At the start of this course, I stated that technology gotten away from me (in the last eleven years). In that time frame, I earned my second BS and have worked and am still working in an area that is quite low-tech. Scary as this sounds, I have always been considered quite “techy” compared to other Speechies that I've worked with. I was able to stay in my comfort zone, but that is a dangerous place to be. By taking this course, I had to step outside of that comfort zone.
Through Ed521, I've had the opportunity to experience working with different websites, tools, and apps that I was unaware of. Some I feel more comfortable with than others. Some will take more "sandbox" time. I am so excited about the new resources that I've learned about and different way to integrate them.
Since I am not a classroom teacher, I will be using the knowledge learned from Ed521 a bit differently. Working for a Special Ed. Unit in a rural area, I'm especially excited about the possible uses for Google Hangouts and Doodle Poll. These are two resources that could be of great benefit to our entire unit especially since we are so rural and in recent years have experienced a large population increase.
As Speechies, a lot of the work we do is with older students in the area of social communication. As a result of taking this course, I have started to ponder the role of speechies now and in the future. At present time, we cover such topics as eye contact, vocal tone, volume, body language, etc. What about the social rules of communication on or socially appropriate uses of electronic devices?
As a Speechie, I also work with students in the areas of science and social studies. Some of this is assistance with vocabulary and study skills/studying, but we also lend support services to what the teacher is covering in the classroom. As more and more teachers become proficient 21st Century Educators, Speechies too must become 21st Century Educators in order for carry over to occur.
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