There are two parts to my job, one is in Adapted P.E., and the other is coaching tennis.  I've seen some opportunities for utilizing the technology were learning about in both classes.  One about our adapted courses, is that many of our students have difficulty getting exercise when school is out.  By providing them resources on a class website, we could enable them to access material that would help them continue to get exercise properly.  Adding links to sites that provide services or information for people with disability could be a very useful tool.  Creating a facebook page for the class would be a way for classmates to connect.  Many of our students need social stimulus as much as exercise.  The You-Tube video below, is a short piece from PBS about disabled drivers and their experiences getting gas at the gas station.  Videos such as this could be a valuable resource to our students who drive.  Many people with disabilities have to go to great lengths (bus rides, para-transit reservations, etc.) to get answers to their questions.  If they have computers, they can get answers and access to resources from their home. 

In coaching tennis there are opportunities in technology as well.  If a player has an upcoming match with a serve and volley opponent a coach could utilize podcasts about strategic game plans.  Sending the player links of professional matches where a baseline player was effective, or wasn't effective, against a serve and volley opponent would be useful as well.  Many instructors use video in their lessons as a way of cataloguing issues related to a players technique.  Visual imagery can be an effective resource for athletes, and can be easily accessed through technology we've perused in this course.

I liked the analogy between the tape recorder on the desk and the I-pod in your pocket.  I think the most beneficial aspect of being able to revisit lectures via podcasting is the access to the words of the professors.  The nuance that they provide in lectures can be utilized by students so that they, in essence, have their own tutor.  Having access to the lectures after the fact may help students pay more attention to the big picture during class by not having to worry about

I thought the most interesting aspect of this article was that the students in this class reported the positive effects of podcasting on their oratory ability.  The repetition of auditory practice in a comfortable setting allowed the students to develop a level of composure in speaking publicly.  Having students orate with academic vernacular is good preparation for, in this case, being historians.  The convenience of the I-pod seemed to resonate with the students as well, they felt a versatility in accessing their resources.  I can see the utility of  

I thought the article exhibited the fact that podcasting is a form of communication that can be utilized as a learning tool if given the proper content and format.  In the course of these first two classes I've utilized podcasts to learn a number of things.  For students who are a auditory this medium has many advantages.  If such a student reads an assignment, but is having trouble understanding it, an audio file might be a useful way for the instructor to facilitate a particular

The most influential changes to our culture often come from innovations in technology, and never more so than with the proliferation of the internet into modern society.  Identifying how this social integration will affect our society is a very important field of thought. The momentum of this change is irrevertable, and so lamenting the loss of "long form discourse" seems somewhat nostalgic.  The crux of the matter seems to echo the moniker of the generation.  What does "always on" mean in terms of what is lost and what is gained?  

                                                        what is lost
What is lost is the benefit that accompanies the absence of technology.  Reading books, though possible on the web, requires time and respite from distraction.  Just the act of reading a book involves many functions of the brain:  imagination, language decoding, critical thinking, vocabulary, etc.  It takes focus and patience, but the intellectual rewards are great.  Often when I'm reading a passage in which meanings are layered and complex, I have to sit and think about what I've read and reengage with the text repeatedly to cypher out a sense of its structural currents.  Having spent time educating in English and observing classes I see an impatience for the diligence that is required in careful reading.   Other activities like learning an instrument or mastering a sport take extreme devotions of time and energy to complete.     

I think the study that was analyzed in the article focused more on the relative perceptions of the students rather than a picture of the effectiveness of social media in education.  I think the study reasonably supported the notions that social media has benefit in the development of engagement in students.  There is also undeniable evidence that social media is becoming ever more integrated into our children's development.  Whether or not this engagement translates into greater student success at achieving the objective learning outcomes is less clear. 

I think that with every new technology introduced in society something is lost and something is gained.  For instance, with the advent of writing, oral traditions become less necessary for cultural transmission.  This allows a much greater catlogue of permanent information, but it also has the effect of diminishing the richness of oral storytelling.  I worry about the implications of blogging, texting, and other new methods of communication in terms of vocabulary and language development.  I've been a tutor of English in the study center at my junior college, and I have found that large numbers of students to be distracted by technology.  For instance, many students use technology as a substitute for actual engagement with material.  Instead of reading, they can scavenge assignments off the web or just get answers from friends in class.  This is not a new problem, but it has been exacerbated by the abundance of resources on the net.  When brainstorming for ideas with students, I sometimes notice an unwillingness to sit and read, as they would rather be told an answer than come up with one on their own.  With an i phone in one hand, a laptop in the other, today's students are a touch away from any distraction possible.  I remember going on many road trips as I grew up, with nothing but windows and books to occupy me.  I remember doing alot of deep thinking during these times on the road.  Some of my best thinking occurs when I'm detached from the humming screens and wires of modern technology.  Sometimes our minds respond better to a deprivation of resources rather than a surplus.  I still think social media can be enriching in many ways.  I simply think that people need time for quiet rumination, time to contemplate their navel without the beep of a new text or e-mail. 

Having just started my personal learning network, I can say that I can truly appreciate the convenience of having access to a central site that pivots towards websites and resources that are important to me.  I chose NPR for its versatility in objective journalism.  For medical information I chose the American Medical Association, it relates to Adaptive P.E. because we are constantly getting new students with disabilities that are worthy of researching.  I chose an APA style page.  In English we use MLA so it is somewhat unfamiliar.  As an educator I can see that centralizing your resources can be an effective tool. Below is my first embedded photo from instagram.  This is some members of our Adapted PE class this spring.  A fun bunch!

I use ebsco as an academic search site.  I use various periodical newssites, avoiding excessive propaganda.  If I have a question about anything I will use the internet to find a credible source.  I like NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and others.  I use many academic sites as springboards for information.  I have loved the internet as a resource for information.  I have not, until now, been involved with too much social media.  I am a private person and have some discomfort with social media though I can see many benefits to staying up with contempo

I work in Adaptive P.E. helping students with a wide variety of disabilities.  In this field my greatests strength is the patience and humor I bring to our students.  Aside from the physical rehabilitative aspects of our classes, some of the most enduring qualities that students take is a sense of community and belonging that many in our classes struggle to find.  What I bring to the class is laughter, motivation, and understanding.  From students who are post-stroke, to students with ms, to students with muscular dystrophy or chronic back pain, I have a good ability to connect with them in a positive way.  What I can improve on is in acquiring more condition specific details, in terms of rehabilitation that can enhance what I have to offer.  I love my job because I feel like I help people, I think you can't overvalue that.  Loving your job is a strength in itself.