Today, we will dicuss the importance of integrating technology in the everyday classroom in order to utilize our technological resources to help us solve real world problems we will undoubtedly encounter in our daily lives!
First off, have you ever thought about how Excel Spreadsheets can be utilized in your daily life to help you organize and make successful future investments?
Have you ever thought about how Word Processing programs such as Co:Writer, Picture It, and Scholastic Keys can be of aid to those with disabilities or impairments that do not allow them the freedom to execute written expression? How about how frequently we use Microsoft Word or Pages in order to relay information in our everyday life in and out of the classroom?
How about how presentation software, such as Power Point, can give both the teacher and the student a creative and effective delivery system where they can relay information to their peers in an organized and visually simulating manner?
21st Century Writer
As of today, we are presented with a multitude of word processing software that can be readily used as viable resources in the classroom. The main word processor we are most familiar with is Microsoft Word from the Microsoft Office Suite. Knowledge and fluency in using Microsoft Word is essential to the 21st century teacher and student. "Perhaps no other technology resource has had as great an impact on education as word processing" (Doering & Roblyer, 2013, p.116). Although word processing offers high versatility and flexiblity for the modern teacher and student, it also raises concerns for educators that a high dependency on such programs will make students developmentally behind when it comes to hand-writing and fine motor skills. As a future educator, it is up to you to decide how to both effectively and efficiently teach word processing software, such as Microsoft Word, so that it may support the educational growth of your classroom instead of hindering it. Use your resources and always keep and open mind to learning new things!
Numbers, Numbers & More Numbers
Microsoft Excel has catapulted mathematical education beyond the stigma that it is exclusively for those who naturally understand it; Excel spreadsheets allow anyone the opportunity to properly organize data, ask the hard "what if" questions, and receive immediate results just by utilizing the numerical processing power of Excel spreadsheets. This increase in motivation to work with mathematics stems from "these concepts [becoming] so graphic that students express delight with seeing how they work" (Doering & Roblyer, 2013, p.125). Put any plan into action, and it will succeed because visual learning reinforces intellectural knowledge by supplying a deeper understanding of the content and how it can be manipulated. A part from being an incredible visual aid for learning mathematical concepts, Microsoft Excel can also help teachers and students project their grades while also allowing for the storage, collection and analysis of data on an accelarated scale from any work you might complete by hand. With practice, Excel can be one of the most valuable tools in and out of the classroom especially with its ablity to successfully use it in real world application like setting a budget or predicting whether you can afford a new car or house!
It's All About the Presentation
Presentation software or PowerPoint is something to be used in moderation and within a delicate frame of guidelines and specific designs. When produced improperly, PowerPoint can "kill" learning in the classroom with a swift blow of boredom through lecturing and non-stimulating slides. You must follow these parameters to successfully integrate PowerPoint into your teaching:
1.) Use large type
2.) Contrast the text and background colors
3.) Minimize the amount of text on each frame
4.) Keep frames simple
5.) Avoid using too many "fancy" fonts - ex. Comic Sans
6.) Avoid using gratuitous graphics and clip art
7.) Avoid using gratuitous sounds
8.) Use graphics, not just text
9.) Present in a dark room
10.) Avoid reading text aloud
(Doering & Roblyer, 2013, p.131)
If you can master these steps above, you will ensure a successful classroom integration of PowerPoint in your everyday learning!
Examples
Here are some examples of effective Excel Spreadsheets, Word Documents, and PowerPoint Presentations:
REFERENCES
Roblyer , M. D., & Doering, A. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching. (6th ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education, Inc.
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