Well, that's that. I've learned the handful of ASL signs and phrases I initially set out to accomplish. My journey started a few weeks ago, and I can't believe it's already over! Visit my blogs Week 1 of ASL and ASL Update to see my progress. There have been some ups and downs along the way, but I'm happy to be learning ASL again.
I set out to learn 20-30 signs or phrases that would commonly be used in a veterinary medical setting. As an educator in a veterinary technology program, I can use what I learned to benefit my students and their abilities to interact with deaf clients. I hope to pass what I've learned on to my students in my communication course. I personally worked with a deaf licensed veterinary technician. Initially, she was not treated with respect from other members of our team. She felt isolated and belittled on a daily basis. I befriended her and made every effort I could to communicate with her and developed ways in which her skills could be utilized with clients. In today's 21st Century learning, students develop open communication skills and are culturally aware. I believe sharing this story and the ASL I've learned will continue to strengthen my students' acceptance and cultural awareness.
To gain ASL knowledge, I used networked learning. With networked learning, knowledge is gained through the connection and sharing with others using different technologies. Just this week I learned about accessibility to educational resources. This was the first time it all clicked for me-- the ability to connect with others through technology for the purpose of learning is providing educational experiences for people with cultural or geographical barriers. Referring to networked learning, White states, "Because anyone can access the resources from anywhere in the world, it promotes higher education even in under-developed or developing countries" (2007). There are many resources available to people that can't be found in a classroom environment, providing limitless opportunities for learning, connecting, and collaboration nationwide.
Some networked learning resources I used included online videos (mostly YouTube), social media (Twitter and Instagram), help forums, and affinity spaces (sites where people share a common interest and exchange information). Obtaining my knowledge through networked learning was at times effortless and entertaining. I believe many of us do this without realizing how we are obtaining the information, and that there's a term defining it! But using this method of learning at other times was difficult. During these past few weeks, there were times I wanted simply to reach out to my old colleague for face -to-face learning sessions. In certain situations, I believe learning from a person is best. However, learning from a textbook would not have benefited my ASL comprehension! Sources of video with repetition and conversational ASL helped me understand the most effectively. I found written directions to be less helpful and more confusing.
The task of learning specific phrases or questions was not as easy as I imagined it would be. I quickly learned three basic ASL rules. The first rule is the use of a topic/comment sentence structure (a sentence that includes a topic followed by the comment). A topic can be either a subject or object, and is always signed before the comment. Examples from Dr. Bill include, "The boy threw the ball (BOY THROW BALL)" and "The ball was thrown by the boy (BALL? BOY THROW)" (2007). The second rule applies to "wh-questions" (who, what, when, where, and why). They are typically signed at the end of the sentence and with a furrowed eyebrow. And the third rule is that when asking "yes/no questions", eyebrows should be raised.
I'll continue to learn ASL and improve both my finger spelling and reading. But for now, this video shows what I've learned so far. I used the video editing tool Filmora9 to capture my networked learning journey. Next I'll focus on beginner's sign language, such as learning numbers and common conversational ASL. Integrating more everyday signs with the knowledge I've gained for medical environments will continue to help me communicate with deaf clients.
As for networked learning, this was an eye-opening experience. This was the first time I learned something using technology and actively thought about doing so. Using networked learning forced me to use some methods of technology I had not used before. It also opened my eyes to what is truly available for many to use. I look forward to incorporating more networked learning in my courses. Education in the 21st Century revolves around student-centered pedagogies that strengthen important skills such as collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking. Networked learning will provide flexible learning that will undoubtedly improve these important skills.
References:
White, S. (2007, January 18). Networked learning advantages. Articles Factory. Retrieved from http://www.articlesfactory.com/articles/internet/networked-learning-advantages.html .
Vicars, B. (2007, August 27). Re: What is "topicalization" and how is it different from "topic comment" (TC) sentence structure? [Notes from linguistics class]. Retrieved from https://www.lifeprint.com/linguistics/topicalization.htm .
Ar130405. (2017, February 20). Global Technology Network [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/illustrations/global-technology-network-globe-2082635/.
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