Blog 12

Topics I found interesting were both ones I found similar ideas and opposite ideas with. I enjoyed viewing what people thought of Wikipedia, and PowerPoint, as there was both contrasting and agreeing statements with mine. It made me think a little bit more on each topic and how broad they really are.

I would most like to learn how to use more software than just Microsoft Office, since I’ve known that since grade school and seemed repetitious to me. I think software such as Photoshop or Acrobat Reader might be more useful, and I think teaching to be compatible with both Windows and Mac books would be a very useful skill as many school switch what they have.

I think to achieve these goals I just stated I should try asking a Mac user about their different interface and system, and try to find a class that teaches more programs than just Microsoft Office.

Blog 11

My experience with Twitter was not much. I used it mainly in the beginning but slowly faded during the passing weeks. I find it to be more of a nuisance than as a helpful tool. I had to many email, networking, and updates to look at to bother with Twitter, but I can see how some people would like it, if they like to give people information on their whereabouts or if they need something.

I do not plan to use Twitter on a personal level. I think it is too much effort for things I do not care at all. It could be useful to promote a band, or a business, but I cannot think of things I would want to share on it, nor do I want to know half the things other people post on it.

I do not think Twitter is an educational tool, simply because there are much easier ways to give the information across to students. Emails are much simpler to use and give across the same message, and it’s much more professional than Twitter.

Blog 9

I would use Excel in a math based class, or one that contains a lot of data, perhaps like History. I would use this for a math class more towards older students, perhaps to teach about data entry and averages. I would also use this program to help students who would like to display history dates and events in an organized fashion, which this would be very useful for. This program could also help learning about pie charts and bar graphs.

Blog 8

My PowerPoint presentation is The Tortoise and the Hare. I think I did alright, but there is room for improvement. I could have made more animation, and more interesting text. I could have also improved how the text looked, and perhaps made it animated as well. My presentation formed a solid story line, but I did not go into much detail and picked only standard clip arts and backgrounds.

I thinking merging non computer technologies with computers would help teach students how both affect daily life. A tv show or documentary, for example could be shown, and then questions could be asked afterwards on a computer.

I think these skills would be incredibly useful to an education career. Presentation programs are useful both for students and upper management. PowerPoint can be used to display information to students in a efficient and pleasing manner, and can be done the same for a presentation for a boss or coworker. I think these skills will be useful to allow us to broadcast our knowledge and our presentations in a more professional and interesting manner.

Blog 7

Presentation softtware in K-12 is very useful to keep their attention and make information presented seem more interesting and appealing. This could be used to make games, movies, and special effects they would enjoy, and would like to know more of. Presentation programs however, could make other work less appealing and have students refuse to participate in it.

I would use Powerpoint to help influence teaching and learning in a positive in every aspect. Powerpoint could be used to display information easily on a board, and quickly without having to wait for the teacher to finish writing it. Powerpoint easily catches the eye and your attention better than a worksheet or textbook. Powerpoint could be used to show information in a cleaner manner than long blocks of text, and helps with presentations and speeches when needed.

An issue of education technology that interests me is the use of the new use of facebook groups for courses or class related topics. I find this is an interesting way to communicate with high school or college students who check facebook moreso than any other site. I find it a win lose situation where you gain the ability to easily access information and contact info with the class or teacher, but you lose the ability to be completely yourself on the networking site in fear of looking unprofessional for the teacher or class.

Blog 6

I think Wikipedia is useful in some terms, but not others. Simple definitions and genereal concepts are useful to find on Wikipedia, and if they cite their sources as well. However, many people can create a wikipedia page, or change information on another page. This poses the threat of receiving untrue information and invalid sources.

Blog 5

The internet is full of many sites and information. However, many times the sites many not contain valid sources, or may use biased opinions as facts. Despite this, the Internet provides numerous opportunities for research that may not usually be available. It’s very useful when using internet libraries and websites dedicated to learning certain topics, and helps guide research with sources a normal library or institution might not have. It is not useful, however, when the sites display false information or biased opinions.

I would use web based resources to support student learning in many ways. I would show how web libraries contain many useful articles and sources that would help further their studies and research. I would also show how some sites might not be as valid as others, to explain what the difference between opinion and facts are.

I would be worried as a teacher of fifth graders with computers due to the beginning freedom they are receiving. They would have to be shown how to properly use the Internet and how it could be used in an academic manner and what is appropriate in a professional subject.

Blog 4

A student should learn to outline and map out ideas in order to easily display what they would like to explain or express. These skills, aided by Inspiration would greatly increase organization and ease of essays, ideas and classroom activities. Maps and outlines help students learn the material better and more fluidly, in my opinion.


These skills we learned this week would be helpful to organize data and plot points for both ourselves and lesson plans. We could organize plot points for a story for a lesson plan in language arts or teach how different information connects to other in history. Outlines would help beginning a rough draft for any essay as well.

Blog 3

I would use Powerpoint to create a lesson and display it in a better manner for the children. I would use Powerpoint to make a lesson on a story plot and characters. This would be helpful to make it seem more entertaining, and almost like a “movie.” I would use Powerpoint animation to make the characters interact, and retell the story. I would also throw in questions intermitted inside to make sure they understand the plot and lesson. This could be geared towards second grades up to sixth.


To help students learn of copyrights and copyright materials, I would use a lesson specifically on this. I would have half of them create a short story of their own, and have them “publish” this in a book and make a small library of them, but without names of the children who wrote them. I would then have the rest read the other students’ books and tell them to write about the story and pretend it is their own. I will then have each student read what the other one wrote about their story, to show how it feels when someone pretends your work is their own.

Blog 2

I’ve used MS word many times, even to practice writing this blog! MS Word is simply necessary for essays and organizing large works of text. I use it often to write out ideas and process information. I’ve seen teachers use it to display information for lectures, exams and homework. Teachers use MS Word to provide lecture information in a format easily accessible to students online or on a projection screen.


I would use MS Word in my classroom often for class projects and essays. I think Word allows a lot of things to be done. I think I would use MS Word to teach students how to type, or practice those skills. This could be also used to create rough ideas in a cleaner manner. Word allows you to use clip art, graphs and bullet lists to make your text seem more interesting, which is very helpful.

Blog 1

Computers are essential to educational experience and how students and teachers relate topics to everyday life. Computers allow students to research on their own, and access online libraries. Teachers can display information easier and more accessible. Computers can help in many ways, as long as they are used properly and appropriately in a classroom setting.
I think I would use computers to display information in a more interesting format and organize information better. Powerpoints and Videos are helpful to showing students material in a fashion that will catch their attention more. Research times could also be used to help students learn how to find valid sources online.

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