Accessibility Features - Mac OS X Mavericks

For this blog post, I chose to evaluate some of the accessibility features available on my computer. For this class, I have been using a Macbook Pro with Mac OS X. There are a number of different accessibility features built in with this operating system. These features can be found in System Preferences.

The accessibility features are broken down into three categories: seeing, hearing, and interacting. The first group deals with features to assist with visual disabilities. The features include adjustments for basic screen settings such as color and contrast. Also included are settings for zoom features. The final feature in this category is Apple’s Voiceover technology. I was not familiar with this technology prior to writing this blog. I took the time to go through the provided tutorial and found it very interesting. This feature is extremely powerful and allows blind users the ability to accomplish tasks by using various keystroke combinations. I think it would take a lot of practice to master all of the keystrokes, but I think the technology and features are well designed. It is also great that this powerful tool comes built-in with the operating system.

In the hearing sections of the settings there are features for audio settings and closed captioning. One thing I found interesting was the audio settings that allow the screen to flash in order to signify an alert sound. Also, there is a checkbox in the closed caption settings that can be selected in order to play SDH (subtitles for deaf and hard of hearing) whenever possible. You can even change the font and appearance of the subtitles.

The last accessibility section deals with interaction. There are a number of features that I am familiar with including sticky keys, slow keys, and voice commands. The most powerful and interesting feature is the switch control. This allows a user with limited mobility to operate the computer and use full functionality through the use of a single switch. The user can also create custom panels for their own shortcuts and favorites. Overall, I think Apple has done an incredible job offering such powerful built-in accessibility features in OS X. Below is a video that explains in greater detail some of the tools I mentioned above. The first 13 minutes of the video relate to accessibility features.

Reference

(2014) OS X Mavericks: Use Accessibility Features. Retrieved from http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14322

Technology Integration Challenges - Social Studies

Technology integration in education continues to increase as teachers are constantly thinking of new and creative ways to incorporate technology into the curriculum. Each content area holds unique challenges in effectively using technology. In this blog entry, I will explore the challenges specifically related to integrating technology in the social studies content area.

Technology integration in social studies seems to be progressing at a slower pace than some other subjects. In many ways, social studies could be seen as the “forgotten subject” as it relates to technology integration. In his article, Michael Berson (2002) points this out stating, “we have lacked universal constructs regarding the integration of technology into the social studies and struggled to identify a theoretical basis to guide the selection and application of technology in the classroom.”

A second challenge for technology integration in social studies is a misconception about the computer and how it can be used as an effective educational tool. In the past, the computer has been limited by many as simply being a research tool or a way to access information. Berson also makes note of this, stating “the marginalization of computers as a means to facilitate access to content does not take into account the potential role of technology in developing students’ process of inquiry” (Berson, 2002). We have to be creative and integrate technology into social studies in ways that promote problem solving and higher-level thinking. This kind of integration can be challenging. We have to be willing to rethink approaches and not simply marginalize the use of computers and software in ways that can be easily transferred into existing approaches (Berson, 1996).

So how do we solve the challenges of integrating technology into the social studies? I think ultimate change lies in the hands of those who “teach the teachers.” College professors, school administrators, and professional development employees have to help with this change. They must promote new methods and creative ideas. They must model these methods. In researching this topic, I came across a particular article in which the author describes her college education department’s attempts to teach students how to integrate technology into social studies education (Crowe, 2004). These types of efforts must become more common for technology integration to improve in the social studies content area.

References

Berson, M. J. (1996). Effectiveness of Computer Technology in the Social Studies: A Review of the Literature. Journal Of Research On Computing In Education, 28(4), 486-99.

Berson, M. J. (2002). REFLECTING ON TECHNOLOGY IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES Past, Present and Future Perspectives. International Social Studies Forum, 2(2), 159.

Crowe, A. R. (2004). Teaching by Example: Integrating Technology into Social Studies Education Courses. Journal Of Computing In Teacher Education, 20(4), 159-165.

Relative Advantage - Using Technology in Teaching Social Studies

Using technology in teaching can make the material “come alive” and make the content areas more engaging for students. In this blog entry, I will focus specifically on the relative advantage of using technology in Social Studies / History education. I will discuss two important benefits that technology provides in Social Studies education. The first advantage is the ability of technology to bring life, energy, and excitement to history through the use of games and simulations. The second advantage is the ability to access primary source documents and the impact this has on presenting material to students.

Games and simulations are invaluable tools that provide a great advantage in history education. Perhaps the most familiar to most people would be the computer game “Oregon Trail.” I can remember playing this game as a kid and having so much fun that I didn’t even realize that I was learning about westward expansion (even though most of the time all I wanted to do was hunt). I also remember playing “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” This game taught me so much about different countries and cultures. These types of activities are much more engaging than reading a textbook or listening to a lecture. DiCamillo and Gradwell (2012) explain that, “advocates believe simulations promote active learning in the classroom.” They also state, “researchers have asserted that simulations assist students in learning historical concepts and make history and social studies engaging and relevant (DiCamillo and Gradwell, 2012).

Another great benefit provided by technology is the ability to access primary source documents. Teaching history is much more meaningful when you can show students an actual document, picture, video, or audio recording. In their article about the benefits of using primary sources Morgan and Rasinski (2012) explain that “primary sources allow a student to get as close to a moment in time as possible, to have more of the firsthand, lived through experience that is so crucial for deep understanding.” The authors go on to describe how using primary sources allows the teacher to relive and investigate the story instead of simply telling his or her students about it.

There are many advantages to using technology in the Social Studies content area. These are two that I feel are most important. We should utilize these technology tools in order to enrich the learning experience for our students.

References

DiCamillo, L., & Gradwell, J. M. (2012). Using Simulations to Teach Middle Grades U.S. History in an Age of Accountability. Research In Middle Level Education Online, 35(7), 1-16.

Morgan, D., & Rasinski, T. (2012). The Power and Potential of Primary Sources. Reading Teacher, 65(8), 584-594.