Emma's Blog

Tutorial Eight:Technical Description

2008-06-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

Provide a definition of Assistive technology.

"Any item, piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customised that is used to increase or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities" (Cook, A., Hussey, S., Assistive technologies: principles and practice. Mosby)

Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial. Provide information on size, cost and functions.

Blink Glasses. Small, average looking reading glasses connected with wire to a switch. The glasses have a sensor on them that picks up on when they blink, when to change the switch on/off. They cost $1000.00 to purchase.

How does your chosen piece of equipment increased functional capacity for the user?

It allows the user to control switches for a radio, lights, tv etc This gives them independence and ability for identity development, they are able to watch what they want and show people when they want to do something.

Tutorial Seven

2008-06-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

Explain the step by step process required to embed You Tube videos into your Blog . Consider using screen captures to provide a visual representation of these steps.

Firstly go to YouTube and type what video you want into the search engine. The best way of adding this youtube video to blooger is to copy and past the videos embedded code to a blog post. The embedded code is located on the right of the video box. Once the code has been pasted into a new post, click "publish post" and return to blog profile page and the video will be there.

Explain the step by step process required to embed a Flickr Badge into your Blog . Consider using screen captures to provide a visual representation of these steps.

Log into your flicker account. Scroll down the page and click on 'tools' in the fine print. Click on 'build a badge' about halfway down the page on the right. click on the circle next to flicker badge and then scroll down to 'choose content'. Once content has been chosen go onto 'layout' to sort out the arrangement of your badge then click 'colours'. You will then be able to preview your badge. If it is finished then copy the code at the bottom and go back to the blog page. Click on 'customize' at the top and then click 'add a page element', scroll down to 'HTML/JavaScript', paste the code into box provided. The badge should now be successfully added to the blog which can be viewed by then clicking 'view blog'

Tutorial Six

2008-05-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Provide the web address and the name of the community you are investigating.

www.bebo.com

What is the brief or focus of this community.

To provide a place to display your identity through photos, videos and conversations others can view. Somewhere to share information or to read others information and finding things in common and making friends with them.

What services are provided? How interactive is this site? How can people contribute?

Bebo is a very social site, anyone can join but to interact with others you must firstly request to be their friend, once they've confirmed they know you then communication can start. people can have their pages made private, allowing only friends to view them however most pages are public for everyone to see.

Why do people contribute to this community? What is it they are seeking?

People contribute to this community because they want to be communicating with their friends when they are away from school or have moved away and want to stay in contact. Others may be wanting to seek friends who have similar things in common.

Cut and paste an example of the topics being discussed.

Communication between friends, organising hangout time: "um im in hammy on the 28th june for two weeks when are you back home?"

Considering material presented during the course and make comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community.

People who are part of this community are able to post photos of anyone without first obtaining permission from them. Also information about people can easily be spread through schools, towns, groups of friends which may be private and not wanting to be discussed publicly. A lot of information about the page's owner is displayed such as age, hometown, school, hobbies, favourite movies/music etc which if abused could lead to identity theft or dangerous situations if people make up an identity and ask to meet with you.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comments on the benefits this community holds over traditional notions of community.

•Can allow silent observation prior to participation. This means that if someone is not sure how something is done they are able to watch and learn how others do it without physically being there and feeling the pressure of having people around you.
•Often without monetary cost. To do things within a community such as your township often means money must be spent. for example going to the movies, catching up with friends over coffee.
•Can provide large amounts of information. For example information is able to be source from a wider range of people living in different situations or having different amounts of knowledge in the subject.
•Can provide connections over great distances instantly. This means that communication between friends and family living overseas is able to be maintained. It also relates to making new friendships with people with the same interests/hobbies who don't live near you

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can.

This community doesn't allow the connection that face-to-face or verbal communication within a more traditional community does. These online communities can also be dangerous for everyone. People can stalk children or steal identity if bloggers post too much personal information. You can't always guarantee you are talking to the person you think you are.

Tutorial Four & Five

2008-05-27T16:16:00.000-07:00

Provide a brief summary of the services offered buy Youtube.

Youtube allows people to film different short activities and put them on the web for everyone to view. Applying the same theory 'a picture is worth a thousand words' to a film and it can be said to be a way of explaining how something has been done or describing what something looks like.

Provide a brief account on how the use of planning and scripting aided your groups short film.

Planning before doing anything helps in keeping the activity up-to-date and on track, without going off topic.. This was the same when we made a plan for our short film. Had we not planned we may have drifted off topic as while filming we thought of a lot of new ideas to use but looking back now they would've been inappropriate. Using the plan also made it easier in seeing which order to film the scenes in and how well the film will flow.

Tutorial Three:

2008-05-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

Provide a brief summary of the services offered by blogger. In addition to this name one other blog host.

Blogger allows interaction between people who may be on different sides of the world to communicate about similar interests/hobbies. Blogger is also another method of getting your knowledge out there or researching topics, especially if you need a more personal response rather than medical.
-Myspace and Bebo are examples of other blog hosts.

