This week's blog centers around presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint. I will be creating an example of this software to use in my classroom and will then analyze its effectiveness to strengthen it for the future.
First, let's introduce what I've created. On the first day of school, I always like to make a PowerPoint presentation to show my new students introducing my teaching philosophy, highlighting basic information of my classroom, and to allow my kids to learn more about me outside of the school. I feel this is a good "ice breaker" and helps my students and I become more familiar with each other.
At the beginning of the school year, I showed a presentation to my current students. I created a presentation to show for next school year (2010-2011) and will ask my kids to provide feedback on it so that I can improve it before it's shown on opening day in August.
After I gather my students' thoughts on the PowerPoint, I will reflect what I've learned below the dotted line and answer the questions from this week's blog assignment.
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Question: What was the presentation about and to whom did you present it?
The presentation was entitled, "All About Your Teacher," and was presented to my homeroom class. The goal of the presentation was to offer a glimpse into my life in and out of education and to explain my personal teaching philosophy. The purpose for showing this presentation to my students at the end of the school year was to strengthen it for next year and to brainstorm ideas for the future.
Question: Of which item in your presentation are you the most proud?
I was proudest about the cohesiveness of my presentation. I felt like all the slides were focused, organized, and effectively communicated the main ideas I planned to address. By limiting the amount of information per slide (and adhering to the "rule of thumb" mentioned in our chapter reading), I was able to keep my students engaged and motivated to participate in the lesson. Lastly, I was proud of the design of the presentation. I made sure to use colors that worked well with each other so that my message was easily construed to the students.
Question: What might you do differently if you could create the presentation again?
After allowing my students to provide feedback on the presentation and after spending some time in self-reflection, I would add more animation and multimedia to my PowerPoint. I used few sounds and moving pictures and those were some of the most interesting parts according to my students. Plus, I've always been the "multimedia guy" at our school. I wrote and recorded a theme song to be played over the morning announcements and have written various songs for other school-related activities. Furthermore, I write goofy songs in class and record them for my students. With all of this in mind, why wouldn't I add more sound and "life" to my presentation? By doing so, I feel that my presentation will be even more engaging, entertaining, and will inspire my students to want to create a PowerPoint of their own.
Question: How did your students respond to the presentation?
As I previously mentioned, I felt my students were very engaged and motivated to participate in the lesson. They enjoyed seeing new pictures of me and my family, and were extremely interested in helping me strengthen the PowerPoint for my next bunch of students. Also, several of them expressed interest in creating PowerPoint presentations of their own to show the class.
Question: Do you have any new ideas or thoughts on how to use PowerPoint with your students in the future?
After seeing how interested the students were in creating their own presentations, I plan to utilize Microsoft PowerPoint as a way for future students to get acquainted with their classmates at the beginning of the year. I will instruct each student to create a presentation with pictures and information about his/her life that he/she would like to share with the rest of the class. This will be a great way to make the students feel like our class is a "family atmosphere" and get more comfortable with their peers. More importantly, incorporating technology in the classroom will make my curriculum more diversified and address more learning styles. It will also help the students sharpen their technological skills to hopefully become technologically literate.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Lesson Three Blog
This blog will focus on how I utilize word processing and desktop publishing programs in my classroom to create various "documents" to present information, news, and more. In case you're unsure of what these programs are, allow me first to provide a brief explanation of each. A word processing program allows teachers/students to type information and often includes tools like a spell checker, thesaurus, and a guide to using proper grammar. Desktop publishing programs are fairly similar to word processing ones as they allow teachers/students to type and present information in the form of banners, flyers, newsletters, etc. However, desktop publishing programs also enable users to arrange photographs, drawings, and other graphics. Lastly, just so we're on the same page, Microsoft Word is a word processing program and Microsoft Publisher is a DTP (desktop publishing program).
Now that we've got that out of the way, let's move on to the assignment at hand. As an educator, I use both types of programs constantly. It seems like I find myself typing up a test, worksheet, or other instructional document each week using Microsoft Word. These materials aren't always the "prettiest" things you've ever seen but they are extremely organized. Unlike some items I've seen other teachers make, I try to limit the amount of pictures and graphics I put on the documents I create using a word processing program. I feel that I should utilize as much space as possible for higher-order thinking questions and try to provide as much space for student responses as I can.
