Tutorial 7 - Linking blogs of interest and exchanging comments.

I have to make a blog feed for some blogs of interest and to some of the comments i have made.
This my comment to Rebecca J who also does my course in Dunedin.
This is an awesome blog called TechnOT by VirtualOT which about all the ways that technology can help people with needs or anyone in general.
Here is another blog that interests me (B)e(LO)n(G), OT. This blog is about someones journey from OT school up until now.
This blog is about an OT that enjoys recycling things, in their blog it shows you their amazing different ideas that they have come up with recyclables. This blog is by The Recycling Occupational Therapist.
The last site is about general news everyday for Occupational Therapy. Looks at new research and other general OT things. This blog is called TodayinOT.com and you access it here.

Tutorial 8 - Assistive Technology

Provide a definition Assistive Technology (APA reference required). Interpret this definition in your own words.  What might this definition cover (your Cook and Hussey reading may be helpful with this). The science or study of the practical or industrial arts, applied science, a method, process, etc. for handling a specific technical problem. Cook & Hussey To me assistive technology is technology that is used to help anyone in any way that suits them best to make their life easier in one way or another.

Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial.  Provide information on size, cost and functions. How the equipment increased occupational capacity for the user?  Provide examples here from the tutorial and lecture. Provide an example of the equipments use from online sources.  This can be done by hyper linking to blogs, internet sites, You Tube videos, podcasts etc IPad 241.2mm x 185.78 and 8.8mm deep Has a back and front camera Audio playback, tv and video. Touch screen. Wi-Fi weighs 613g Multiple sizes: 16GB – 64GB up to 10 hours of battery time The Price in New Zealand ranges from a small 16GB which cost$799 The IPad allowed the user to easily select certain applications through touch. This was good for people with motor function difficulties. It alos could be used for games which were easier to play on the IPad. Here is a man using an IPad to speak and helping to teach him to speak after he has listened to the IPad. This occurred after he had a stroke. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_y23dZFy1s Here is a video of a small child learning to write words and say them, it shows how the interaction and voices from the IPad help teach a young cjild how to spell and speak. The IPad is good because nobody has to be there the whole time prompting them to speak because the IPad just does it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZTkPtAyqOY&feature=related

Tutorial 6

Provide the web addresses and a hyper link for the three online communities you have chosen In this tutorial i had to look at something that interested me in relation to personal occupation. I had to search for 3 online communities that related to this topic. http://www.ebay.com/  http://www.trademe.co.nz/ http://www.1-day.co.nz/

Provide a brief description of each community EBay is an American site which is an online aution and shopping site where people and businesses’ buy and sale a broad variety of goods. This site operates internationally. Trademe is the largest internet auction site operated in New Zealand. The site allows people to auction goods and communicate with one another to do so. The site can only be used if you have a New Zealand bank account. 1Day is a New Zealand site which offers cheap deals on random stuff every day. The site buys things in large amounts so then they can sell it cheaper. Every day at 12pm there are three items posted on the site which people can but, it is first in first served.

What services are provided on each site?  How interactive is this site?  How can people contribute? What do they contribute? For EBay users are able to comment on items to find more information out about the item. People give out contact information if it’s necessary in order for more information on specifics about an item. People can contribute by commenting and by also putting more items on the site for other people to purchase. The site is interactive as long as it is about the items for sale. Trademe is pretty much similar to Ebay in-terms of being able to comment on items, being able to get contact information, contributing by commenting and putting more items up for sale. It is fairly interactive but is mainly about the items for sale. 1day is a lot harder for the user to be interactive because people aren’t able to post their items up for sale but can only buy and comment on the items that the site puts up for sale. Users talk amongst each other about the items and also the site itself will answer any questions relating to the products they are selling.

Consider material presented in the online package.  Make comment on why people choose to contribute to each community.  What is it they are seeking? Is information shared one way or reciprocal? The reason people choose to contribute to EBay is because they want to sell an item that they no longer need/use or they are selling items to make a profit on them. They also make comments to find out more information on the items on the site. The user is normally seeking a certain item if they are browsing the site or they are seeking somebody to buy their certain item. The information is reciprocal because all users can see it and add to it. Trademe is the as EBay just on a smaller scale in terms of users. Users want to sell an item that they no longer need/use or they are selling items to make a profit on them. They also make comments to find out more information on the items on the site. The user is normally seeking a certain item if they are browsing the site or they are seeking somebody to buy their certain item. The information is reciprocal because all users can see it and add to it. 1Day users contribute to this community because they are after some cheap high quality goods, they also make comments to help other users out if they get the chance. Users are only after a deal which benefits them, but when information or questions are posted on the site the user is ablelook at it and add to it.

Cut and paste an example of the type of topics being discussed (you may have to provide a context to your excerpt). From the one day site about crock pots that were for sale: The answers were posted by the site.  Ask a product question? Christine asks: “does it come with a cook book?” “No it doesn't.” 1 hour ago Raymond asks: “Are they dishwasher safe?” “The removable ceramic crock is dishwasher safe.” 2 hours ago Richard asks: “Where is the Shark Slow Cooker made?” “China.” 2 hours ago Matthew asks: “Does this come with any guarantee/warranty? “12 month warranty from the date of purchase for manufacturing faults or defects.” 3 hours ago

Considering material presented during the course and comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community e.g. lack of identity and accountability. With Trademe and EBay there are many ethical issues because you don’t know who you are dealing with or whether you can trust them either. There are big risks when using these sites because people can make fake accounts to scam people by getting them to pay lots of money for a fake product. A lot of people can easily say they are selling something of a good quality when they aren’t; this is the risk you take by using the site. Although this occurs, Trademe and EBay do their best to prevent it. Also there is a rating system so you wont get repeat offenders and you can see which users have been good to work with and who haven’t. With 1Day there are far less ethical issues because there is only one reliable source controlling the products for sale and controlling the money side of things. You aren’t likely to get tricked on this site because there is only one source of control and if they ruined that trust the site would be no more.

Consider material presented in the online package and comment on the benefits these communities provides over traditional geographical community. By having an online community such as these ones it allows for the sale of goods all over the world for EBay but in Trademe and 1Days case it allows the sale of goods throughout the country of New Zealand. Trademe allows the user to interact with people in their country without going anywhere. People don’t have to leave their houses anymore to meet people and exchange goods with them, it can be done from anywhere where there is internet.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can. This community lacks the ability to get together and have meeting and talk about things. It only has one purpose which is to exchange goods between it users. The communities have no other need or purpose apart from the user being satisfied with their purpose and payment of their sale.