Channel D Weather

2008-05-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

tutorial 2

2008-03-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

Tutorial Two: Digital Camera use and applications

“A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature”. Briefly discuss this statement in relation to digital camera technology. What would you consider to be some of the pluses and minuses digital camera technology holds in relation to more traditional film based cameras?

Digital cameras still takes photos and only if you know how to use the special features within the camera, your photos will be basic and much similar to the photos taken with a manual camera.

However knowing how to use a digital properly you are able to have differnt settings and edit photos before the print process. The new digital cameras are much smaller so are easier to carry with you as opposed to carrying a manual with a large zoom capsule and extra films. Yet the older cameras are much more durable and easier to repair when broken.

List some of the ways that digital images can be stored, transferred and manipulated using other communications technology.

-USB

-Printers

-Photoshop and other similar programs

-Internal and External memory

-Loaded onto storage websites
-Blogs
-Email

Given the prevalence of image capturing devices, and thinking about the issues discussed in tutorial one, consider what sort of ethical issues may arise with their use.

Taking photos without first gaining permission from the people in the photo, loading photos onto inappropriate sites, stealing others photos from their pages.

Briefly discuss some of the ways that digital images could, or are, being used in occupational therapy practice.

- Take photos of equipment to refer to at a later date

- A way to record a clients progress so they can see visually for themselves

- Fast way to send evidence to other staff in other locations

Provide a brief summary of the services offered by Flickr.com

A website where people can store and share their photos with others, they can be uploaded from a desktop, USB or even forom a camera phone. From there, they can be edited and organised even labelled who is in the photo, when and where it was taken.

Name one other photo storage website which offers a service similar to Flickr.com

Bebo, Facebook

Explain what the difference is between a digital and an optical zoom

Optical zoom uses the optics (lens) of the camera to bring the subject closer.What digital zoom does is enlarge a portion of the image, thus 'simulating' optical zoom. In other words, the camera crops a portion of the image and then enlarges it back to size. In so doing, you lose image quality.

Explain what is meant by the term mega pixel

A mega pixel refers to one million pixels, and is commonly used in reference to digital cameras as an indication of resolution capability. A pixel is a tiny square on a computerised display that is so small it appears as a dot. The display screen is a solid grid of these squares or dots, which can be easily seen with a magnifying glass. The more pixels or dots that make up the display screen, the clearer the resolution or image will be. Greater numbers of dots or pixels allow for more refinement of the image, which results in higher, truer image replication.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-megapixel.htm

Tutorial 1

2008-03-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

Tutorial One: Information Technology and Ethical Issues

Provide a definition of Information Technology/Information Communications Technology (APA reference required)

"Information technology (IT), also known as Information and Communication(s) Technology (ICT) and Infocomm in Asia, is concerned with the use of technology in managing and processing information, especially in large organizations." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Technology (5/3/08)

Consider the definition of IT you have provided. How is this form of technology prevalent in our society? How common place has it become?

Very common, most households now have some form of technology in which they know how to use. To own information technology items has now also become more of a need rather than a want.

What IT devices or system do you feel comfortable and competent using?

-Mobioe Phones
- Computers
- Digital cameras (both picture and video)
- ipod and MP3 players
- Internet

Thinking about your own fieldwork experiences consider how IT is being used in Occupational Therapy practice?

Gaining more knowledge on disorders of alternative treatments through the internet and through emailing others who may have more knowledge and undertstanding.
Computers allow electronic copies of patient notes to be kept.
Digital Cameras allow staff to take visual records to show improvement or deteriation.
Clients can use certain websites to contact others who may be in a similar position and be able to talk to them easier.

What ethical implications arise from the capturing, sharing and transferring of information via IT devices (e.g. mobile phones) or systems (e.g. internet)

Items on the internet are often available for anyone to access so privacy is severely limited.

Provide a definition of Computer Ethics (APA reference required)

"Computer ethics is a branch of practical philosophy which deals with how computing professionals should make decisions regarding professional and social conduct."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_ethics (5/3/08)

Provide a definition of Intellectual Property (APA reference required)

"In law, intellectual property (IP) is an umbrella term for various legal entitlements which attach to certain types of information, ideas, or other intangibles in their expressed form. The holder of this legal entitlement is generally entitled to exercise various exclusive rights in relation to the subject matter of the IP. The term intellectual property reflects the idea that this subject matter is the product of the mind or the intellect, and that IP rights may be protected at law in the same way as any other form of property. However, the use of the term and the concepts it is said to embody are the subject of some controversy."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property (5/3/08)

Provide a definition of Social Justice (APA reference required)

"Social justice mostly refers to an ideal of society, where "justice" refers to economic status rather than to the administration of laws. It is based on the idea of a society which gives individuals and groups fair treatment and a just share of the benefits of society, although what is "fair treatment" and a "just share" must remain unclear or subject to interpretation."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice (3/5/08)

Provide a definition of Informed Consent (APA reference required)

"Informed consent is a legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon an appreciation and understanding of the facts and implications of an action."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent (5/3/08)

In your own words briefly summarise why (or why not) a great understanding of ITC and the ethical issues it encompasses will help us in our practice and daily lives.

You know where to access 'true' information and sort out the fakes, without getting yourself into trouble.