eARNING TRICK: Amazon Echo Dot

<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I know it has been a while since I last blogged but that's life- there is the plan and then there is life! Over the past couple of years, I have been spending a great deal of time evaluating and looking at how voice assistants and voice as an interface can improve the quality of life for people across the life-span. I have done many workshops to educators and seniors, through the United Way Caretakers Coalition of Morris County. These workshops have opened the door to many opportunities to show others how tools like Amazon Alexa can be used in the classroom to engage students with a range of learning experiences. Similarly, I have demonstrated how integrating security camera can be used to stay in touch with others that you may be caring for, which is perfect for those taking care of their loved ones. </span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMOpRdar7xB8L_GeytG7YfQ6oSHZqNSTMQX3zr09kHY8NBmb4gRcSViWw7WXSP3jeNeIFqtLHhbe4co1OGTFnObT9sTr7KCOWUz87i6mf8dl4VrLtoa1MRk77-C0E0pLvr0QSQ8LIOoA/s1600/echodot2jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMOpRdar7xB8L_GeytG7YfQ6oSHZqNSTMQX3zr09kHY8NBmb4gRcSViWw7WXSP3jeNeIFqtLHhbe4co1OGTFnObT9sTr7KCOWUz87i6mf8dl4VrLtoa1MRk77-C0E0pLvr0QSQ8LIOoA/s1600/echodot2jpg.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Echo Dot</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have found lots of ways to use my Echo Dots in my home for information, music, weather, and more! One of the technologies which I have found to be helpful each day is my Flash Briefings. Flash Briefings are short audiocasts that are a quick way to keep up with what is happening in the world. The Flash Briefing format is ideal as a way to keep up with what's happening and is great if your interests are very focused. I recently started a Flash Briefing called "Innovative Technology," that is a skill you can enable on your Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Once you have enabled the Innovative Technology Flash Briefing, you can listen to my tips and tricks on various assistive and educational technologies. The Flash Briefings are 2 minutes long and give you some great ways to use the technology that you may not have thought of. Here is a sample of one of my Flash Briefings:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><script type="text/javascript">function trebbleLoadScript(a,b){var c=document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0],d=document.createElement("script");d.type="text/javascript",d.src=a,d.onreadystatechange=b,d.onload=b,c.appendChild(d)}var TREBBLE_INSTALL_OPTIONS={trebbleId:"5b482a350320910013905879",alwaysVisibible:!0,widgetPlaceholderBackgroundColor:"#333333"};trebbleLoadScript("https://web.trebble.fm/js/addTrebbleWidgetToSite.js");</script></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><script type="text/javascript">function trebbleLoadScript(a,b){var c=document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0],d=document.createElement("script");d.type="text/javascript",d.src=a,d.onreadystatechange=b,d.onload=b,c.appendChild(d)}var TREBBLE_INSTALL_OPTIONS={trebbleId:"5b482a350320910013905879",alwaysVisibible:!0,widgetPlaceholderBackgroundColor:"#333333"};trebbleLoadScript("https://web.trebble.fm/js/addTrebbleWidgetToSite.js");</script></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can use this link to subscribe:</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://s.trebble.fm/innovative-technology</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can listen to "innovative technology" on any Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device by saying "Ask Trebble FM to play capsules from innovative technology ". If you have an Alexa device and you never used Trebble FM on it before, follow this link to enable it https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075XDJTS7</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Listen to the latest audiocast at thiw link:</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://s.trebble.fm/p/p/t/5b482a350320910013905879?t=1544638054273</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks for taking the time to listen and please feel free to contact me for workshops and training on how you can take advantage of using an Amazon Alexa in the Classroom</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JNplL0c5uS0PJMMdkxlYSSE0VbuhwCLUuWH6Y1RSQKybmlMN2eqqpFqfxrVM_1ZDwiN0Q6fNSdxke1QsttFfTSzk7lCc_9TivLeljVOcM1y-2DpXATmg2M1kW7D5ywwS4Co4ibUf-HY/s1600/alexa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JNplL0c5uS0PJMMdkxlYSSE0VbuhwCLUuWH6Y1RSQKybmlMN2eqqpFqfxrVM_1ZDwiN0Q6fNSdxke1QsttFfTSzk7lCc_9TivLeljVOcM1y-2DpXATmg2M1kW7D5ywwS4Co4ibUf-HY/s1600/alexa.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pick up my latest guide: Amazon Alexa in the Classroom</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Contact <a href="mailto:assistivetek@gmail.com" target="_blank">me </a>for pricing & purchasing the guide</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>

Moving to Voice- Amazon Alexa in the Classroom

I know it has been a while since I last blogged but that's life- there is the plan and then there is life! Over the past couple of years...

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUTLPQyMYYUHwckY-fJHJiV3zXhLpekrT_UCLBqTEpum6XHajzqUmtva1r0KvZoe16pDMVf7gXHC53zPiozID90O0-uZtIZduVdlniZ_XVhdNMcZHcwFcpfzC933FokQbdyDjTmXHb00/s1600/dot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUTLPQyMYYUHwckY-fJHJiV3zXhLpekrT_UCLBqTEpum6XHajzqUmtva1r0KvZoe16pDMVf7gXHC53zPiozID90O0-uZtIZduVdlniZ_XVhdNMcZHcwFcpfzC933FokQbdyDjTmXHb00/s1600/dot.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of the most natural ways to interact with our devices is with our voice. With the advent of smartphones many of us are beginning to rely on voice as our means for interacting with our devices. Whether you are using <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/mobile/experiences/cortana/" target="_blank">Cortana</a>, <a href="http://www.apple.com/ios/siri/" target="_blank">SIRI</a>, or <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Now" target="_blank">Google Now</a>, you know how rewarding it is to be able to text a message or set up a reminder with your voice. Using your voice to interact with your handheld device feels so natural and empowering. Within this context I ordered an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b?node=14047587011" target="_blank">Amazon Echo Dot</a> which I received a couple of weeks ago and am really excited with its potential in being able to understand your voice and in its ability to connect other devices for environmental control. </span><br /><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Setting up the Amazon Echo Dot was straight forward -I plugged it in connected it my WiFi network and within seconds I was asking Alexa questions. If you have used speech to interact with your devices you will be struck by just how fast Alexa responds once you ask it a question. The latency is really incredible. Ask Alexa what the weather forecast is in your hometown and in a nano-second, Alexa will respond with the answer. As I began to use the Amazon Echo Dot my thoughts took me to just how this could be used in the classroom. Given that all you need is a WiFi connection I thought about different ways it could be used an put together a short video to demonstrate. After watching the video, please share ideas and how you might use the Amazon Echo Dot in your classroom? </span><br /><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5kPjNgO9b9k" width="560"></iframe></span>

Amazon Echo Dot- Loud & Clear!

One of the most natural ways to interact with our devices is with our voice. With the advent of smartphones many of us are beginning to rely...