Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tutorial Seven: Assistive Technology
Assistive technology refers to the broad range of devices, services, strategies, and practices that are conceived and applied to ameliorate the problems faced by individuals who have disablilties.
(Cook & Hussey, 2000).
Talking Photo Albums are one example of assistive technology. These are very common for people with cognitive/memory impairments such as dementia. They record 10 seconds of audio for each photo. Audio could be naming the people in the photos and the date it was taken.It requires batteries and the audi can be re recorded over as many times as you want. The common size is 4" x 6" and holds 24 photos. They cost round about $16.00 + (NZ).
(Cook & Hussey, 2000).
Talking Photo Albums are one example of assistive technology. These are very common for people with cognitive/memory impairments such as dementia. They record 10 seconds of audio for each photo. Audio could be naming the people in the photos and the date it was taken.It requires batteries and the audi can be re recorded over as many times as you want. The common size is 4" x 6" and holds 24 photos. They cost round about $16.00 + (NZ).
Tutorial Six: The Internet and Online Communities
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/
This is the name and website of the online community im going to blog about.
Facebook is a social networking site that allows members to keep in contact with friends by enabling online converations and video and photo sharing. Games and quizzes are also available as well as notifying members of their friends birthdays and upcoming events.
Facebook is one of the more popular social networking sites and you need to be a member to look at peoples profiles and contribute. This is made up of a username and password.
People mainly choose to contribute to this community as they can keep in contact with friends and loved ones. People can update their statuses and any information they want to share with people they have accepted as friends. Many people are involved for entertainment purposes with the games and quizzes available. A lot of teenagers and young adults are involved with facebook as well as an increasing number of older people.
Pros:
- Keeping track of friends
- Photo album
- Video uploads
- Blog merge
- Search engines to find friends
- Privacy settings, people have to be accepted by you before they can interact and be your 'friend' on facebook.
- Inappropriateness and abuse of any sort are removed and the facebook account is removed.
Cons:
- No music
- No chatroom or forum, just private chat
- People that aren't you friends can see aspects of your profile if you have common friends.
- People can make their display name whatever they like - lack of identity and accountability.
As stated above although you choose your friends to interact with people on the outside can still view your photos and bits of your profile if they have any mutual friends.People dont have to display their real names and there is no age limit. All theses are ethical issues to consider.
As mentioned in the lecture material on this topic some communities are reliant on geographic proximity. With facebook, and most social networking sites, geographic proximity isn't an issue. You can be friends and communicate with people all over the world. This defies any traditional notions of community and makes facebook so popular. The only downside that I can think of in regard to this online community compared to traditional communities is the lack of face to face conversation. Its easy to type to people over the computer without putting the effort into really carrying out a conversation with people.
This is the name and website of the online community im going to blog about.
Facebook is a social networking site that allows members to keep in contact with friends by enabling online converations and video and photo sharing. Games and quizzes are also available as well as notifying members of their friends birthdays and upcoming events.
Facebook is one of the more popular social networking sites and you need to be a member to look at peoples profiles and contribute. This is made up of a username and password.
People mainly choose to contribute to this community as they can keep in contact with friends and loved ones. People can update their statuses and any information they want to share with people they have accepted as friends. Many people are involved for entertainment purposes with the games and quizzes available. A lot of teenagers and young adults are involved with facebook as well as an increasing number of older people.
Pros:
- Keeping track of friends
- Photo album
- Video uploads
- Blog merge
- Search engines to find friends
- Privacy settings, people have to be accepted by you before they can interact and be your 'friend' on facebook.
- Inappropriateness and abuse of any sort are removed and the facebook account is removed.
Cons:
- No music
- No chatroom or forum, just private chat
- People that aren't you friends can see aspects of your profile if you have common friends.
- People can make their display name whatever they like - lack of identity and accountability.
As stated above although you choose your friends to interact with people on the outside can still view your photos and bits of your profile if they have any mutual friends.People dont have to display their real names and there is no age limit. All theses are ethical issues to consider.
