As a future educator, children are our first priority in our career. Therefore, we should observe and provide the best for our children. We have to set a goal to help children develop well in every areas. However, technology nowadays had made our lives more easier. But we as an adult for the children should set limits for the children not to overdosed in this technology thinggie. Because we have to aware that technology has its benefits and disadvantages towards children.
Through this blog, i had made a lot of research through the net and learn some new information through it. It really amaze me that, just a click, we had every information that we want. Adults like us are also dependant on the technology nowadays that we probably won't realize that we are to rely on it.
Technology are important to children but we had to have a limitations on it and never let technology conquer children's mind and do not replace it from concrete materials because through my learning, children still learn best through concrete when the're young and they need space for outdoor play as well to have a healthy lifestyle.
First of all you put the flour and the baking powder and the sugar in a bowl and ask the children to stir it together to combine it.
Then you melt some butter and put it in to a bowl with the vanilla extract and the egg and the children will whisk that together.
Then you pour the egg mixture in to the flour mixture along with the milk and stir it round, making sure you've incorporated all the flour.
Then you add the chocolate chip cookies, sorry the chocolate chips to the mixture and then you divide it between your muffin trays and place it in the oven for about 20 minutes.
I had went to a kindergarten before and their using this educational CD called "The Dr. Seuss Reading Games". It include different reading levels complete with two storybooks and five additional educational activities. It is a really interesting game and an excellent way to inculcate the habit of reading at an early age. The Dr. Seuss Reading game also includes introduction to basic alphabets designed for the beginners and teaches the students the art of reading by making the connection between sounds, symbols and words. One of the most popular kids’ books - The Cat in the Hat includes games and activities on every page. The interactive storybooks in the game include various options for the kids to interact with the characters and objects on screen.
" Robin Sharma quoted on his book "Who will cry when you die?" like this; "One of the most wonderful things about time is the fact you cannot waste it in advance"
How do we actually teach our children the time concept? When will the children learn to see or tell the time? At what age should we teach children to manage their time?
Chilren likes to imitate and observe what adults are doing. For example: If you always tell a child that you don't have enough time, you're busy and etc, they will also learn to be like adult as well. That is one of the cause of bad time management.
Be a role model. Unorganized busy parents usually have unorganized children. Make a schedule for personal tasks and stick to it. Demonstrate to a child how to be a successful time manager.
Tips of effective time management:
Always define your objectives as clearly as possible.
Practice important versus urgent
Managing Priorities
Wake up early
Eliminate Distraction- Telephone calls
Analyze your use of time
Having a Time Table for you as well as your children
Make routine and chore charts for each member of the family. For parents and older children, a list of chores should be enough. For a younger child, provide a sticker chart to motivate and give visual cues to complete tasks. For children too young to read, pictures and colors can represent tasks.
Create a large calender that can be reached and have space to write in. Hang it in a kitchen or dining room. List a to do list for the child.
We can use a stopwatch to teach the children the concept of time . Start the stopwatch and tell the children that they can only play until the stopwatch make sound. You can practice this method during bath time, dinner time, reading and play time.
Assistive technology devices are tools, equipment, or services that are designed to compensate for, or enhance the function of some physical or mental ability that is impaired. Children and adults who have a broad range of disabilities or limitations use assistive technology devices.
Alternative Keyboards
This offer larger keys, one-handed access, and varied layouts. In addition to meeting physical and visual needs, and alternative keyboard can provide a simpler layout for individuals with cognitive disabilities.
The products available range from keyguards that prevent accidental key activation, to alternative keyboards
with differing layouts, sizes, etc. for people who have special needs, to alternative input systems which require other methods of getting information to transfer to a computer.
2. Voice Recognition System
Voice recognition allows a user to use his/her voice as an input device. Voice recognition may be used to dictate text into the computer or to give commands to the computer
(such as opening application programs, pulling down menus, or saving work).
3. Alternative Mouse device
Mouse keys allow the user to manipulate the cursor on screen using keys on the keyboard. Many of the alternative keyboards have mouse keys built in, so the keys on the keyboard can toggle between text input or mouse
input. Many local computer vendors stock trackballs and the programmable ones are also available from assistive technology vendors. These allow the user to manipulate up to five switches to control the mouse—the more switches the user can control, the faster the mouse can be manipulated. Mouse input can also be given by high-tech pointing devices, which transmit the location of a transmitter or reflective dot on the user’s head to the computer system. Separate switches, or just dwelling on a location, are used for mouse clicks and drags. These are frequently used with on-screen keyboards for text input by people with limited movement due to muscular dystrophy.
4. Speech Synthesizer
An exterior speech synthesizer is a hardware tool used for speech production. Normally, they are used with screen readers or optical character recognition/scanning software programs for people who are blind or visually disabled. Exterior speech synthesizers were used completely before the beginning of sound cards in computers. Now, with multichannel sound cards people who use screen readers or other speech output software can have both the “voice” of the computer and the system sounds audible at the same time. Some people who require the system sounds, or who prefer to leave their sound cards to perform other functions may want to use an external speech synthesizer instead of the internal sound card.
