What did you think? What were potential accessibility issues? How would you change it?

I think that the IPad has definite benefits for use in the classroom.  My biggest concern is that it could further the inequalities that we see in schools.  Students who are from families that can afford to buy an IPad for their child will reap the benefit of the applications and exploration that it allows.  I worry that this will result in a further unfair advantage for these students over the students who come from low socio-economic families.  After seeing toddlers using IPads and smart phones, I can only imagine how far behind students who do not have access to these devices may feel upon entering school.  Even for our assignment, I felt that I was at a disadvantage because I do not have an IPad and live far from campus.  This past week was busy at work and I stayed until after 7 each night.  I also volunteered at my school on Saturday and worked through Sunday.  Because of this, I did not have a chance to even try to upload the article to the Subtext site.  I generally enjoy a challenge, but I felt frustrated to feel that I was at an automatic disadvantage.  I would imagine that many of our students will feel similarly when attending schools in which some students have access to the latest and most up to date devices, while others do not even have access to a computer or internet.  

The following article describes a school that eschews the use of technology in the classroom and even at home.  Although I believe this is an extreme and doesn't necessarily take into account the benefits and necessity of assistive technology, it is nevertheless an interesting counter argument to the current trends in school across the nation.  Do we wait for true equality before introducing technology in classrooms, or do we provide as we can to different schools, neighborhoods and students?  What will be more beneficial in the long run?

I believe that schools should foster equality and I worry that schools that are provided with the funds or donations of IPads for each classroom or even every student, goes against that basic belief.  Wouldn't it be amazing if for every five IPads sold, Apple donated one to schools.  We would certainly take the first generation.  Is this fair to ask of corporations or companies?  How can we ensure that we are allowing for equality in access to technology in the classroom?   

To provide for the first principle of universal design, or equitable use, any playground should be designed to accommodate children using crutches, canes, walkers, or wheelchairs, and to provide opportunities for social, cognitive, sensory and motor activity and engagement.  If playgrounds are built with this consideration in mind, the playground should inevitably accommodate a wide range of interests, preferences and abilities.  Funding would be needed, as well as a commitment to finding and creating open spaces to plan and build the playgrounds of the future.  For these playgrounds to exist there has to be support and a common consensus that the equipment and changes that are designed to meet the needs of some children, will in fact benefit all children.  The design must take into consideration the space and the size needed for access by all children (principle seven).  When thinking about accessibility issues, there are of course deeper issues facing any area, such as access to transportation, finding caregivers and aids to assist those children that may need constant supervision and aid when engaging in physical activities, but these playgrounds can be built.  The designs and equipment exist, but communities need to be educated in the importance of utilizing and incorporating these designs when building new structures or renovating old playgrounds.  Since funding is so limited, especially in recent years, a viable solution may be to create modifications to existing structures that allow these structures to be more accessible.  Rather than replacing all of the swings with more modern, wider swings that allow for physically disabled children to use them, maybe just one swing is switched.  Ramps can be built over existing steps.  It will take creativity and a drive, but to ensure that all children have access and feel included in such a public space, would surely be worth it.

How can we motivate community members to have a vested interest in improving our parks and playground spaces?  How do we encourage all parents and community members to advocate and care for a minority of the park users?

In thinking about the playground that I visited, and looking at it through the lens of the Seven Universal Design Principles, I began to imagine some of the improvements that could be made to the space.  Fortunately, others have also had similar ideas so there were a plethora of examples that outline and show how parks and playground spaces can be envisioned to be made accessible and 'user friendly' to all students.  

The simple motion of a wavy surface such as the one pictured above can provide entertainment for all children.  It's like a mini-rollercoaster for a wheelchair and permanent wave for feet.

The park above included swings that are tempting for even adults to sit in.  Specially designed and harnessed for students with limited mobility, they can also be used by fully-able bodied children as well.  I'd even be tempted to sit and swing in one, definitely an upgrade from the cracked leather slates of the swings in my youth.

Even cooler.

It would be important to ensure access to all areas of the playground to those in wheelchairs or with limited mobility.

At the end of the day the hope is that all children, big, small, walking, immobile, learning disabled or typically developing have spaces that allow them to just be kids.

The overview of the Universal Design for Learning, highlighted the basic principles of the UDL philosophy and core understandings.  Of these I find that the idea that each and every student in a classroom is unique to be the most important.  As classrooms become more diverse and as educators learn new methodologies and more about the intricacies of learning, the belief that each of our students are individuals should and will be at the forefront of education.  Old approaches simply no longer work.  Educators are not willing to accept that students have to bend their learning to our practices.  We see and place value in the diversity of thinking and learning.  As educators we have to understand and believe that all students know and all students want to know.  It is the challenge that we accept when we take on the responsibility of teaching to constantly improve and reflect upon our teaching.  

