As we begin the new school year we have an opportunity to start with a clean slate. Writing is a skill that many students struggle with, from grammar, idiom and spelling to punctuation and footnotes.
Joshua A. Danish says it takes a village to effectively integrate new technologies such as the iPad into elementary classrooms.
As we reported recently, some school districts are investing in iPad2 touchpad tablets in kindergarten classrooms. In an opinion piece published in the Indianapolis Star, Indiana University assistant professor Joshua A. Danish says that though tablets such as the iPad have potential to be a powerful tool for teaching and learning, educators shouldn't jump the gun.
"In 1987, Apple produced a concept video demonstrating a future computer called the Knowledge Navigator. The tablet-like device offered the user a natural language interface, video conferencing, multi-touch display and access to a global network of information. Siri understands what you say, accomplishes tasks for you and adapts to your preferences over time.mSiri can help you find and plan things to do.
While seemingly the product of an overactive imagination, Apple's recent acquisition of Siri brings Apple a lot closer to that vision than ever before. Siri reportedly was born from the CALO artificial intelligence project which sought to fulfill a call for a "a cognitive computer system should be able to learn from its experience, as well as by being advised."
Apple's value in acquiring Siri appears to be focused on this personal assistance technology. "
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The Assistive Technology Blog: "There's an App for that!"
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It features a picture schedule which can be customized using photos from the iTouch photo library or using photos contained in the small iPrompts library. The second feature is a 2 picture choice board which can also be customized with pictures from the iTouch photo library or the iPrompts library. By turning the iTouch to landscape mode, when the student touches his choice the other choice is shaded. Finally, the last feature is a visual timer. A picture can be included along with the timer that gives the student a visual cue as to how much time is left in a particular activity. READ MORE...