Technology is an important educational tool for all students, offering more than Internet access for researching class projects. Those with special needs suffer from conditions that impair their ability to carry out everyday tasks. As a result they might require assistance for such disabilities. There are a range of technological devices that can help those with special needs to carry out tasks. For the computer there are certain devices that might not be easily used and there are alternatives to them. By definition, children with special needs face many challenge, so investigating technological possibilities that can provide them with opportunities to learn, share information, gain independence is especially importance.
Children with special needs require intense medical care, psychological care and financial support. Assistive technology (AT) is a technology used by children with disabilities ages 5-11. The use of Assistive Technology (AT) for children with disabilities can increase their capabilities and independence in both in and out of school settings. These items can be used for communication and productive or to provide an individual with an opportunity to experience recreational opportunities. Individuals with serious sensory disabilities such as physical disabilities, visual impairments or deafness have benefited more than any other group of individuals from advances in assistive technologies.
The advances in technology for these individuals can lead to increased productivity, employment and recreation opportunities. However, students classified as mildly disabled can also benefit from what assistive technology has to offer. AT can include a wide variety of items developed for different uses or functions such as powered mobility, adapted toys, eating systems, environmental control units, augmentative communication devices, talking word processing programs, speech recognition systems, electronic page turners, and various forms of computer access.
"Ellen uses Assistive Technology to go about her day to day life . Ellen has Cerebral Palsy and has difficulty controlling her body - she is able to access her Assistive Technology using two head switches. Through these head switches, Ellen is able to drive her powered chair, communicate with people, access the computer and internet and control her TV and household equipment."
Friday, July 2, 2010
Posted in |
12:21 PM | by becky n yvonne
As we know, there are many ways that technology can benefit our children. All it takes is the desire to learn how technology can be used to enhance the teaching and be open to new ideas for children. Technology is used as an educational tool to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. For example, the educator may give the children some projects and let them do by themselves or in groups. This may strengthen their relationships between friends and peers.
They also can gains their knowledge by doing a lot of research in order to complete their projects. On the other hand, they are able to learn the cause and effect, problem solving and creative expression through doing research, projects and some games created. Hence, they can develop their self confident and self esteem as they master these and create things from the technology learned such as they can use graphic pictures from the computer to make attractive flash cards or e-cards by using their own creativity. By doing so, they also learn how to work with one or two partners rather than working alone. This prove that they can develop further their social-
emotional skills and interactions between one and another.
Examples of E-cards online that can be create through online for children to send to friends:
www.bluemountain.com
www.123greetings.com
On the other hand, there are many ways in which technology bring benefits especially to our students with special needs. Computers have proven extremely beneficial to kids with certain speech, audio, and motor limitations. For students with special needs, they can use alternative input and output devices to interact with computer or master strong computer skills. Through these computers, they can do things that normally could not be accomplished independently. Therefore, they also can achieve by using computer to do their work and enhance their self-esteem and provides greater sense of control and engagement with others. For example, they can learn or gain a lot of knowledge from the Internet because the Internet is a tool that contains a lot of information which relates to all around the world. Hence, they can be keep in touch with their doctors or friends through chatting or web cam.
Technology can assist them gradually to earn their means of livelihood.
Children in this century generation are all fascinated by technology. They are totally living in a techno world and we have misplaced human element. Children today would have a pretty difficult time imaging life without items such as video games, Internet, television, mobile phones and iPods. There are very few children who aren't technically savvy and adept at using these gadgets since they are a part of everyday life.
This is why technology had brought negative effects to our children. In the past 20 years, children in an early age might probably hold a book, drawing during spare time, and may as well climbing on tree running around the garden playing “cops and robber”. As replacement of entertainment, parents usually provide their children technology such as video games to avoid them to go outside the house and parents are worried about children’s safety.
As we know, children have the tendency to sit in front of the computer playing games unsupervised for a long period of time. This may caused them poor eye-sight and obesity. Once the child addicted to games, they will prefer games more than physical activities. Nowadays, parents tend to pamper their children and give them what they want. For example, their children want fighting games or some violent movies, their parents will just get it for them readily. Unknowingly, their poor eye-sights and the alarming rate of the obesity on the rise are happening without parents realizing this.
However, the rise of obesity in children is a cause of concern not only from the health point of view but it impairs interaction with others and cooperation will be influenced as well. For kids the most important is their healthy and interaction with other. The lay back attitude among children is another negative effect from doing last minute work or revision. This is due to the easy accessibility information from the computer. For example, a work needed to be pass up on Thursday, the child may only be bother to do it on Tuesday because he or she depend heavily on the computer instead of their own ability to get their job done. These may harm their future. In other words, many of us not only children will not produce fast and effective work without the computer. This dependency is not healthy and productive.Furthermore, children may also use the computer to communicate or chat with others. This is dangerous as they may fall into the trap of unscrupulous adults such as sex offenders or others with bad intentions. This is why, the rate of child kidnappings and rapes are increasing.
In conclusion, to avoid these negative impacts of technology can be control with parents and teachers supervision and control over the children usage and exposure to the computer specifically and technology in general.
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