Week 4: What I've Learned

I’ve presented Power Point presentations for years now.  I’ve developed high-end business presentations and training presentations for military students.  I’ve made “Welcome” presentations for visitors to our company and ‘info-mercials’ for my coworkers.  However, making a PowerPoint presentation for students….now that was a challenge!

Let me start by saying that I have loved PowerPoint since I began using it years ago in business.  It is relatively straightforward and easy to learn.  It’s portable and can be edited and updated quickly for last minute changes.  You can adapt it to fit most any situation and that makes for a fabulous traveling tool!  Add to those features, the ability to add gorgeous graphics, video and music, and you have created a powerhouse for presentation.  However, with all the excitement of what can be done with this type of presentation software, we must keep in mind what should be done with it.  With so much technology at our fingertips, it’s easy to get carried away by the bells and whistles.  We sometimes focus on adding the ‘whiz-bang’ factor and tend to stray away from the message we are actually trying to present. Recognizing these tendencies, coupled with the “I Want It Now” attention span of information-age students can make creating a presentation a daunting task.  But, I set about the task determined to make it work.

As I am not yet teaching, I had to be a little creative.  My daughter and her friends are in the 4^th grade and have become my weekend guinea pigs.  They are very excited to be included in a “College” class, so they willingly agreed to be my test subjects. (Not to mention they LOVE the fact that I have homework too!)  I created a PowerPoint presentation in my field using the Scientific Method as my subject.  In the presentation, I included slides on the method as a whole and then individual slides for each step of the method.  Beginning with “Make Observations”, I was able to include video on volcanic eruptions .The students viewed the video and then were asked to Make Observations.  With directed questioning, one of the topics that came up during their observations was why some volcanoes erupted more explosively than others.    Next, the students “Asked a Question” as the next step of the process.  They wanted to know WHY some volcanoes are more explosive than others.  Based on information in the slides about how volcanoes erupt, they can then “Form a Hypothesis” about this process.  In the presentation, they are following a group of scientists who have researched this and they get to view the testing process of the Scientific Method.  The slides show photographs of the testing process and data recorded from the experiments.  We paused during this portion to examine the results of the experiment.  The next slide asked them if the experiment supported the hypothesis or not.  They could then draw conclusions about their hypothesis and decide if further testing was needed. 

The great part of this presentation was that it enabled the students to view a real-life experiment.  In a typical classroom, you would not be able to view a volcanic explosion or see how to ‘create’ a volcanic explosion.  This video enabled them to be part of that process without being at the site or the lab.  While they were ‘guided’ in the type of experiments and testing, the students had the experience of what a scientist would do to form a hypothesis, test the theories and draw conclusions.  I was excited to see the ‘students’ use the notes from the PowerPoint as a guide and to see them making their own comments on them.  The notes allowed for the vocabulary of the lesson to be added in and used for future studying as well.  Overall, the students reacted very positively to the presentation.  What 4^th grader doesn’t like a good volcanic explosion?!  This presentation did open up a lot of discussion about volcanoes and how to test variables.  Overall, they got it!  It was a success.  In the future, I would probably break this unit up into more days.  It would be possible to present the Scientific Method as its own presentation, and then add a secondary presentation to “show” the Method.  It would provide a base of knowledge and then the secondary “cool” stuff would help to solidify their knowledge of the process.

Watching the kids enjoy the presentation and gather useful information was incredible!  My daughter informed me at the beginning that she knew a lot about the Scientific Method.  The great part was that after it was over she admitted she learned about HOW to do it!  Gotta’ love that!

Week 3: What I've Learned

Week 3 has proved to be very helpful in thinking about word processing and desktop publishing.  Now, for many of us, this may seem to be one in the same.  We can add a nifty graphic to our text document and feel that we have accomplished true desktop publishing.  However, there can be a lot more to it.  While word processing can allow you to create a document with edited text, grammatical corrections and minimal graphics, it does not tend to be a visual communication.  Desktop publishing helps you to create a visual display for your audience.  It displays ideas and combines text with graphics to produce documents. 

But there is one key element to remember.  Whether you are sending out documents for business or pleasure, to students or parents, there is a fundamental rule that must be followed.  PEOPLE MUST BE ABLE TO CLEARLY READ AND UNDERSTAND YOUR PURPOSE!  If they cannot decipher your intended message, you have failed.  While this may appear to be common knowledge, sometimes we need to be reminded of this simple task.  We often get excited by all the groovy colors and fonts and sometimes forget our primary goal:  communication.  In the past, I have used typed documents for distribution in class and as take-home documents.  With a busy schedule at home and at work, I want to get the information on paper and get it to the intended audience a.s.a.p.  However, this is doing a disservice to the students and parents.  With multiple pieces of paper going home on some days, there is an opportunity for information to get looked over and in some cases disregarded altogether.  In order to prevent that, it’s necessary to make documents stand out.  After reviewing documents that I send out and documents that I receive at my house, I decided to revise a weekly newsletter using the material we have reviewed this past week.

