[Trainer-Talk] Teaching curriculum questions/intro

Fri Jul 22 20:45:48 UTC 2016

For those who may not be aware there are curriculums available to assist you
in your role as assistive technology teachers/instructors, such as the one
offered by my company.  If you would like more information, contact me off
line at the following.

Regards,

Mark Nelson

Owner

Digital Apex LLC, The Pinnacle of Information Access

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-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-Talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
misty LH via Trainer-Talk
Sent: Friday, July 22, 2016 12:34 PM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
<trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: misty LH <misty.williams at tampalighthouse.org>
Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] Teaching curriculum questions/intro

Hi Greg, 

What great questions! I am pretty new to the field also (a little over a
year), but I will try to help you. 

We use (and update) existing exercises from other instructors,  as well as
creating our own lessons. I personally like using the JAWS surf's up
training for the beginning of Internet training, though others do not. But
for the most part, our lessons were gleaned from various places and tweaked
as needed.

I would also love to have access to a list of core tech competencies for
employability, so if no one else is able to assist (us) with this, I will be
happy to collaborate with you to form a list.  I am having trouble
understanding our typing requirement of 25wpm for my class, when average job
descriptions (in our area) requiring the use of a computer require closer to
45 wpm. However, a great number of people explained that I would probably
never have an adult complete typing class in order to get into the AT class
if I set the bar that high... I'm still considering changing the requirement
on a case by case basis...

I teach VR classes in small groups- 3 students max. However, I believe if
you have the time and resources for one-on-one instruction, that would be
ideal. Everyone learns at a different pace and has individual needs that may
not be met in a group setting. If you are teaching older adults- especially
with no recent computer experience- one on one (in my opinion) is really the
only way to provide meaningful instruction as a majority of older adults
have additional challenges as well, such as memory or hearing impairments,
or even physical impairments which would reduce their ability to attend a
class. 

Final word of advice- find a way to assign homework, even after class ends.
I email my older clients between our visits to help them exercise their tech
muscles. I'll send e-cards. I send job links to previous VR clients. The
point is to encourage continuing to use AT skills after class has completed
because if they don't use it, they lose it. 

I hope this helps you. :) Have a great day! 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 22, 2016, at 2:22 PM, Greg Aikens via Trainer-Talk
<trainer-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> 

> Hello all,

> I'm brand new to the list and brand new to my job as an assistive tech
instructor at the Center for the Visually Impaired in Atlanta. My background
is working as a TVI teaching blindness skills to K-12 students who are blind
and visually impaired. I have taught a lot of tech to children but the
center-based setting with adults looks a lot different and I have a few
questions.

> 

> We have a computer curriculum developed here at the Center that is in
desperate need of updating/replacing. As I am gathering info on existing
resources, I wanted to ask what other trainers are using to teach Jaws/Magic
and MS Office. Are you writing your own stuff? Using the training bundle
from FS? Pulling from a variety of sources? Any suggestions are appreciated.

> 

> Also, to guide the curriculum process, I'm looking for a list of job
related tech competencies that clients will need, preferably from an
established source. I'm not necessarily looking for something specific to
blindness but a list of tech skills that all job seekers ought to have. The
list of objectives from our current curriculum misses a lot of the relevant
skills today related to internet use, cloud-based collaboration, mobile
computing, etc. Does anyone know of such a list or where I might look for
one?

> 

> Finally, is anyone teaching tech in group classes? Our model has been for
each student to work at his or her own pace and work individually. I would
like to work in some of the benefits of collaborating and group interaction
into the classroom and would be interested in hearing if others have had
success with group classes.

> 

> Thanks for any and all advice. I look forward to learning and
collaborating on this list.

> 

> Best,

> 

> Greg Aikens

> Senior Assistive Technology Instructor Center for the Visually 

> Impaired<http://www.cviga.org/>

> 739 West Peachtree Street NW

> Atlanta, GA 30308

> 404-875-9011 ext. 4285

> 

> [Title: CVI Logo - Description: CVI Logo]<http://www.cviga.org/>

> 

> CVI<http://www.cviga.org/> empowers those with vision loss to live with
independence and dignity.

> 

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