Technological literacy - meaning computer skills and the ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity, and performance - has become as fundamental to a person's ability to navigate through society as traditional skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic.
(United States Department of Education. (June 29, 1996). Meeting the technology literacy challenge - A report to the nation on technology and education).
(United States Department of Education. (June 29, 1996). Meeting the technology literacy challenge - A report to the nation on technology and education).
Hello

My name is David Merlo. I am Director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at in Bryant & Stratton College in Rochester New York. I teach courses related to assistive technology, psychosocial rehabilitation, and therapeutic communication (among other courses too numerous to mention).
With my colleague Sharon Cavanaugh, OTR, from Baker Victory Services in Lackawanna New York, we've found a way to merge our areas of interest and expertise through teaching website development to various populations. There are so many useful elements involved in developing websites that it is possible to adapt the process to address virtually any academic or therapeutic objectives - from teaching computer literacy, to addressing academic objectives (reading, writing, arithmetic, etc.), to infusing creativity and self-expression, to facilitating self-directed exploration, self-help, wellness self-management, and recovery.
The possibilities are endless! And, by involving our own college students in teaching others, we've added yet another dimension in which students - engaged in service learning - are able to learn about culture, teaching strategies, therapeutic modalities, therapeutic rapport, and technology.
You can contact me at dmmerlo@bryantstratton.edu.
With my colleague Sharon Cavanaugh, OTR, from Baker Victory Services in Lackawanna New York, we've found a way to merge our areas of interest and expertise through teaching website development to various populations. There are so many useful elements involved in developing websites that it is possible to adapt the process to address virtually any academic or therapeutic objectives - from teaching computer literacy, to addressing academic objectives (reading, writing, arithmetic, etc.), to infusing creativity and self-expression, to facilitating self-directed exploration, self-help, wellness self-management, and recovery.
The possibilities are endless! And, by involving our own college students in teaching others, we've added yet another dimension in which students - engaged in service learning - are able to learn about culture, teaching strategies, therapeutic modalities, therapeutic rapport, and technology.
You can contact me at dmmerlo@bryantstratton.edu.
Links
RecoveryPlace.netA site about using website development as a recovery-focused intervention with individuals who have psychiatric disabilities.
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Emily's CommunityA sample site demonstrating how teaching website development with school-age children can address academic, psychosocial, and civic objectives.
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