In general, the original newsletter was informative with only a banner graphic.  It was very text driven.  Some information had bold lettering, but other than that there was little differentiation in the text.  In order to make the newsletter more eye-catching and less text-based, I have used desktop publishing to make it a more effective document.  Instead of rows of text, I have made boxes with bold headings and given specific information in each box about that subject.  I have included a calendar to highlight the dates and week we are working in.  It gives the reader a quick look at the week ahead and any items of interest for that week.  The student’s daily agenda book will give details of assignments and upcoming events.  Therefore, there is no need to distract from the ‘big picture’ on this weekly newsletter by adding lots of details.  I’m very pleased with the changes to this document.  In a short amount of time, I was able to clean up a long overdue project and turn it into a clean, concise piece that gives the information in an upfront manner.  Thanks desktop publishing!

Week 2: What I've Learned

This week in EDOL 533 we were reviewing something a little less foreign to me.  After my first round of college was completed, I did not pursue a teaching degree.  Having lived with a teacher (my mom) most of my life, I had no desire to become one!  (Boy, how times change.)  Instead of pursuing a teaching degree as my Advisor and Senior Seminar instructor suggested, I went into business.  That’s right.  I was going to delve into the world of bottom-lines and profits.  Enter the spreadsheet and database discussion here!

I have worked with various forms of both spreadsheets and databases.  I have planned budgets for divisions of companies and spent many a night working Excel programs, trying to get the numbers where I needed them to be.  In addition, I have created and edited numerous spreadsheets for client contacts and tickler files.  I have snail mailed and emailed thousands of people for advertising.  However, during all of that time, it never entered my mind that I would be using those very programs to educate students.

Reading the assignments this week about spreadsheets and databases opened up a whole new line of thought about these types of programs.  Known as ‘productivity programs’, these tools can completely change the way educators go about many of their daily routines and lesson plans.  These tools not only use the technology that students will need to know for ‘real-world’ applications, but they enable the teacher to link multiple Standards to individual lesson plans.  For example, a lesson plan on Social Studies can be combined with technology and math, just be implementing the use of spreadsheets.  I see an incredible way to teach the subject matter while engaging students in a form of technology they will need for their future careers.  Understanding these types of programs early on can enable them to be job-ready and that is something I had not considered prior to this reading.  My initial thoughts were not as positive.  I am inclined to be conservative in that students should know how to do the work and not rely on technology to do it for them.  While I am still very adamant about that topic, I see the usefulness of

In my research of databases and spreadsheets, I came across a website that is in its 16^th year of on-line existence.  It’s called the Global Grocery List.  You can find this site at http://www.landmark-project.com/ggl/index.html.  The site is dedicated to helping students share local grocery prices to build a growing table of data to be used in social studies, science, health, mathematics, and other disciplines.  This site is an excellent example of being able to include your students in a global capacity.  Students from around the world can participate in this project.  It obviously enables them to see prices from around the world.  However, this project can be used to show students the impact location has on income, availability of items, and general costs of everyday items.  This list gives information that teachers can then use to expand into classroom discussions from food import/export to minimum wage to pricing and unit costs.  This project gives students a voice in a global economy.  Just the interaction with other students and the research they can input to the project makes it a viable tool for student engagement.

In my future science classroom, I see spreadsheets being used to collect and analyze data.  Beautiful graphs and data reports can be generated by students at the touch of a mouse!  The students will be able to design their data sheets and be able to see the results of their work automatically.  This will combine science with math and language arts and presentation as they produce reports on their experiments.

Until that day….a girl can dream!

What I've Learned....Week 1

It is the end of my first week in EDOL 533.  Our assignments have varied from You Tube videos on students and technology to standard text book discussion on the value of technology in education.  While all of these assignments have been very informative and a refresher of sorts in some cases, the information presented on Standards has been what has struck me the most about this week.

We all know these standards exist.  We are aware that committees are formed and discussions held on the topics that should be covered in classrooms.  However, after reading the Standards as they apply to teachers and technology, it reminded me of their importance.

In order to use these Standards effectively, I must reacquaint myself with each of them.  The 2008 NETS*T states that teachers should:  1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, 2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning and Experiences and Assessments, 3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility, and 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.  First, let me say that all of these numbered Standards appear to be common knowledge.  Of course I want to inspire learning and creativity and to promote good citizenship and continue to grow my own education.  But while the Standards are something we want to adhere to, it is often a challenge to actually do them.  We all have good intentions.  Of course, we plan to think about incorporating the technology.  It may even cross our minds while we are out shopping and see an opportunity to incorporate some type of media into our classrooms.  But we all know where the Road Paved with Good Intentions leads.  In order to truly incorporate these Standards into daily and weekly planning, they must be in our line of vision at all times.  In order to remind myself, I will make a poster to put where I do my planning to help remind me.  In addition, while planning I will make it one of my steps of review.  As I review what I am planning for a unit, I will review my lists and see how my plan can incorporate the various Standards.  By taking this extra step of notating the Standard, I can reinforce my intention of using it and by doing so make that more a part of my lesson.  In addition, this repetition reinforces my knowledge of the Standards and will hopefully lead to that becoming a regular part of my plan.  This notation also reminds my administrators of my dedication to seeing that the Standards are remembered and used during my classes.  I don’t expect this to be a perfect system, but with concerted effort, I hope that this becomes a more functional piece of my daily routine.