As mentioned in the lecture material on this topic some communities are reliant on geographic proximity. With facebook, and most social networking sites, geographic proximity isn't an issue. You can be friends and communicate with people all over the world. This defies any traditional notions of community and makes facebook so popular. The only downside that I can think of in regard to this online community compared to traditional communities is the lack of face to face conversation. Its easy to type to people over the computer without putting the effort into really carrying out a conversation with people.
Tutorial Four & Five: Video Production Sessions/Youtube services
Youtube describes itself as a place to discover, upload, share and watch videos. You don't have to be signed up with youtube in order to watch videos but you do if you wish to upload your own and comment on others. Videos on youtube can also be uploaded on to other sites.
The video I uploaded below is one of another groups as I was absent when our class made them. We did however have the opportunity earlier in the semester to have a go videoing and this is where we learnt how to plan (storyboard) our short films. Storyboarding aids the making of a video as it enables you to plan what shots will make up the film and the duration and audio of it. It keeps the people making the video focused aand gives it structure.
The video I uploaded below is one of another groups as I was absent when our class made them. We did however have the opportunity earlier in the semester to have a go videoing and this is where we learnt how to plan (storyboard) our short films. Storyboarding aids the making of a video as it enables you to plan what shots will make up the film and the duration and audio of it. It keeps the people making the video focused aand gives it structure.
Tutorial Three: Services offered by Blogger
A blog is like a personal diary, it gives you a voice on the web to talk about whatever you want to. It enables the blogger to voice their opinions, engage with friends and design their own space to share their interests, concerns and passions. Followers or visitors to the blog can then comment on what has been said. Photos and videos can be uploaded to the blog to back up what is being said or to share information with other bloggers.
This blog's purpose is to share and discuss with others the range of technology that can be used out in occuaptional therapy practice.
This blog's purpose is to share and discuss with others the range of technology that can be used out in occuaptional therapy practice.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tutorial Two: Digital Camera use and applications
Pros and Cons of Digital Cameras
Pros:
Can print photos with a printer or take them to a photo booth.
Can transfer photos to other devices using the memory card or USB
Can pick and choose what photos you want to keep, delete others to make more room in the memory.
Instant feedback
A number of digital cameras can also video record
Cons:
Can be quite expensive
Complexity (not as straightforward as basic film camera)
Can create large computer files and fill computer memory
Battery life
In order to get the most out of digital cameras you need a home computer.
Computers, phones and ipods are the most common forms of communication technology that people store and share their digital images. Digital photo frames are also available with slide show settings of photos that are loaded on by USBs. People may store their photos on their camera, USB or most commonly on computer files which can be easily accessed to upload onto social networking sites.
There are ethical issues that arise with the use of digital cameras. The most common of these being people having their photos taken then the photos being put on sites without the person's permission. It is very easy for the images to get into the wrong hands and people can be publically humiliated or just not comfortable with their photos being shared. Some people in the images may not even be aware that they had their photo/video taken.
Digital images are being used more frequently in the occupational therapy practice as they make work more efficient and convenient. Housing modifications, before/after progress, instant feedback, teaching techniques and equipment information are all areas in which digital imagery is used in the OT setting.
Flickr.com is a social networking site that provides the user with "the best online photo management and sharing application in the world." Anyone can join and upload digital imagery for others to see from this free photo storage website. Photobucket is another site that claims to do the same thing as Flickr.com.
Optical Zoom:
" Optical zoom uses the optics (lens) of the camera to bring the subject closer."
Digital Zoom:
"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."
Optical Vs Digital Zoom. (2002-2010). Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8895688124089096338
Digital and optical zoom are both options to consider when purchasing a digital camera. Optical zoom is preferred over digital as digital zoom often reduces the quality of the photo as it "enlarges".
Megapixels:
"The term "pixel" is actually short for "Picture Element." These small little dots are what make up the images. A million pixels make up a megapixel."
Pixel. (2005-2010). Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://www.techterms.com/definition/pixel
Pros:
Can print photos with a printer or take them to a photo booth.
