Google drive..you confusing thing you.

I know that I will someday look back on this and realize how much I actually enjoy Google Drive. Until then, I'll remain utterly confused. I know that some day I will fully understand how to use it and what buttons do what things, where to go and how to navigate.. all things take practice, right? I'm hoping that by the end of this semester I'll at least have that under my belt... I'm hoping that my efforts and continuous don't effect my grade! Overall, I enjoyed the collaboration effort done by the small group. I was confused in the beginning as to what roles were assigned to each student, and how these roles were introduced in the actual article.. but by being the last one in the group to post, I figured filling in the last bits of the 9-strategy sequence was my best fighting effort. Hopefully I'll quickly learn how to use this new technology  (to me) effectively!

ACC WebQuest

Well.. first off, I hope that I did the assignment right. The way I took the assignment, was as a giant scavenger hunt throughout someone else's WebQuest. Since there wasn't any given instruction on us actually making our own WebQuest, I'm assuming that this will come in future modules. Overall, I really enjoyed doing this scavenger hunt type of assignment. I felt that collecting data and notes on different case studies is a good way to individualize each student based on their abilities, and to present them in according ways to fit their personal needs. I chose the student with multiple disabilities mainly because it seems as though this student has similar disabilities to that of my cousin, Tara. While collecting the data and resources for the student, I couldn't help but think of how these resources could be used for Tara, too. It's very interesting to see how students differ and are alike all at the same time. Thats the beauty in the world of Exceptional Education.. not only do we see new things every day, we learn new things as well.

As for ACC as a whole, I find it a wonderful tool that any educator should take full advantage of in their classroom. Because education today is now based on collaboration and the idea that not all students learn the same, I find it very important for teachers to continue implementation of new ideas and tools that students can use to complete their curriculum assignments! In the special education classroom more importantly, students are given the tools needed to further assist them in making strides towards IEP goals, as well as assessments and accountability in the school. I can see myself using these tools on a daily basis with my students in a special education setting.

Is Facebook Necessary in the Classroom?

This is the first time this semester that I've had 50/50 feelings on a given topic. For the most part with just about everything, I'm either for it, or against it. This topic however, strikes me both ways. I see where all the hype is about integrating Facebook into the classroom, but at the same time I can't help but question.. do the risks outweigh the benefits? I can't help but wonder if integrating Facebook into a special education classroom will only add more steps onto homework and other instruction outside of class. There are so many questions that fill my brain when I think about student/teacher collaboration through the use of Facebook. What happens to the students who don't have internet access at home? What happens if they don't have the support at home to assist in their use of the internet? Does that child get left out of instruction? Do they access it at school? Can they access it at school? I can't help but wonder all the limitations and problems that can arise from the use of Facebook (and other social media networks) in the classroom. On top of all these factors, why is that schools internet access denies the use of Facebook and other social media networks? Is this suppose to mean that these websites are not recommended for school use? If so, shouldn't we follow this recommendation? After all, a good portion of the internet is either filled with two things: garbage or sites telling you that the information you see is garbage.

In a more light-hearted sense of things, Facebook and other social media networking sites could do wonders in collaboration and lesson making for teachers. It's been said time and time again, teaching is a collaborative effort. The sharing of ideas and philosophies are what makes a good teacher. Using sites like Facebook, twitter, tumblr, etc. can easily allow teachers to access the ideas of other teachers, whether they're across the state or across the globe. Thats the nice thing about the internet and social media, it connects us on a global level.

Personally, I believe that the students (especially those with disabilities) should be taught in the simplest of ways. A teachers job is to teach in the classroom, and provide their students with enrichment and tools that they can use outside of the classroom. A teachers involvement in the students social media aspect of life is more of a personal preference, and I don't believe it should be enforced. There are many factors of the internet that parents may censor from students, especially at the elementary level. Although classroom instruction, games, or homework through the use of Facebook is completely harmless, there are a lot of things within these websites that are not  harmless.