This is the course blog for 2012. Content posted on this blog is intended to provide students with supplimentary information about topics discussed in class. Information will be in the form of video links, podcasts, RSS feeds and site and article links. This blog still contain information, posted last year, that remains relevant. Students should spend some time reviewing the material on this blog. Please note that blogs show the most recent posts at the top of the page so you'll need to scroll down to see older content. Also some information gets archived after a while you can view these archived post by using the archive tools on the right side of this blog. This is a public blog so other people may also be viewing and commenting.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Graffiti Research Lab L.A.S.E.R Tag



Here's the video we mentioned in class (Dunedin). This laser pointing technology has been used to enable a wheelchair bound graffiti artist to continue his work. Very dramatic use of Assistive Technology.

Low-Cost Multi-touch Whiteboard using the Wiimote

Assistive Tech Links from Dave's Lecture (Otago)

These are the sites Dave mentioned plus a few others of interest.  Hamilton students may also want to check out some of these sites in advance of their assistive tech content this week.

Star Education

Desk Top Technology Services

Kimiora School

Allied Medical (Wheel Chair)

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Assistive technology

The video below provides a nice introduction to students about the scope of assistive technology.  Watching this video and reading the introductory chapter from Cook and Hussey (on Moodle) will provide students with a good grounding before our guest speakers talk about their experiences and involve us in the use of equipment. The wikipedia page on assistive tech provide further links and information.

Assistive Technology: Opening Doors to Independence

Movie Maker Video Editing Tutorial

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

An 'Occupational' view of the earthquake

The following is an extract from Bronwyn Thompson's  Blog about chronic pain where she has taken time to post on the 'occupational impact of the earthquake'  There are a number of links here to the discussions we had in Dunedin classes last Friday.  Well worth taking some time to read.

The picture – what greeted us as we walked through the front door – and that sparkly stuff on the ground? It’s all my crystal in tiny sharp shards…The wooden thing you can see is the bottom of our sideboard, and to the far right, the doorway.
It’s not often I post with a specific focus on ‘occupation’ as the occupational therapy profession defines it.  This is not, I hasten to add, because I don’t think it’s important, it’s more a case of my posts being about the processes that underlie effective engagement in ‘occupation’ for people with chronic pain.
But today, in the aftermath of the horrific earthquake in Christchurch one week ago, I’m taking time to reflect on some aspects of the earthquake that people have commented on, but possibly won’t reach the attention of the media, or even health care commentators generally.  I wasn’t in Christchurch for the actual quake, we arrived home on Thursday, the second day after it, but even I have found this experience unsettling and perhaps even ‘traumatic’, to use an over-used term.
These are the things that have struck me:
Our normal routines are anchored in the rhythms of sunrise, sunset, temperature, wind, sunshine (or not).  They’re also tied to hunger, thirst, need for sleep and need to socialise.  In my return to home, I still have these routines to sustain me.
What has gone are many of the other routines that are present but taken for granted.  Things like the sound of vehicles in the morning, the thud of the newspaper as it is delivered outside, the beep of the alarm clock as it goes off in the morning.  Without power and roads that are broken and cracked, these cues are no longer present.  I wake in the quiet of a morning without vehicles.  It’s like a Sunday morning or a public holiday.
 To read more here's the link http://healthskills.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/an-occupational-view-of-the-christchurch-earthquake/
 Health Skills Blog

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Some Plain English Explanations

Below are some video links which explain some of the concepts we introduced in the first week.  A good place to start for students who are a bit uncertain.  If students are feeling willing and able they can start their individual blogs by visiting http://www.blogger.com/  Cheers James

Explaining the Web

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wZoMbBzqxyc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Blogs in Plain English

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NN2I1pWXjXI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Explaining Twitter

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ddO9idmax0o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Explaining Social Networking

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6a_KF7TYKVc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Explaining RSS Feeds

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wZoMbBzqxyc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

A bit of fun to start

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Here's a start to our blog

Hello to all students in Dunedin and Hamilton.  This is our course blog for 2011.  Stay posted for updates.