Hello there! Welcome to my blog where I discuss the following prompts:
1. Imagine you are asked to teach an online course or lead online training. Choose a technology from your search and discuss how you could utilize it in the distance education and e-Learning context you have chosen. Think about the needs the technology meets for users, and include it in your discussion.
2. Tech tools are specific software that can be used to develop or support online course content. Review the List of 11 Best Educational Technology Tools to Watch Out For in 2022. Select one tool from the list (or search for one) and describe how it could be used to facilitate engagement or learning in your course/training.
Happy reading!
Assistive technology is of paramount importance and is quite necessary in the distance learning climate. Generally, it supports learners with diverse needs and ultimately enhances their learning. The different forms of assistive technology include but are not limited to writing, literacy, and visual support software (Stanford, n.d.). After exploring some of these tools and their uses, it became rather difficult for me to choose a particular tool. Honestly, my choice will be based on the learning need and/or impediment of the undergraduate psychology learner. For example, for students with very low vision or for those who are visually impaired, I would resort to a text magnification software like BigType. It is a free software that automatically magnifies written text with the use of a magnifier window (Brinkmann, 2018). I would thence incorporate this software in the undergraduate psychology distance education program for the sole purpose of improving the text displays on a learner’s devices.
I would also utilize voice enabled software like text to speech for students with visual impairments and learning disabilities. Students will benefit from this tool since they will be required and responsible for completing readings and forums. Assistive technology of this nature with therefore be used to provide reading and visual-tracking support to learners who need it. Other technological tools can be used not only to support undergraduate psychology learners but to also engage them. Kahoot, for instance has been documented to be a rather engaging tool for students. I would use this tool to make learning in the distance learning climate a bit more fun and less mundane for psychology students. Generally, I think it would be a fun way to synchronously test and assess students’ understanding of course content as they move through the lessons in an asynchronous format.
“Kahoot” by The Unpublished
Here's a nice question for you: who do you think is the youngest person to have won the Nobel Prize?
“BigType 1.0” by Softpedia
“Text to Speech Software” by Quora
The above images depict the assistive tools previously mentioned. What are your thoughts on these tools? How do you think it will affect students' outcomes? I anticipate your responses!
Krista
MDE student
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus | UMGC
References
Bates, A. W. (2019). Chapter 01: Fundamental change in education, and Chapter 02: The nature of knowledge and the applications for teaching. In Teaching in a digital age. SFU Document Solutions Books. https://teachonline.ca/teaching-in-a-digital-age/teaching-in-a-digital-age-second-edition
Saba, F. (2011). Distance education in the United States: Past, present, future. Educational Technology, 11-18.
Brinkmann, M. (2018). Magnify text you write with BigType. Ghacks. Magnify text you write with BigType - gHacks Tech News
Stanford. (n.d.). Assistive technology for online learning. Stanford. Assistive Technology for Online Learning | Office of Accessible Education (stanford.edu)
Hi Krista,
Kahoot is a great solution for team quizzes and assessments for checking employees' knowledge after a training session. It's fun and competitive sharing this experience with your peers simultaneously.
Great Post!