Elisa Cone

Last but certainly not least...Tutorial 8

2008-06-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Provide a definition of Assistive technology

“Any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use an assistive technology device.”

“The science or study of the practical or industrial arts applied science and method, process, etc. For handling a specific technical problem.”

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

Techtalk augmentive communication device: holds up to 96 different recording options. Operated by pushing square buttons which speak whatever the user needs, such as “Yes” or “I would like a coffee”.

Made by Advanced Mulitmedia Devices and is battery run. The size dimensions are 30 x 15 cm on the top and 10 cm in depth. Costs approximately $4000 to $5000 each which in the scheme of things is not a high price to pay for communication in my opinion.

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

Allows communication, without high levels of motor control or strength. It is visually stimulating with pictures corresponding to the action wanted. For example a client with a TBI with no speech and limited physical function will be able to communicate independently; this device does not need the other party to know how to use the device or training.

2008-05-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

BUT I STILL LOVE TECHNOLOGY… POSTING YOU TUBE AND FLICKR CODE FOR YOUR BLOG…

Step by step process required to embed You Tube videos into your Blog.

To post you tube onto your blog all you need to do is copy the embed code from the video you want and then copy it into the post for your blog.

YouTube embed codes can be found next to any video on YouTube.com:

After you paste the code into your post and save the post, the video will be embedded for you. When you save your post, the embed code will also be automatically translated into a shorter, WordPress specific code that will look something like this:

You can move this code around your post to determine where the video should be shown.

You can embed multiple videos in a post.

Step by step process required to embed a Flickr Badge into your Blog .

Step 1: What sort of badge would you like to use?

There are two types of badge to choose from: HTML or Flash. You will be able to select to display things from your own collection, one of your groups, or everyone's uploads. You can also filter any of these options by a tag, if you wish. (The examples below are set to show content from the "Squared Circles" group pool.)

Step 2: Choose content

Choose the things you'd like to display on your badge from your photostream, or everyone's uploads.

Yours

All of your public photos and video

Your public stuff tagged with:

Only your public content will be included in your badge.

Everyone's

Everyone's public uploads

All public photos or video tagged with:

Step 3: Colors

Background

<<<

Border

Links

Text

No background

No border

( Restore factory defaults )

Click below to set the background color.

Your badge!

The code you need is then displayed in a box!

All you need to do is copy and paste this chunk of code into your website where you'd like your badge to appear.

we are movie makers..move over peter jackson

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

We made a short video about our campus pretty much just the places we have seen too much of by the end of the year!!!! but yeah, this is our environment!

The low down

2008-05-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Six: The internet and online communities

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

http://www.thelowdown.co.nz/

What is the brief or focus of this community

The Lowdown is part of a national public health campaign (the National Depression Initiative) and has been created to reduce the impact of depression on the lives of New Zealanders, as well as being a component of the New Zealand Government’s approach to suicide prevention.

The Lowdown aims to help young people recognise and understand depression. This site encourages and enables them to seek appropriate help, or puts them in touch with trained professionals. Through encouraging early treatment of depression the NDI intends to reduce the impact depression has on the lives of young New Zealanders, now and throughout their adult lives.

What services are provided?

You can hear from musicians, celebs and everyday people sharing their own personal experiences with depression. If you have any questions or you want to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, you can text or email The Lowdown team in the Chat section. Or you can just chill and listen to some great kiwi music from artists featured on the site.

Also provides facts, help services, urgent help contacts and a self test.

Comment on why people choose to contribute to this community. What is it they are seeking?

Community organisations: range from informal family or kinship networks, to more formal incorporated associations, political decision making structures, economic enterprises, or professional associations at a small, national or international scale.

For people seeking information and a service regarding depression, it provides a place for people to discuss with others their stories and experiences in regard to depression. It is a mutual ground where no stigma is attached and people can relate to one another openly.

EXAMPLE: My name is Jordyn Fisher, im 15 yrs old and I wish to share with you a piece of writing i created to give hope to those that suffer from depression. My poem is entitled "Merely A State Of Mind".

Hopefully this helps to make a difference or give some form of hope. Depression hits close to home as one of my friends has depression. Thanks for your time and I hope this helps :)

This entry offered a poem about the experience of depression and presents inspiration for others living with depression.

Potential ethical issues that may arise in this community?

Some (as a lot of sites) may not take the website seriously and abuse the right to express themselves.

People may choose to be anonymous which allows identity to be safe from others.

Six team members monitor the chat rooms and are all qualified and experienced in helping people deal with problems going on in their life.

Benefits this community holds over traditional notions of community?

Experiences can always be shared without revealing identity. Location can often restrict the access to such services, however the internet provides a 24 hour 7 days a week support no matter where you are.

Celebrities provide positive role models and can reach the public in ways not otherwise accessible.

What this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can.

