Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Telegraph to Computer


I am taking the best course in computer science out there online for free!  The course is CS101 on coursera.com with the instructor Nick Parlante from Stanford University.  He is truly able to engage and educate about the basics of computer science, which has fabulous realistic comparisons between common objects and computer innards.

My curiosity about the computer is derived from the question, how did we get from the telegraph to the computer?  This seems like a giant leap, as I understand telegraph code with little effort.  The current section that I just finished in my course explains this process for me perfectly, and I filled in the blanks.  You see current in the body or in the computer can fire or not.  This is the only state in which electricity can exist, on and off.  We represent on and off with symbols 1 and 0. 

image from:  http://www.sxc.hu
This is the original computer code, 1 and 0, which is called a bit.  I guess if you are a computer programmer you can say I don’t like this one bit, or you can say I don’t like this zero bit, and in their culture they would completely understand and perhaps even laugh, snort, or snicker.

To get a byte, which is another term you need eight bits.  There are eight bits to a byte and there are 256 different patterns and 255 combinations plus one absence of combination called 0 out of those eight bits.  Each pixel has a red, green, or blue number between the 0 and 255.  At this point if you have an interest in computers, or you have stared at specs as you tried to purchase one, you will know that 256 is former popular number, and bells are sounding in your head with “oh,” and “now that makes sense.”  What I don’t know is why did they choose eight bits to each byte?  Is this a feng shui lucky number?  I am not sure but I would love to know why 8.

We took the telegraph signal and we invented something to process the task, a CPU (central processing unit) and then we keep multiplying the amount of processing that the CPU can process.  We added memory that we store for awhile (short term memory or RAM) and we have things we hope to keep forever (long term memory or hard drive).  This is how we ended up evolving from a telegraph to a white and black jumping jack on the display in the corner of my Commodore 256 computer.

So if you have a kilobyte you have one thousand bytes of information for a computer to decipher, while megabytes get one million and gigabytes get a billion.  (We are going to avoid the kibibyte discrepancy here for simplicity sake.)  I want a Googolplex of bytes and I want them to call it an oogolbyte in memory of my child like sensibilities.  We are currently doubling the amount of bytes according to Moore’s law every 18 months, so perhaps in my lifetime I will get to see this.  

Of course then there is speed, "I have a need, a need, for speed (Movie:  Top Gun, 1986)."  Speed is measured in the same measurement as electricity, hertz, typically GHz gigahertz which is a billion hertz that gets things spinning in our computer machines one spin or cycle or hertz at a time.  This will lead us back to the need for power, not human lust for power, but energy in this Oogleplex new world I have building in my head... but that is for another post on another day.

Thank you Nick Parlante from Stanford!  

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Challenges: What do you need to know?

We all have them, smart students who are just a little off.  You just can't get them to listen and participate. They are trying but they are not succeeding.

Try learning more about maladaptations and how to help all of your student's succeed.  Here is a link to learn more:  Quirky Conundrums.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

iPad for Educational Use

My Favorite iPad 
Features and Educational Tools
Faith Olarsch, OTR/L EDMTS
February 16, 2012
iPad Features











There are many basic functions in the iPad before you start buying applications, aka small programs.  For this introduction I would like you to find the following features:
  •   On/off button
  •   Home button
  •   Volume bar
  •   Lock Rotation/ mute
  •   Speakers / mic
  •   Up to 10 hours of battery life
  •   Search applications function
  •   Multitasking
  •   Closing down application
There are basic settings:  Wifi/internet, Email account, brightness, wallpaper, and blue tooth
Accessibility features:  Voice over (change pitch and speed), braille display compatibility, zoom features, text size, and white on black screen.
Keyboard:  Layer one:  qwerty keyboard
Layer two:  Symbols and numbers
Layer three: more Symbols
To use Caps lock double tap on Tab buttons
Cameras are very useful for alternative assessments.  Screen shots can be taken by pressing the home key + the power key simultaneously (needs practice).  Video can be taken with the iPad2.  Face time works through the use of an email address.
Now let’s explore apps that you purchase at the application store!  **Make sure you purchase iPad and not iPhone applications!
Memory, Prompting, and Organizational App
RTM: Remember the Milk
Evernote