Secondly, as a part of my professional growth plan at my school, I have sent home monthly newsletters to strengthen my communication with parents and guardians. These documents are much more visually pleasing than the educational documents I create in Microsoft Word. Each newsletter is divided into sections that tell what's going on in our classroom currently, what our class will be learning in the future, and what events will be taking place in our school. I do feel, however, that I tend to include too much information that can distract the readers from absorbing everything I want them to from the newsletters. In the future I plan to send home two (or more) newsletters each month with condensed information so that I can avoid this issue.
The next part of my assignment this week is to recreate an item that I use in my classroom to make it more effective. I will first post a picture of what I created and will then explain why I feel it'll be better than what I currently use.
(Click to enlarge!)
On this newsletter, I provided more space for each section and also limited the amount of information that I included. Like I mentioned previously, my newsletters are usually overflowing with info and could seem cluttered to those who read it. Therefore, I feel the newsletter I posted above will help alleviate this issue. My ultimate goal with sending these newsletters home is to open the lines of communication between the classroom and my students' homes. So, it's probably a good idea for me to make them as communicable as possible! ;)
Thanks for reading this week's blog and be sure to send me an email with any questions/comments/concerns. Have a good day.
- Mr. David Jenkins
New Highland Elementary
Now that we've got that out of the way, let's move on to the assignment at hand. As an educator, I use both types of programs constantly. It seems like I find myself typing up a test, worksheet, or other instructional document each week using Microsoft Word. These materials aren't always the "prettiest" things you've ever seen but they are extremely organized. Unlike some items I've seen other teachers make, I try to limit the amount of pictures and graphics I put on the documents I create using a word processing program. I feel that I should utilize as much space as possible for higher-order thinking questions and try to provide as much space for student responses as I can.
Secondly, as a part of my professional growth plan at my school, I have sent home monthly newsletters to strengthen my communication with parents and guardians. These documents are much more visually pleasing than the educational documents I create in Microsoft Word. Each newsletter is divided into sections that tell what's going on in our classroom currently, what our class will be learning in the future, and what events will be taking place in our school. I do feel, however, that I tend to include too much information that can distract the readers from absorbing everything I want them to from the newsletters. In the future I plan to send home two (or more) newsletters each month with condensed information so that I can avoid this issue.
The next part of my assignment this week is to recreate an item that I use in my classroom to make it more effective. I will first post a picture of what I created and will then explain why I feel it'll be better than what I currently use.
(Click to enlarge!)
On this newsletter, I provided more space for each section and also limited the amount of information that I included. Like I mentioned previously, my newsletters are usually overflowing with info and could seem cluttered to those who read it. Therefore, I feel the newsletter I posted above will help alleviate this issue. My ultimate goal with sending these newsletters home is to open the lines of communication between the classroom and my students' homes. So, it's probably a good idea for me to make them as communicable as possible! ;)
Thanks for reading this week's blog and be sure to send me an email with any questions/comments/concerns. Have a good day.
- Mr. David Jenkins
New Highland Elementary
Monday, May 10, 2010
Lesson Two Blog
This week's blog post will be divided into three categories: a helpful URL for using spreadsheets/databases in the classroom, a surprising URL for using spreadsheets/databases in the classroom, and a reflection of ways that I currently implement spreadsheets/databases into my classroom.
First, before I dive into this week's discussion, allow me to share an EXTREMELY helpful link that I found for using Microsoft Excel and creating spreadsheets. Often times, one can save a ton of time by using shortcuts and cheat codes while operating this program. And, after consulting my friend Mr. Google, I've found the perfect link for those who consider themselves "beginners" when it comes to use Excel.
Click here to visit the link!!
^ While this link may not answer every question you have for using Microsoft Excel, it will definitely make your life easier when using the program. Make sure you check it out. ;)
Now, onto my assignment for this week. In order to keep this post organized and easy to read, I'll break each question down into segments.