This website lacks personal contact, which can often reveal more than just words. Without the contact it limits rapport building, and written information can often be taken the wrong way without the emotion that coincides.

youtube it up

2008-05-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

youtube offers a site for the public to join as a community and share videos online. Everyone can watch and share experiences of events being educational, funny, interesting, political, and quirky…….
Access to youtube can come via your cell phone, Youtube can be integrated onto another site such as a blog, or have youtube as a feed.

By planning our film it enabled us to hold a clear idea of what we were aiming at portraying. As it was a group effort, the storyboard enabled a consensus of ideas and helped everyone to participate in depicting what was wanted. We also had time constraints so the outline of what we wanted as our end product helped us to work efficiently to get it all done! Otherwise its easy to go off on a tangent with this type of activity and get all carried away…

What is a blog anyway?

2008-05-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

Tutorial three: A blog is usually an individually managed website that has a running commentary about whatever that persons wishes. Photos, videos, descriptions of stuff... just whatever. Other people can view your ideas and thoughts and often can leave comments on the shared information. Blogging is yet another technical way of communicating to whoever you please for whatever reason you like.
Blogger itself offers users to publish thoughts...engage with friends...customise your own blog...post photos...send items to your blog from your mobile... the list continues..............
Another blogging site to visit is www.thoughts.com

Tutorial 2

2008-03-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

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.
The digital camera has taken away from the excitement of getting a film developed. Often the essence of a photo is the shear "capture" of the moment. Where as digital cameras are able to be edited prior to printing or deleted at the time and re taken if the photo may be undesirable.

List some of the ways that digital images can be stored transferred and manipulated using other communications technology.
Images can be stored on computers and disc either CD or DVD. They can also be kept on an external hard drive or in a USB stick. There are programs on the computer such as photo shop that can "polish" the image, deleting unwanted things and making the image look different.

Consider what sort of ethical issues may arise with their use.
Because capturing an image is so quick and easy to do, permission may not be sought and this may offend someone. Privacy issues may arise when an object or person is included in an image without being told or asked before hand.

Briefly discuss some of the ways that digital images could, or are, being used in occupational therapy practice.
Digital images may be used for home modifications; if a therapist cannot get to a client’s house then another person may take photos and send them. Also could be used to jog a therapist’s memory about a particular concern such as a piece of equipment.

Provide a brief summary of the services offered by Flickr.com
Flickr is a photo sharing website available for people to post their images onto so others can view them. It has a large following and is used a lot by bloggers to store their photos onto (Wikipedia Flickr, 2008).

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

Explain what the difference is between a digital and an optical zoom
Digital zoom lessens the quality of the image taken as it merely crops the photo down in size and makes it larger. Optical zoom on the other hand actually changes the length of the zoom lens and magnification stays at the same quality depending on how many pixels your camera has.

Explain what is meant by the term mega pixel
A pixel is a tiny square in which a digital image is made up of. The more mega pixels your camera has the better the resolution and quality will be on your image especially if you enlarge it.

tutorial 1

2008-03-04T13:28:00.000-08:00

Tutorial One: Information Technology and Ethical Issues

Definition of Information Technology/Information Communications Technology

Information technology n. The production, storage and communication of information using computers and microelectronics.

Hanks, P. (ed). (1989) Collins Concise Dictionary. Glasgow: Bath Press.

Consider the definition of IT you have provided. How is this form of technology prevalent in our society? How common place has it become?
Information technology is as available to members of society as they want it to be. Nearly everything one does can involve some form of computer based influence to aid in whatever someone is occupied in doing. It is so common that it is hard to avoid some form of technology in day to day tasks whether it be very up to date or more dated items.

What IT devices or system do you feel comfortable and competent using?
I always think that I feel comfortable using technology but as the rate of evolution in this area is so faced paced I often find myself out of my depth! Although I like to believe that I am reasonably up with the play with computers and other devices such as music MP3 players.

Thinking about your own fieldwork experiences consider how IT is being used in Occupational Therapy practice?
To find the pressure areas of someone while sitting in their wheelchair, a cushion with senses was applied which then transferred comprehensive information to a computer. This enabled the client and therapist to easily work towards eliminating any problematic areas.
When client’s arrived at the spinal ward, they were given a DVD to watch called Spinal 101. This ran through what to expect from their rehabilitation and answers some questions which may be running through their heads.

What ethical implications arise from the capturing, sharing and transferring of information via IT devices?
The internet is a somewhat public tool and can often mean that others can see what one may rather be kept private. Information disclosure should probably be kept as minimal as possible so not to encourage uninvited viewers. Also Bluetooth is another form of others being able to tap into whatever technological device being used such as a mobile phone. This also has the hazard of others being able to contact and obtain your personal information without your consent.

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

Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_ethics

Provide a definition of Intellectual Property
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

Retrieved February 14, 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property

Provide a definition of Social Justice
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.

Retreived Februry 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice

Provide a definition of Informed Consent
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.

Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent

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.
Occupational Therapy practice needs to be involved with technology as it will help others in an efficient and up to date manner. If technology did not exist within the profession then OT would most likely get left behind from the rest of the world. If a client or patient uses technology then the therapist will also need a knowledge in this field.