HI Michael,
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When you said, ¡®step back into older methods of distance learning¡¯, it reminded me when I was working as a governess in a remote Australia sheep farm. I was in charge of the
kids¡¯ learning.? How kids used to learn there (maybe still do if they don¡¯t have internet connection)? was to use CB radio. Remember those? All of the kids around the vast area, maybe 9 to 12 students, were on ¡®the call¡¯ and the teacher would ask each student
a question, and that¡¯s how they would meet once a day for 30 minutes.
I would do the ¡®real¡¯ teaching¡ to motivate them to do their distance learning books that got sent to them once a week.
Not sure you were thinking of CB radio, but that¡¯s one of the older methods that I remember- in 1990.
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Natalie
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Thanks Jen. I attended four or five meetings by Zoom last week, and have already been in one Zoom meeting this week, with one more scheduled this afternoon, not to mention going to Church on Zoom
last Sunday morning.?
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One of the districts I serve in O&M is having group work sessions for the students using a platform similar to Zoom that is owned by Google. I do not remember what it is called, but I have three work
sessions scheduled with students and other related services professionals, using this platform, this coming Friday.
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Zoom and similar services are wonderful platforms, and I am aware that they are used by many people who are blind and by consumer organizations of the blind, ?Nonetheless, for most people, these kinds
of platforms are visually based. The visual aspect of them is the reason that they are so popular. In talking with some of my higher functioning students, they feel rather Zoomed out at the moment. I proposed that instead, I send them lessons and they send
me responses by snail mail with consultation between us by telephone. They seemed relieved not to have one more thing to do on Zoom. Lets face it. For many of our students, the visual aspects of Zoom and similar platforms make them just one more thing where
blind and visually impaired students do not have full access. Writing and mailing assignments, on the other hand, allows the students to practice a number of independent living skills that have transferability.
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I love all of the modern technology, although I often feel I am constantly trying to catch up and keep up with it. Nonetheless, sometimes it is good to step back to some of the older methods of distance
learning. Maybe this time off from physical school would be a good time for some of the Braille students who are learning Braille only with a Braillewriter or notetaker to have an opportunity to even step back and practice some slate and stylus skills..
Michael Byington, MA, COMS, LLC
Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist Co-located with Kansas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
(785) 221-7111 (cell and voice mail)
ByingtonCOMS@...?(office e-mail)????
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Hi folks:
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As folks trickle in, we are almost at 150+ subscribed in our new home, I thought I¡¯d throw out a topic out there (I feel like a Table Topic Master at Toastmasters as I¡¯m attending
so many Zoom meetings!).
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Share what your organization or yourself doing to continue serving clients in a ¡°long-distance¡± format? What educational things are you doing to continually stay involved in
your career??
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Please do share at a totally different world we are all experiencing!
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Jen and ¡°Cheeseball¡± Parmesan