Also, MAP scores are extremely important in our district and at our school. I always conference with students to talk about their scores, how long they took to take the test (giving best effort), and how many points they need to improve the next time they are tested. Using Excel would be helpful here because I could make a graph that shows scores of students who didn't take their time as opposed to those who did. I believe the students who took more time should have higher scores and that will be illustrated for the students. Secondly, I could chart/graph each student's individual scores and show their progress throughout the course of the year.
As we learned in this week's lesson, "productivity software" is to help educators be more....well, productive! If Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and other programs are utilized properly, they should help make a teacher's life much easier and make that teacher much more efficient with his/her instruction AND analyzing student achievement.
First, before I dive into this week's discussion, allow me to share an EXTREMELY helpful link that I found for using Microsoft Excel and creating spreadsheets. Often times, one can save a ton of time by using shortcuts and cheat codes while operating this program. And, after consulting my friend Mr. Google, I've found the perfect link for those who consider themselves "beginners" when it comes to use Excel.
Click here to visit the link!!
^ While this link may not answer every question you have for using Microsoft Excel, it will definitely make your life easier when using the program. Make sure you check it out. ;)
Now, onto my assignment for this week. In order to keep this post organized and easy to read, I'll break each question down into segments.
- Interesting URL: After doing some internet surfing, I came across a website with a ton of nifty ideas for using spreadsheets in the classroom. Here's a really cool activity I found that allows students to go on an interactive shopping spree at Wal-Mart or E-Toys. There's a situation given where the students recently won $1000.00 to spend and must choose items they would like to purchase. In order to keep track of their expenses, the students must complete an online, interactive working spreadsheet. Furthermore, the online spreadsheet teaches students to use a function like you can use in Excel. To do so, the students need to click the button labeled "Fn". To integrate more Microsoft Excel skills, I could adapt this lesson to have students use Excel for their gift list instead of using the online spreadsheet. I think this would be a great lesson to use with students because they'll be VERY motivated to participate knowing they will be "buying" toys. Plus, considering my school has several families with low incomes, this will be a fantastic chance for students who don't receive many gifts to imagine buying items they desire. Lastly, this is a great way to have the students practice basic math and real-life skills while learning about technology.
- Surprising URL: While searching for interesting activities to use with my students, I came across a surprising fact that I never thought about....you can use Microsoft Excel to make time lines! In my reading classes, I always ask students to create time lines to show the sequence of events in a particular story or to demonstrate their comprehension of what they read. Now, using what I've learned here, I can incorporate Microsoft Excel and technology into this activity. Here's a link that discusses using time lines with Excel and also explains how to make them. This activity can be used for many different subjects including social studies and writing.
- How I use spreadsheets: I'll admit that I haven't used Microsoft Access as much as Excel, Word, Front Page, or even Publisher. However, I have used databases in the past to sort and organize student information in my classroom. I use Excel often at my school to create helpful spreadsheets. I make custom grade sheets to use for my classes through Excel and also use it to make charts to monitor student progress on AR goals, Writing Portfolio progress, etc. When I was completing my education courses at W.K.U., I often used Excel to create graphs so that I could analyze and interpret student data on assessments. In the future, I'd like to use Excel much more in the classroom to make timelines, charts, graphs, and more. More importantly, I want to include my students when using Excel so that they may become more technologically-savvy.
Also, MAP scores are extremely important in our district and at our school. I always conference with students to talk about their scores, how long they took to take the test (giving best effort), and how many points they need to improve the next time they are tested. Using Excel would be helpful here because I could make a graph that shows scores of students who didn't take their time as opposed to those who did. I believe the students who took more time should have higher scores and that will be illustrated for the students. Secondly, I could chart/graph each student's individual scores and show their progress throughout the course of the year.
As we learned in this week's lesson, "productivity software" is to help educators be more....well, productive! If Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and other programs are utilized properly, they should help make a teacher's life much easier and make that teacher much more efficient with his/her instruction AND analyzing student achievement.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Lesson One Blog
After reading a few chapters in my "Teaching and Learning with Technology" textbook, I've learned some things that I didn't know before.
