Blog Journal 7

     I was already very familiar with twitter from using it socially, and it was no surprise that using it in an education capacity was very easy and useful. Twitter allows for effortless interaction between both educators and other educators, but also student to educator as well. Collecting opinions, dispersing news, or nearly any kind of communication is very easy on twitter for any purpose, and education is no exception.
     Making my own website was an interesting process. Apart from learning how to use weebly software effectively, which I must say was painless, the assignment gave me a better understanding of what kind of information one would want on a teacher website, as well as an appreciation for graphic designers. I could absolutely see myself using weebly or a similar service to create a website in my future career as an educator. Websites are invaluable for making all sorts of important information available to students, parents, and other educators.
     Assistive and adaptive technologies are truly incredible and have certainly changed the landscape of not just education, but life in developed countries in general. Students that have a hard time hearing or speaking or writing properly being able to do those things with the help of technology and opens all kinds of new doors for students that previously had to simply miss out or get left behind. My Grandfather, for instance, has used a hearing aid for decades, as his work in aircraft hangers before the days of ear protection has left him close to deaf. With the aids, however, he can hear and communicate as easily as anyone. Difficulties in classroom use would primarily relate to efficiency, I believe. Students with assistive technology would likely still move at a slower pace than their peers, and this would require attention.