On the Stockton Page, there is an Accessibility Toolbox section under The Wellness Center box and it features many different tools that students and professors can use to help with learning in the classroom. Some of the ones I will discuss are Action Blocks, Speechify, AudioNote, Easy Reader, Remember the Milk, Mindly, and Zoom Reader.

The first tool I want to discuss is Action Blocks and that is a Communication Tool. Action Blocks can be configured to speak phrases and makes routine actions easier with customizable buttons, but it is only available on an Android. This can help teachers and students that speak different languages become able to properly converse in the classroom.

The next tool I want to discuss is Speechify which is an Audio/Speech Tool. Speechify can create audiobooks out of almost anything. Instantly listen to any pdf or highlighted text with the tap of a button. This would allow students to have an easier time reading and be able to read text faster as well.

The third tool I want to discuss is AudioNote which is a Note Taking Tool. AudioNote synchronizes notes and audio. Notes can be taken at the time of recording or added later, and each link to the recording so your text, drawings, and photos highlight during playback. This can allow students to take notes easier and quicker instead of taking the time to write it all out on their document or paper.

The fourth tool I want to discuss is Easy Reader which is a Reading Tool. Easy Reader is an accessible reading application for individuals with dyslexia, low vision and blindness. This allows kids with disabilities such as dyslexia and blindness, to read what they need for class and not fall behind the other students who do not suffer from these disabilities.

The fifth tool I want to discuss is Remember the Milk which is a Time Management Tool. Remember the Milk can organize your priorities, due dates, and lists. Set reminders via email, text, IM, Twitter and mobile notifications. This will help keep students on task and will help make sure that nothing is late or unfinished.

The sixth tool I want to discuss is Mindly which is a Writing Tool. Mindly helps organize an individuals thoughts, captures ideas, assists in planning a project, preparing a speech, and note taking. This will help students figure out how to structure their essays, speeches, and projects so that it can all be smooth and consistent.

The seventh and final tool I want to discuss is Zoom Reader which is a Visual Tool. Zoom Reader pairs with iOS device’s camera to magnify and read printed text. This program is designed to help people who are visually impaired or have low vision. It would help visually impaired students read and keep up with the class so they do not fall behind due to their disability.

In the accompanying Wakelet for Chapter 2 in the textbook, Sail the 7 C’s, I found this site that Microsoft created that provides a free translator for teachers with students that do not speak the same language. This translator can be used for all types of languages and even sign language as well, so kids who are deaf can learn just as quickly as their other classmates.

This app can create a lot of diversity in the classroom, especially if there are one or more students that do not speak English or have trouble speaking a certain language, it can allow the teacher and other classmates to communicate with those students and make sure that they do not fall behind or feel left out during lessons or conversations. It can also open up lots of possibilities for teachers to teach abroad and travel to different countries and teach at foreign countries where schooling is a very limited thing.

Overall, Microsoft really closed the bridge with communication gaps by creating this translator. It can open the door to many new teaching possibilities in the future and will help children all around the world grow and thrive in their futures.

Source:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/translator/education

Discovery is normally known for their shows about animals around the world like Shark Week or the Puppy Bowl, but did you know that they also have virtual field trips that are extremely useful to teachers and students around the world?

These “field trips” are usually 20-30 minute videos that go in depth and give very useful information about a specific topic that usually pertains to something going on in the world today. It also makes it fun for kids to watch because they will show lots of different scenes and images that pair with the topic and even have parts where they show the audience how something works and break it down for them. Keeping the topics modern and up to date is very important so students can properly learn and understand what is going on in the world today.

Overall, Discovery really hit the mark with the virtual field trips by making them filled with useful information and all while making it fun and intriguing for students around the world. It is a great idea and hopefully more channels like Discovery can use this idea and make something as helpful to teachers and students as the virtual field trips are.

Sources:

www.discoveryeducation.com/community/virtual-field-trips

Article by Level Up Village. Blog Written by Nick Bianchi

There are many amazing benefits to Global Collaboration that can be thought of in the classroom, but there are a few that stand out in particular. They are Inquiry-based learning, appreciation of diversity, students becoming dealers, and empathy.

Inquiry-based learning:

“Children are naturally curious about the world around them. They have vivid imaginations, and they use their curiosity to explore and learn about themselves and that world. Inquiry-based learning triggers this curiosity as it leads children to ask questions about things that interest them.”

Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/

Appreciation of diversity:

“When virtual exchanges begin, students naturally notice and acknowledge the differences between them and their global partners, and throughout the exchanges, they develop their appreciation of diversity. Interestingly, though, they are even more excited when they find similarities with their global partners.”

Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/

Students becoming teachers:

“Virtual exchanges, especially those based on language, allow students to become teachers and show their expertise to other kids. In LUV Languages & Cultures courses, students exchange videos, alternating between their first and target languages. This is a great opportunity for them to teach their peers new words, phrases, or interesting idioms.”

Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/

Empathy:

“When a class of 4th graders at Newfane Elementary School in New York State participated in a project with students in Kenya, they got to learn firsthand about their peers’ lives and the challenges they faced. The experience sparked their curiosity but also encouraged them to get engaged in helping their Kenyan peers. When they found out that a local organization was raising funds to build the first library in that area, they wanted to help. They organized a fundraising event to contribute to the effort.”

Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/

As you can see, all of these different benefits of global collaboration are extremely helpful to the young minds around the world. They each contribute in students discovering new things about themselves, the things around them, and even the people around them.

Sources:

Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/

https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/