Can transfer photos to other devices using the memory card or USB
Can pick and choose what photos you want to keep, delete others to make more room in the memory.
Instant feedback
A number of digital cameras can also video record
Cons:
Can be quite expensive
Complexity (not as straightforward as basic film camera)
Can create large computer files and fill computer memory
Battery life
In order to get the most out of digital cameras you need a home computer.
Computers, phones and ipods are the most common forms of communication technology that people store and share their digital images. Digital photo frames are also available with slide show settings of photos that are loaded on by USBs. People may store their photos on their camera, USB or most commonly on computer files which can be easily accessed to upload onto social networking sites.
There are ethical issues that arise with the use of digital cameras. The most common of these being people having their photos taken then the photos being put on sites without the person's permission. It is very easy for the images to get into the wrong hands and people can be publically humiliated or just not comfortable with their photos being shared. Some people in the images may not even be aware that they had their photo/video taken.
Digital images are being used more frequently in the occupational therapy practice as they make work more efficient and convenient. Housing modifications, before/after progress, instant feedback, teaching techniques and equipment information are all areas in which digital imagery is used in the OT setting.
Flickr.com is a social networking site that provides the user with "the best online photo management and sharing application in the world." Anyone can join and upload digital imagery for others to see from this free photo storage website. Photobucket is another site that claims to do the same thing as Flickr.com.
Optical Zoom:
" Optical zoom uses the optics (lens) of the camera to bring the subject closer."
Digital Zoom:
"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."
Optical Vs Digital Zoom. (2002-2010). Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8895688124089096338
Digital and optical zoom are both options to consider when purchasing a digital camera. Optical zoom is preferred over digital as digital zoom often reduces the quality of the photo as it "enlarges".
Megapixels:
"The term "pixel" is actually short for "Picture Element." These small little dots are what make up the images. A million pixels make up a megapixel."
Pixel. (2005-2010). Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://www.techterms.com/definition/pixel
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tutorial One: Information Technology and Ethical Issues
IT (information technology) - the development, installation and implementation of computer systems and applications.
Dictionary: information technology. (2010). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.answers.com/topic/information - technology
IT is prevalent in our society as it is used everyday by many different people. Whether people realise it or not the majority of people have a lot of knowledge surrounding IT and are involved in it someway or another. A lot of people may not even know what IT stands for but we have grown up in a society where it has become a huge part of our lives in work, school and leisure. It is becoming essential as a lot of programs and information are now online, people depend on it and it is forever changing and providing the user with more opportunities with its convenience.
I have suprised myself with how much I have learned about IT. I am comfortable and happy with the devices and systems that I do feel comfortable and competent using as they are the ones that are beneficial to me and are the things that I need to be able to know. The devices/systems that I do know feel competent and comfortable using are facebook (and other social networks), emailing, moodle (course work), google and word processors. I have a very basic knowledge in these areas but it is all that I need to know. I have found that my knowledge has increased and developed over time.
The use of IT in occupational therapy practices is increasing as there are programs that have a lot to offer health professionals and make their work easier, more convenient and efficient. During my fieldwork experiences I have observed and used IT within the practice by emailing equipment companies, ACC case managers, local/community OTs and other members of the health team concerning clients. Order forms for equipment are also done on the computer as are the typing up of assessment reports. The computers in the settings that I was placed in were occasionally used for the typing up of client notes and also for researching areas/issues that the OT (or myself) weren't sure about.
There are ethical issues that arise from sharing client information via IT devices. It isn't always 100% confidential as client information could quite easily be sent to the wrong person/organisation. Having client information on IT devices makes it harder for clients to access their information. The information is usually stored on back-up discs etc in case the computer crashes so there is a chance that client confidentiality could be at risk here if it gets into the wrong hands.
Computer Ethics:
"Computer ethics is a set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers."
Computer Ethics. (2005-2010). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.teachterms.com/definition/computerethics
Intellectual Property (IP):
"Any tangible asset that consists of human knowledge and ideas."
