Hello from Calgary
Hello,
My name is Nureen. I live in Calgary, Alberta. This is my 10th and final course in the MET program. I am currently working as a special needs teacher in a Paced Learning Program. This is my 6th year working in Special Ed. I tend to use different technological tools to help with individualization of instruction and differentiation for my diverse group of learners. Many of my students are on the Autistic spectrum, are developmentally delayed and/or have issues with attention. I find technology to be a very effective tool for engagement and accommodation of my students.
I have gained many skills and learned about many digital tool from my previous MET course but I decided to take ETEC522 as my last course because I think that it will give me a different vantage point for looking at the relationship between education and technology.
I have incorporated many technological tools into my teaching and I realize that these tools are only available due to the individuals who took risks and were entrepreneur in this field. I have seen how technology can transform learning and believe this course will help me understand the background of these tools better on multiple levels.
I look forward to working with all of you in this course.
Regards,
Nureen
Posted in: Week 01: Introductions
Nureen
Peggy Lawson 6:30 pm on September 5, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Nureen – Congrats on starting your last class! It will be an honour to help you finish your journey. I believe we’ve met in an earlier course? I would love to hear of some of the assistive technology tools you’ve found helpful – we are always looking for good first-hand experience with what works, and what doesn’t.
Peggy
visramn 4:44 pm on September 8, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Peggy,
I believe you are right we have taken a class together before. I look forward to working with you also and sharing some of our experiences.
Nureen
Jonathan 7:32 pm on September 5, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Nureen/Peggy —
I’ll have to second Peggy’s comments on a lot of this. Finish strong on this last course and congrats! I’m really curious to hear what types of tools you have found to be especially effective (say top 3?). I would say every other year a student on the Autistic spectrum is part of my classroom. While I have found successful strategies it would be great to hear from someone that is working directly with the students everyday.
Jonathan
visramn 4:47 pm on September 8, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Jonathan,
In all honesty I find that any tool that is interactive and very visual is fantastic with kids on the spectrum. Anything that will keep them engaged and that will help them to explore and express their ideas. Learning in the age old manner is very daunting for a lot of these kids because they are not able to express themselves that is why visual tools provide them with more avenues to communicate.
I look forward to interacting with you this semester.
Nureen
Jonathan 5:19 pm on September 8, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Couldn’t agree more with your perspective. What’s a favourite right now? Trying to populate the school’s iPad apps with good ones.
Jonathan
kstackhouse 8:42 am on September 6, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Welcome Nureen. My wife is an OT in the elementary schools and she is often advocating for the use of various technologies to help students engage in their learning. I look forward to hearing more from your experience. Congrats on being near the end.
Ken
visramn 4:48 pm on September 8, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thank you Ken. I would love to hear about some of her experiences as well. It is great to exchange such learning experiences.
Thank you so much. I am looking forward to some down time once I am done.
Nureen
jhodi 3:43 pm on September 6, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi,
Congratulations on your last course! How nice it must be to think of all the free time you are about to open up. It is always nice to meet a fellow Calgarian and I look very forward to working with you this term. Your work sounds fascinating and like you have been able to make the most of your technological skills.
Jhodi
visramn 4:50 pm on September 8, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Jhodi,
Thank you so much fellow Calgarian. 🙂 I am looking forward to being able to start doing some leisure activities again once I am done.
I look forward to working with you.
Nureen
rebecca42 9:47 pm on September 6, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hey Nureen,
Sounds like you have some great information on effective technology. The district that I work in is very supportive of new ideas in technology and I would also love to hear what has worked well for you. My class last year had about 6 students with written output difficulties and they are still in our school. Have you tried any good speech to text, or alternative, programs? We’ve found Dragon Naturally Speaking to the be the best for the kids but still have difficulties getting it to be effective.
Glad to have you in the group!
Rebecca
visramn 4:52 pm on September 8, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Rebecca,
I have found Audacity to be helpful when working on literacy skills with my students. I have also used tool such as kidspiration, etc, that would allow for them to use other modes of communication rather than written text.
I look forward to working with you this term.
Nureen
supatel 1:49 pm on September 9, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Nureen. Welcome to the course. I see that you mentioned that you work with students in the Paced Learning Program, that seems like an interesting experience. I’ve never worked with special needs students and as a result, I know very little about what it must be like.
I also live in Calgary and work for the public board. Do you work for the public system or is it private?
Last class!!! Wow that’s exciting.
Look forward to working with you.