Category: Cram Session
I'm just wondering how you guys deal with these anoying subjects at the college level. I'm taking an environmental science which requires a lot of observing and writing and nature stuff. We have to keep journal entries but I don't want to bring my notetaker with me on field trips. The sighties have to hand write theirs wich is understandable. As for the math, I heard horrible things about it and people failing it. Good thing I'm not taking it now.
Heh, well I am not at a college but have been throughout all kinds of nightmares. For example, since i did not have any kind of services back i Colombia, I would have to et volunteers from school, some teachers, and other people like family to learn braille. After that they would interpoint (write in smaller print below the braille) all my notebooks. Yes, they were binded notebooks with the thickness of the braille paper and i had to carry about 10 of them every day. Science and math were different. Instead of using the wholenemeth scratch paper, I used the abacus and am still usingit to make mental math. Sometimes just plain mental math is what i do. Graphing calculators and such I never had to use. For different observations and such II guess i would just had asked classmates for the information. The biggest issue is though when you have a geometry calss.
It depends on what classes you're taking. But keep this in mind. They're all going to require some level of adaptation, so you'll just have to deal with it. The best way to get things described to you is to ask for classmates who are willing to help you out. They can see what the professor writes on the board and doesn't say out loud, and that helps with a lot of the confusion. With sciences that require labs, having a lab partner is great for taking down observations. Ha ha, I'm sure this post isn't making you feel any better about it.
Anyone know where I can find a graphing calculator? I am looking for one for my class. And, Geometry is a nightmare.
There better not be a college geometry.
is it possible to do math homework on the computer?
When it comes to three-dimensional shapes and all that, I don't know how JAWS would handle it.
Math doesn't have to be hard. At least geometry doesn't have to be. It is all about breaking it down into all of its parts. For example, using a peg board and some rubber bands you can create almost any geometric shape. You can have square peg boards, or circle peg boards. Also using a cork board you can make any shape you want using push pins, and rubber bands. Understanding the formulas is essential to making this work easier. Also the use of paper to create shapes works well too. Another good idea is to buy one of those kids toys. It is a ball with cut outs for different shapes. That might come in handy. One could also use pipe cleaners to bend and flex them into a desired shape. As for doing math on the computer, there are a few different programs which use screen reading software to help a student do and understand the layout of a problem. These softwares allow a student to break down a complex problem with many steps into a workable problem. The beauty of this is that some of the programs allow you to do all your work and then copy and paste the entire thing into a new document. Then the teacher can see where a student has gone wrong. I thought I heard somewhere that one can use a program with graphs. But I can't remember where I read it. For those with Tiger embossers, I have heard that one can use these to print out graphs with the relevant graphical information in braille. A little research can go a long way. Also speaking up when something isn't understood also goes a long way. I cannot stress enough the value of asking questions. If one is going to school and paying for their education, or someone is paying for the education, take advantange of that. Get all that one can by asking questions. There is no stupid question except for the one that one already knows the answer to. Everyone value's from a question asked. The professor, the other students, and the individual asking all benifit; even if it is a lesson in patience. . To me, school can only beat you if you let it. I am not saying you'll get straight A's, but at this level it is about what one learns, not the grade one gets. If the professor refuses to help through accomadations or adaptations that's a different thing all together. I say, no more passive learning, take charge, and be an active learner.
Nem
AGC Calculator is the program that helps with graphing. However, what are the other programs that were mentioned above by the seventh poster?
Take some time to study Excel and possibly learn some Mat Lab or Gauss (similar programmes) both are very non graphical statistics programmes with some equation solving abilities and you can generate graphs from them. I am not 100% sure but I think with the ViewPlus/Tiger technologies you could print some of those graphs in an accessible format. I am looking at those options for myself so I may post more here later.
I will dig up some math programmes I was looking at and post some links. I really don't know how much some graphing calculator is going to help, Excel can do the work and usually the numbers are not that horribly hard, but may be it does help somewhat, for me I'd rather go with software and a laptop seeing as those calculators are awfully expensive to begin with.
I made up my own math language to write out problems in and my professors were ok with that. I took linear algebra, lots of probability and statistics, descrete math and some other courses. And, no, I wasn't a straight A student, but I kept a respectable average in all courses. It took a lot of work and creative thinking but learning this stuff is also a lot of fun and very satisfying.
With good understanding of math and a science degree you have very good chances of a profitable and/or fun job after you graduate. Going the easy way isn't always right. If languages and such genuinely interest you that's great and just the right thing but I would advise against going with a language or history or some other subject just because they are easier and require less work and adaptation on behalf of the student. If one wants to study math, one should. It's totally possible.
cheers
-B