Visual Scheduler


Priority Matrix            Bento                  Bread + Milk
TRM (Remember the Milk               Bug Me                                      Say it & Mail it
Child Timer           Stacks Pro            Sticky Notes
First Then Visual Schedule         TextMinder                        Flipside HD
Things                                                 iStudiez PRO         Time Timer
Mindjet                                         Notify Me 2       Toodledo                                                                          Omnifocus                                VoCL Paperdesk Picture Scheduler 

Communication Apps


















Answers: yes/no Look 2 Learn   My Choice Board
Assistive Chat My Talk Tools Mobile Phrase Board
Artikpix AutoVerbal Talking Pro Pictello
DAF assistant Pocket SLP Articulation GracePicture Exchange
Predictable I Can Speak Proloquo2go
iComm Sentence Builder iCommunicate
Sign Smith Ultimate iConverse SLP Mobile Artic...
iInteract iMean Sonicpics
In My Dreams Speak it! iPrompts
Talking Santa iSpeech Toddler Sign Learn to Talk
TapSpeak Button Visules TapSpeak Choice
Voice4u Touchchat WhQuestions
Verbal Victor
Assessment Apps



Behavior Tracker Pro PAR toolkit QuickADA Career Test
Skill Tracker Pro Decibel SymTrend SymTrials Sunny Articulation Test SyntrendADL Eye Exam Pro uHear
Test Your Hearing iErgonomics Goniometer OTSG

Math Apps


123 Animals Count Arithfit   Arithmaroo1 123 Color HDAceKids Maths Game HD 3D Plotter   Basic Math Arithmetric
600 Formulas Calc It   Calc Bot Calc Training 
Calculator LCD HD Pro Cloud Math   Algebra Touch AllinOne Maths
Converter for iPad Abakus   Algebra Champ Algebra Helper
Science Apps

3D Brain 101 in 1 Physics Solver Cellular Biology
3D Cell Simulator Cellular Biology Chemical Equation
8 Planets Colour Collider Deep Sky
Bugism Bugs and Insects Frog dissection
Digestion Earth Observer Experimentor

Reading Applications


1st Grade Mother Goose’s Puzzle Pictures ABC Animals
Bob Books K-3 Sight Words Audible
Storykit A Present for Milo Actions
eReader Shakespeare in Bits Sesame Street
Animal School Magic Reading 2 VocabSushi
Writing Apps


100 Spelling Words iThoughtsHD iWritewords
SuperWhy ABC writing ABC Cursive
Four letters Chronicle for iPad PaperDesk
Come Learn Spellings Dragon Diction Four Letters
iA Writer Free Grammar Grammar Dragon
Meet the Vowels Spelling Bug 2 Thumb Pad
Writing prompts Random Sentences Letter Wars
LetterForms Story Wheel Writing Prompts
Wordventure! Grammar Fun Free FirstWords: Animals
Educational

Teach Me Color Slapps A Bee Sees
Abby ABC’s Free Color ABC lite Kid Genius
Learning with Puzzles Brain Pop Clean Up
Dexteria Cute Cards Lite Connecting Dots HD
Find it! Big or Small Learn to Talk Sampler
Picture Pusher Random Touch Moo Free
Mr. P’s School Speed Flashcards SpeakPad
Buying Applications
  • Try the free application first if possible
  • Read the reviews
  • Look for newer versions and check the company
  • Try to get an iPad version if possible.
  • Consider learning for multiple intelligences framework and brain based learning
  • Check for visual presentation
  • Check to see if it has multiple logins or if it is a part of the game center
Contact Faith Olarsch, OTR/L CPAM at FortunateO@gmail.com  or