Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Week 4

Excel is a learning tool that I think is under taught in schools. Everyone is required to take a computer class where they learn the basics, but this program is very helpful and I think deserves more than just a quick glance. I am not sure that I would use it in the classroom being that I am an English major, but the program is useful to know in the world. To be able to utilize the Microsoft Suites programs opens up more job opportunities.
As teachers we use spread sheet to show models, graphs, and spreadsheets. Spreadsheet is more useful than a calculator because you can see mulitple calculations at once, changing one part of an equation is more simple, just astetically speaking the calculations are color coded, and the math is done for you so as long as your equation is correct you don't worry about miss typing a number.

Sorting, Calculating, and presenting information are the three primary functions mentioned in the book. I think it is very correct. Excel doesn't have many uses, off hand I can think of the three, but the way you choose to use the three are limitless. Sorting- alphabetically, alphanumerically, and others I don't use as often. Calculating- the number of functions are endless. Presenting- this is a newer one to me, I never thought about making a spreadsheet presentation until class today. the matching, webs, and timelines give spreadsheet a new use entirely for me!
According to the textbook, it mentions the three primary functions of Spreadsheets.

I can't really think of another use for spread sheet because Like I said, up until class today I had never given thought to using it for a presentation. Overall spread sheet is useful, but I feel more as something to learn for life skills rather than to use in the classroom

Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R. M., & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful Learning With Technology. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Week 3

The video shows you the uses for Inspiration, and it has several features that I like. This seems like an intresting classroom tool, espically for an English teacher like I hope to be. This seems like a very simple way to view student work and help them rearrange, collect, and review their thoughts.

I think that creative writing or Journalism would make the best use of technology like the Inspiration program. I am not really a fan of peer review, because some students are stronger writes than others, and though it is a good way for other students to see what a good writer looks like, it also shows them what they are not. If i were to use peer review in my class room it would be anyonomous, and online. Students would be required to make one online peer review per night during the course of the writing assignment starting with student diagrams through their final paper.

The first time I taught a new topic I was teaching someone to PowerPoint I think. I was pared with a student who had never used a computer before. It was very strange because I had never known a time without one. In the beginning it seemed easier to just do it myself, but in the end I realized it was better to teach him even though it took longer to do. At the end I didn't really have a better understanding because I wasn't teaching him anything at the cusp of my knowledge of the program just the basics.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Hi

Hi, My name is Alyssa Post, and I am an English Education major here at TAMU-C. I live in Sulphur Springs and spend most of my free time reading for my classes. In my what little spare time I have left after that I enjoy spending time with my little Princess (our dog Cadence, she's a Boston Terrier) and my boyfriend Matt. We spend most of out time together cooking, reading, or working on our homework together.



There they are!(: