in the elem level and then seem to drop out by high school when we really need it

Amber>>Excellent!!

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i need to become more 'in tune' with what is actually going on in the schools with respect to AT.  i want to do a research study.  are you able to be an instructor for an independent study at the graduate level?

Amber>>why do you think high school or even middle school do not use the devices and stra as like in elem school?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>we've talked about AT decisions being made and perhaps articulated on a student's iep.  those decisions may be made while the individual is in elementary school. 

Amber>>Yes I have several that do as long as the course can be the EDUC code which comes out of the dean's office or as others have done sopken with their advisor to make it happen

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>although the students needs' change and the technologies change, the modifications are not changing when the student enters middle school. this is one response to your questions. i'm certain there are multiple reasons why middle school grades may not implement AT in general classroom as much.

Amber>>but IEP's cont through middle and high school

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i know, but do the iep's change with respect to at? it's worthy of examination, i think.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i may pursue an independent study, would you be willing to be the instructor, if i can make it happen?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>it won't happen in spring.

Amber>>it just seems like more elem teachers are up to date either PD wise or just knowing because they have it happening in their classrooms even if its another teacher or aid doing it they still see and have knowledge about...

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i'm not sure that what you are saying is true.  i haven't read the research to confirm or argue with it.  i know many secondary ed. teachers who are advocates of technology for all in their schools.

Amber>>but then in high school it seems like the teachers are BLANK with or about any knowledge(perhaps a little strong voice--but I was also a high school teacher so feel I can state strongly) 

Amber>>good point not sure any research has been done with this area---tech yes teachers esp high school are VERY tech savy but not AT so

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i teach a grad. class to a group of teachers from all levels and disciplines. once they have the knowledge about AT, i think they will be not only advocates, but strong proponents, and ones who share their knowledge with colleagues.

Amber>>they may use software and probes and Excel --but do they use correct color s and font size--different MM aids for a variety of learners?

Amber>>Excellent so we will "chip away" at letting others know and pass along--the big thing is for GENERAL classroom teachers to know I think that is where we can really make an impact ;-)

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i don't know many who do make those modifications.  screen design and universal accessibility are a commonly discussed simple AT 'tricks'.

Amber>>Which devices did you find of little value? or wonder why people/schools purchased? or did that not occur?

Amber>>I guess we are not observing the same classrooms or even the same presentations at conferences that teachers give

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i discovered the 'low tech toolkit', as required by evelyn daily at tu. take a look at it: http://pages.towson.edu/pryan/at/images/lowtechkit.jpg  

Amber>>cute :-)

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>devices i found to be of little value, well, i think it really all depends on individual needs.  what may be valuable for one student, may have little or no value for another.  schools should have a 'borrowing system' for AT devices.

Amber>>I start to wonder now if some of the devices wouldn't be better through PDA's

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>yes, the low tech kit is 'cute' but also extremely useful, functional and low cost for general education teachers.

Amber>>we will get to that in a couple of weeks there is a state depot if you will where schools try out and if it works they then can purchase their own otherwise they can send pack and start with something else 

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i'm mentoring a faculty member for her project on PDAs as AT devices.  we begin the year-long project in a week or two.  she just received her 'acceptance' letter.

Amber>>At TU or MD

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>a 'state depot'--i so look forward to reading about it.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i saw there is going to be a presentation at bonnie johns about AT.  did you receive that information?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>the presentation is a statewide effort, not just prince george's county.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i'm mentoring a faculty at TU.  i'll hold my comment on the other.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>let's just say, i'm really glad you're at maryland.

Amber>>yes and there are some other webcast that will be happening that (for FREE) that I though I'd have the class know about I'll like those dates and times in the outline and via email

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i've had difficulty connecting to webcasts.  

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>deborah spague presented an interesting webcast from gmu, and i had my class all set to watch it, but tech. difficulties prevented us.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>how was the chat last week? 

Amber>>Sometimes the webcasts are better through indivudual computer efforts then students can listen and dialogue (most have online at the same time real time chat) along with the video and audio or they can work on something else while listening

Amber>>Excellent please review the transcripts when you get a chance

Amber>>do you have flash?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i looked for transcripts, but didn't see them on the schedule.  i'll look again and review them. yes, i have flash.

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>do you know off the top of your head when the iep is due?

Amber>>good look tonight (or whenever) at week 10 --you must use these in your class they ARE EXCELLENT some are funny but the scenerios get write to the point and are interactive

Amber>>let me check it is also listed in the calendar and in the schedule listed in the syllabus or course outlin

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>great!  i look forward to the activities!  will you send an email with a statement of expectations?  or should we do them all?

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>thanks.  i'm looking for iep due date, but you probably know exactly where to go.

Amber>>couple of weeks ideas we will brainstorm related to the scenerio which will be given out (an actual one that Dave Rose has sent) 11th and then due on Novemeber 25th

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>i read over faith's papers from your previous course.  she does good work.  thanks for providing the examples. 

Patricia  Kathrine--Ryan>>due on november 25th..got it.  thanks.

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