Thoughts about Autism

These past years, I have made it a point to be more mindful for specific disabilities that I thought about as a I grew up. Autism, and what the spectrum may entail. I remember my first recollection about reading this disability, from Ann M. Martin’s Kristy and the Secret of Susan. I also learned that she has published Rain Reign, a book recently about the same theme.

Recently I learned that Sesame Street is introducing  Julia, their first Muppet character with Autism. I also found this helpful from Sesame Street social initiatives to on the topic of Autism among young children.

There are much books and media available and I had read this book previously as a textbook for a class: The Parent’s Guide to College for Students on the Autism Spectrum.

I also recently read about this conversation between Emily Brooks and Nicole Chung, that speaks about current education issues, and how having a disability is more challenging under the current government.

Mr. Dude writes a blog entry about working with students with autism in a library environment.

 

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Updating…2017 onward

It has been a very long period since I have been on this blog. The last time I have updated was back in October, 2016. I am still in school, working on my second masters, which has been an interest of mine, as I go wade deeper into my chosen second degree program. I have come to some terms, and I still am continually improving my self. I will be looking to writing/publishing some more.

Publishing with Blogs @ Baruch

Baruch has embraced blogs as an educational tool with students. So this panel featured Baruch faculty and students that have used blogging as a way to talk about what they do. These are notes that I took, with some links to the blogs that I saw that I thought was useful. Many of the blogs shown were actually only in house use, meaning that it is not public, so it it only course specific.

Wide range of publishing on this platform as case study

Google analytics is free

Micro mongraphs… Thru small repetitive tasks.. Are students allowed to do historian type work to learn.

Blog focused on. Written by students at Baruch

Value added to get readers to come back.

Deliver information

Creating engagement (contests)

Blog focused on. Originally a print magazine, that transition into a digital one.

Be ahead of technology in a user friendly way

Interactive mapping.

Can allow for more pre class work. (Inform students, of what is the agenda beforehand)

Can have a public and working blog.
Librarians at Baruch Reference has a blog. 10 years old

Reference question posts.. Allow students to help themselves…

Keep it open… So that way students can learn.

Alternative way for students to participate.

Make blogging part of the grade if blogging is used as a method in class.

Remedial assistant.

(Way to speak out against wasteful time vs. productive time.)

Online participate.. 80/20% rule.

Real time and not just a prescribe time…flexibility.

Launching an online course

For this presentation Elizabeth Gareis presented in person.

Preparations

Presenting content
Student evaluations

Choosing a course

Obtain equipment and software

• Desktop/laptop
• Headset with mic
• LMS
• Screen casting software
• Video production equipment

Choose a platform suitable for your needs (Presenter used a blackboard environment)

Design a syllabus

Engagement

Wiki

Pause and reflect slides in presentation.

Discussion boards

Online learning..  (Requires great discipline)

When planning, be prepare for changes.

Erin Eatough– headed up the second portion of this panel as a remote presenter.

Her agenda was this:

• Quality matters
• Best practice recs
• Ex course

Blackboard Collaborate @ 17th Annual Teaching & Technology Conference

Okay so this was the first panel I attended at this conference, and it was mostly a run down of how to use Blackboard, what features are there. This was a panel that was definitely targeted toward instructors who would be interested in learning new features of Blackboard which is a program that is used by CUNY. This was a panel presented by Kevin Wolff and Caroline Peppers from Baruch.

Agenda for this panel

• Tools and features
• How to create a session
• Best practices q&a

What is Blackboard Collaborate?

• Online learning and collaboration platform, designed specifically for learning.

*Always run audio setup wizard before any session*
Two options.. File window or from audio video panel

Graph showing that there’s more fear than excitement for faculty members vs. IT professionals.

Whenever you’re in a lecture panel.
-Unclick talk button when not speaking to allow for others to speak and lower chance of feedback or background noise. Be in an area that is quiet to minimize background noise.

 Chatbox

• Alert with video/audio issue
• Can ask questions without interrupting the lecture
• Send hyperlinks within chatbox

Whiteboard features and as moderators… you can control:

• Manage pages
• Interact or engage or not?
• Powerpoint slides
• Privileges

Have to use pointer or pen tool to specifically interact with white board.

Save whiteboard in .wbd or .wbf files to reuse in future.

Can share other programs opened and maximize on desktop

Good only for Apps like Office Suite and not streaming video

Web tour

• Can bring students on a virtual field tour
•  Follow me.. And there’s a timer.. So mention in class chat to be aware of time, as you pull the students back in.

Know Blackboard Technical support, there’s rich support.

Starting session

               Allow them to come in at least 15 mins in advance.

Practice makes purpose

Familarize yourself with interface

Faculitate studeny orientation to technology

Engage participants

Check frequently for understanding.

Research and Grants @ PSCCUNY

This was also an panel where it was packed with speakers within CUNY who has all received grants, and was giving a bit of their experience and answering questions. 

Junior Faculty meeting @ PSCCuny

This happened to be my first Union meeting, so I ended up taking a lot of notes, since I found it relevant to my career. I am only listing down the notes I jotted down, and while this may or may not be relevant, Also as I sat in the attendees, listening to a panel of 2 to four faculty, many of the notes I wrote down have overlapped, so I’ll be editing consciously. I’ll be posting a read more tag.