Intellectual property definition. (1999). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.investorwords.com/2526/intellectual_property.html
Social Justice:
"Fair and proper administration of laws conforming to the natural law that all persons, irrespective of ethinic origin, gender, possessions, race, religion, etc., are to be treated equally and without predjudice."
Social justice. (2010). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.businessdirectory.com/definiton/socialjustice.html
Informed Consent:
"Consent given in full knowledge of the risks involved, probable consequences and the alternatives."
Informed consent. (2010). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.businessdirectory.com/definition/informed-consent.html
A great understanding of of ITC and the ethical issues it encompasses will help us in our practice and daily lives because it makes us aware or our own rights and the rights of others if we find ourselves in a challenging situation. Because ITC is becoming more advanced and it is a huge part of our lives now we find that we will all be using it more in our day-to-day lives. The better we understand it the better we can use it to benefit us and our jobs.
Dictionary: information technology. (2010). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.answers.com/topic/information - technology
IT is prevalent in our society as it is used everyday by many different people. Whether people realise it or not the majority of people have a lot of knowledge surrounding IT and are involved in it someway or another. A lot of people may not even know what IT stands for but we have grown up in a society where it has become a huge part of our lives in work, school and leisure. It is becoming essential as a lot of programs and information are now online, people depend on it and it is forever changing and providing the user with more opportunities with its convenience.
I have suprised myself with how much I have learned about IT. I am comfortable and happy with the devices and systems that I do feel comfortable and competent using as they are the ones that are beneficial to me and are the things that I need to be able to know. The devices/systems that I do know feel competent and comfortable using are facebook (and other social networks), emailing, moodle (course work), google and word processors. I have a very basic knowledge in these areas but it is all that I need to know. I have found that my knowledge has increased and developed over time.
The use of IT in occupational therapy practices is increasing as there are programs that have a lot to offer health professionals and make their work easier, more convenient and efficient. During my fieldwork experiences I have observed and used IT within the practice by emailing equipment companies, ACC case managers, local/community OTs and other members of the health team concerning clients. Order forms for equipment are also done on the computer as are the typing up of assessment reports. The computers in the settings that I was placed in were occasionally used for the typing up of client notes and also for researching areas/issues that the OT (or myself) weren't sure about.
There are ethical issues that arise from sharing client information via IT devices. It isn't always 100% confidential as client information could quite easily be sent to the wrong person/organisation. Having client information on IT devices makes it harder for clients to access their information. The information is usually stored on back-up discs etc in case the computer crashes so there is a chance that client confidentiality could be at risk here if it gets into the wrong hands.
Computer Ethics:
"Computer ethics is a set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers."
Computer Ethics. (2005-2010). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.teachterms.com/definition/computerethics
Intellectual Property (IP):
"Any tangible asset that consists of human knowledge and ideas."
Intellectual property definition. (1999). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.investorwords.com/2526/intellectual_property.html
Social Justice:
"Fair and proper administration of laws conforming to the natural law that all persons, irrespective of ethinic origin, gender, possessions, race, religion, etc., are to be treated equally and without predjudice."
Social justice. (2010). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.businessdirectory.com/definiton/socialjustice.html
Informed Consent:
"Consent given in full knowledge of the risks involved, probable consequences and the alternatives."
Informed consent. (2010). Retrieved February 24, 2010, from http://www.businessdirectory.com/definition/informed-consent.html
A great understanding of of ITC and the ethical issues it encompasses will help us in our practice and daily lives because it makes us aware or our own rights and the rights of others if we find ourselves in a challenging situation. Because ITC is becoming more advanced and it is a huge part of our lives now we find that we will all be using it more in our day-to-day lives. The better we understand it the better we can use it to benefit us and our jobs.
My First Blog!!
Hey, this is my first time blogging! Not too sure what to write but hopefully I will get the hang of it! Fingers crossed my assessment for this goes well :)
Ciao xx
Ciao xx
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