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Podcasting and Aggregators:
(Sept. 22, 2007)
Podcasting has a variety of possibilities. With some basic equipment, a person could set up a radio station. That’s great for someone interested in doing that. However, podcasting offers other benefits as well. Talk radio listeners are often encouraged to download the podcast of a program. This allows people to listen to a segment they may have only heard part of or may want to listen to a second time for valuable information. Educators can use it as a tool for gaining information or as an instrument to reinforce various lessons students are learning about. My personal experience with podcasts was when I listened to an NPR (National Public Radio) segment on dyslexia when I was in my car one day. When I got home that evening, I downloaded the program, listened to it in its entirety and wrote down the names of experts in the field of reading research. It turned out to be a valuable resource for me.
Mass Media Law:
(Sept. 22, 2007)
As technology continues to evolve and provide the public with resources that have never before been available, laws must continue to evolve as well. Ideas, writing, art, and a variety of expressions are now accessible through the use of technology, and those expressions must be protected under the law from being passed off as the original work of someone other that the creator. The speed at which technology allows information to be made public creates challenges in determining who the original creator is of a piece of work. That is why it is crucial for individuals who are reproducing text, images, or ideas to proceed with caution and be familiar with the copyright laws before reproducing existing works. Students who are accustomed to easy access of information may not understand the risks involved with plagiarizing. As successful writers such as Jason Blair and Doris Kearns Goodwin have shown us, not only is it easy to plagiarize, but it is easy to get caught as well, and the damage to one’s reputation is difficult to recover from .
Broadcasting, Cable, the Internet, and Beyond
(Sept. 22, 2007)
The evolution of computer technology is phenomenal. Forty years ago, computers were used by a few pockets of people working in isolation on oversized computers that filled the room. Now technology allows us to use tiny hand-held devices that provide us with access to information, communication and entertainment, transforming the way we live our lives. I was an adult when I sat in front of a computer for the first time. In contrast, the first word my son learned to “write” was c-a-t, which he carefully typed on the keyboard at the age of two-and-a-half. Educators are now able to provide students with access to audio and video clips of great historical moments through the use of video streaming. Students can listen to speeches, see glaciers crashing into the sea, research issues from a variety of perspectives and communicate with students on the other side of the world. In spite of the risks and potential of people misrepresenting information, by following some basic precautionary measures, we can safely provide a world of information to our students that we would not have time for without the use of technology. Computers have transformed the way we teach, learn, and live our lives, creating benefits that forty years ago were almost unimaginable.
Adaptive and Assistive Technology (Sept. 11, 2007)
(Sept. 11, 2007)
From the Kurzweill Program, in which text is scanned into a special device for auditory reading, to providing accessible routes to classes for students with disabilities, Plattsburgh State’s Student Support Services offers a wide array of accommodations to students with special needs. Notetakers, tutors, and adaptive technology ensures that the college is meeting the laws covered in Section 508, the 1998 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act. Besides providing readers and scribes for students during exams, as well Braille services, counseling, and workshops, Student Support Services has created a welcoming, inclusive environment. They recognize the need to be accommodating to students’ schedules, and build trust by treating each student as an individual. I found Tommy Thompson, our guide and the head of Student Support Services, to be informative, professional, and helpful. He explained that one area they focus on is providing resources to students who are the first members of their family to attend college. I was unaware that this service was available, and I can see how valuable it is to give support to people who may not otherwise have access to a support system, ensuring their success in academic endeavors. Student Support Services is a valuable component of the learning community, and a similar tour should be available to all educators so that they may be informed about what resources are available in the field of education.
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Robin S. Belanger
SUNY Plattsburgh
belanger@westelcom.com
Last updated September 1, 2007