The Future is in the Margins proposes that classrooms and teaching as we know it today is on the precipice of a major shift in thinking.  As new technology is developed and introduced into our classrooms, there will be new opportunities for students to gain access to content and to practice skills.  This technology is not meant to make teaching easier, but to create new entry points for students.  To increase their engagement and understanding.  I found it particularly exciting when Rose and Meyer stated that 'the capacity of multiple media and new technology means that there will be a more diverse and flexible palette for communication' (page 3).  In this sense, we are creating an opportunity and mindset that explores how to create and develop classrooms and settings in which all learners ultimately benefit by creating a richer menu of means to represent information, allow for students to express their understanding, and create new methods for students to become and continue to be excited and enthusiastic about learning.  I fully support the move towards Universal Design Learning in that I subscribe to the belief that we have to push ourselves as educators to discover and convey these means to students.  Through this, we will encourage collaboration and conscious learning in ways that have yet to be seen in actuality.  

A staple environment of any childhood, parks are often inadequately equipped for students with physical disabilities.   All parks should be accessible to and by all children.  No child should have to sit and watch others playing simply because designers didn't think to include access ramps or specially tailored swings for children in wheelchairs.  Parks should work to become more friendly for students who have lost their hearing or vision as well.  When we agree that all children should be encouraged to play and develop great senses of imagination, what does it mean if we don't make those play spaces accessible to each and every child?

Background and Experience

My name is Lindsay Williamson and I have just begun my seventh year of teaching.  Over the course of my career I have taught at many different levels and in many ways it feels like my first year of teaching.  As and undergraduate student at Boston College I studied secondary education and history before staying a fifth year for a Master’s in educational and developmental psychology.  While in the Master’s program I was a teacher’s assistant in a self-contained classroom for students with autism at a public elementary/middle school.  After completing my degree I returned to New York and taught high school history for three years at the Heritage School in East Harlem, NY.  Towards the end of the third year I realized that I wanted to live and work abroad and I decided to join the Peace Corps.  I was sent to Cape Verde, a small island nation in West Africa.  I taught English and teaching methodologies to aspiring teachers at the University of Cape Verde.  After traveling throughout Africa for a few months, I returned to New York and was accepted into the Peace Corps Fellows Program.  I am enrolled in the ID/Autism and plan to graduate after the fall 2013 semester.

Expectations

I am hoping that this course will help me to become more aware of the function and benefits of technology in the classroom and help me to feel more comfortable in my attempts to use it.  As an undergraduate I took a computer programming elective my senior year and felt overwhelmed by all of the information and code.  Whereas I had taken the course to increase my ability to use technology as a teacher, I fear it scared me a bit and I have been a relatively reluctant user since.  I expect my students to take risks and I want to push myself to take more risks in regards to technology.

Technology

I am reliant on my computer and phone.  I was hesitant to switch to a ‘smart’ phone, but once I did I realized just what I was missing out on.  I use my computer to e-mail, create documents, organize all of my lessons, materials, and information.  I try to keep a digital classroom, as I feel that it is more sustainable and easier that maintaining multiple filing cabinets.  I use technology to a limited extent in my classroom in that I often use the document camera and project information on the SMART Board, but I do no fully utilize the SMART Board to the extent that I would like to.  When using technology, I will try new programs or resources, but I tend to stick with what I know and am comfortable with.   I often think if I had more time I would take more risks.

Problem-Solving

Martinez’s article hit on many points that I feel I stress when working with my own students.  In the first two days of class we have already discussed the importance of learning from errors.  I want my students to internalize the idea that it’s okay to be confused, or even frustrated.  It’s what you do about those feelings that is important.  I was struck by Martinez’s insight that many times it’s that first step that is the most challenging.  I liked his ideas of breaking down a task into parts, and appreciated that he recognized that it would be difficult to remember and organize all of those step.  At PS 503 we use the Habits of Mind to encourage students to think about their thinking and to realize that it is important to think flexibly and to take risks.  I was really amazed at how many of these habits, Martinez spoke of in his article.  The article helps to pull everything into perspective in that in a time when students, teachers and administrators are under such intense pressure to be ‘successful‘ that the means are often dominated by the end and this article is a good reminder and provides a solid argument that the means are just as, if not more important to reaching the end goal.  

I strongly believe humor is a necessity in life.