One thing that stood out to me is that the ISTE, or the International Society for Technology in Education, have developed a project called the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS*T). This project provides rubrics to determine a teacher's technology level including what he/she should be able to do with technology in the classroom.
Along with this rubric for teachers, another set of standards have been created for students entitled NETS*S. Using these standards and rubric as a guide, teachers can now set appropriate and effective goals for the implementation of technology in the classroom.
With this information in mind, I plan to closely monitor my students' progress with technology using the criteria defined in the NETS*S. In order to implement this strategy in my classroom, I plan to create a checklist where all 6 standards are listed in a chart with each student's name running down the side. When I notice a student demonstrating criteria in a NETS*S standard, I will record the date and description of the activity on the chart. I can then identify areas of strength and weakness for each student and work to have them master all standards.
At the end of the year, I will include a summary of each student's NETS*S progress in their permanent record. Since the N0 Child Left Behind goal is for all students to be technologically literate by the end of their eighth grade year, I feel this will be a good way to effectively communicate a student's skill/lack of skill dealing with educational technology so that he/she may improve in the future.
Some challenges I may face with this plan is a lack of time and resources to complete a checklist for all students in my class. With a heavy focus on other content areas in the curriculum, technology sometimes take a "back seat" to being monitored/assessed. However, I believe that I can "kill two birds with one stone" by planning various technological activities into my lessons/units so that students can be analyzed based on the content at hand while also checking their technology skills.
A second problem that may come into play is a lack of resources at my school. In my classroom, I only have 3 student computers, so I will need to split the time on them amongst all my students so that everybody has an equal chance to sharpen their computer skills. However, technology doesn't revolve solely around computers, so I believe I can find other ways to provide learning opportunities for my students when a computer is not available.
Though not all problems can be planned for, I feel a good teacher can always find a way to adapt to the situation at hand. I'm positive my "plan" won't always go smoothly, but with hard work and a good attitude, I know that I can make it successful. I also believe that I will become better at reflecting upon my own technology skills if I become more aware of my students'.
One thing that stood out to me is that the ISTE, or the International Society for Technology in Education, have developed a project called the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS*T). This project provides rubrics to determine a teacher's technology level including what he/she should be able to do with technology in the classroom.
Along with this rubric for teachers, another set of standards have been created for students entitled NETS*S. Using these standards and rubric as a guide, teachers can now set appropriate and effective goals for the implementation of technology in the classroom.
With this information in mind, I plan to closely monitor my students' progress with technology using the criteria defined in the NETS*S. In order to implement this strategy in my classroom, I plan to create a checklist where all 6 standards are listed in a chart with each student's name running down the side. When I notice a student demonstrating criteria in a NETS*S standard, I will record the date and description of the activity on the chart. I can then identify areas of strength and weakness for each student and work to have them master all standards.
At the end of the year, I will include a summary of each student's NETS*S progress in their permanent record. Since the N0 Child Left Behind goal is for all students to be technologically literate by the end of their eighth grade year, I feel this will be a good way to effectively communicate a student's skill/lack of skill dealing with educational technology so that he/she may improve in the future.
Some challenges I may face with this plan is a lack of time and resources to complete a checklist for all students in my class. With a heavy focus on other content areas in the curriculum, technology sometimes take a "back seat" to being monitored/assessed. However, I believe that I can "kill two birds with one stone" by planning various technological activities into my lessons/units so that students can be analyzed based on the content at hand while also checking their technology skills.
A second problem that may come into play is a lack of resources at my school. In my classroom, I only have 3 student computers, so I will need to split the time on them amongst all my students so that everybody has an equal chance to sharpen their computer skills. However, technology doesn't revolve solely around computers, so I believe I can find other ways to provide learning opportunities for my students when a computer is not available.
Though not all problems can be planned for, I feel a good teacher can always find a way to adapt to the situation at hand. I'm positive my "plan" won't always go smoothly, but with hard work and a good attitude, I know that I can make it successful. I also believe that I will become better at reflecting upon my own technology skills if I become more aware of my students'.
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