Week 6 : Using Productivity Software

Due to my background using PowerPoint, Excel and Word completing this assignment was fairly easy. Of the three projects I found the PowerPoint to be the most time consuming. But overall I enjoyed brushing up on skills I haven’t used in nearly a year. I look forward to completing other projects as this class progresses.

Prior to taking this class my experience using Google Docs to create and share various documents was very minor. This assignment provided me with an opportunity to explore other aspects of Google Docs. It took me a while to figure out how to link these projects to my blog, but soon found I was overlooking a simple step. Hopefully I linked the assignments correctly.

Project Links:

PowerPoint Quiz

Flyer

Excel Grade Sheet

Week 5: Chapter 5 & 6, Question # 1

1. What is productivity software? How can it be adapted to benefit teaching and learning? What are the advantages and features of electronic spreadsheets? How do you see them as a benefit in an educational environment?

There are a variety of administrative educational tasks that teachers and educators are required to perform on a daily basis. Record keeping tasks such as attendance and grading can become extremely tedious and repetitive. It is necessary that these tasks are performed properly within a timely manner in order for an effective learning environment to exist. To avoid wasting valuable time, which could have possibly led to a teachable moment, teachers and educators should take advantage of the various forms of productivity software. Productivity software is a form of administrative software, which helps educators do their jobs effectively. According to Duffy and McDonald productivity software is “a typically generic business application software that educators can use and adapt for the administrative and professional tasks they may address.”

A variety of types of productivity software are available. There are four major types of productivity software, which include word processors, electronic spreadsheets, database management and presentation software. This software can generally be purchased individually or in application suites, which would include all four types of software. Teachers and educators can use productivity software to aid in administrative educational tasks. Due to the similarity of the software computer using educators won’t have a problem learning to use the software.

There are several ways in which each form of the software can be adapted to benefit teaching and learning. This software has created a revolution in the way classrooms are run. Since I graduated from high school everything has changed drastically. Teachers don’t have to spend unlimited amounts of time grading and correcting assignments. Researching an assignment has also become much easier for students. The following will cover examples of ways to effectively use each form of software to aid in administrative and professional task and application to teaching and learning task.

• Word Processing can be used by educators to prepare letters, memos, reports, flyers; rubrics lesson plans, newsletters, activity sheets, posters, study guides, and class notes. It can also help students prepare stories, essays, and group reports.
• Electronic Spreadsheets can be used by educators to prepare budgets, grade and attendance rosters and to compute grades. It provides students with a method for tracking and analyzing data and creating charts and supports student research such as tracking stock market data
• Data base management systems can be used by educators to organize and track student and professional data. It provides support for students’ tracking data, extract and report targeted summaries of content or resources to address student needs.
• Presentation software can be used to create presentations for workshops and meetings and to create classroom lecture support that features text, audio, and visual elements with special effects. It can also produce transparency masters and create students worksheets to accompany class lectures.

Week 4: Chapter 3 & 4, Question # 3

3. How do increasing computer power, decreasing size and wireless communications make technology enhanced classrooms more flexible? What is a virtual environment? What potential does it hold for education?

Computers have changed drastically in both size and methods of use. The decrease in their size from oversized desktops in 1976, to the development of the laptop in the early 1980’, to the rise of the latest improvement net books there has definitely been a revolution in today's society. Even though computers have decreased in size the capacity and speed that the system posse remains consistent with that of larger computers. The possibilities of enhancing an otherwise normal lesson with technology become limitless as computers continue to decrease in size. Laptops have a variety of advantages over desktops, which make a technology – enhanced classroom more flexible. These advantages range from size, weight, capacity, travel, and personal to connectivity.

Due to the mobility and reduced size of laptops these are the greatest advantages. Laptops can be taken virtually anywhere. All of the newer laptops also have Wi-Fi capabilities, which is also an advantage. Wi-Fi allows movement of computers with internet access. This allows the system to connect to the internet using a wireless network. “A wireless network is a network in which information is transmitted via infrared, radio wave, or microwave technology rather than wires (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).” This allows teachers to take advantage of every teachable moment. The size of the laptop and its wireless capabilities allow technology stations to be moved around the classroom. Due to the lack of network cards the learning environment isn’t limited to the inside of the classroom. The mobility of laptops gives teachers the opportunity to mobilize the classroom. In the event that the teacher has to be out due to illness he / she could actually teach a lesson from home or provide information to students in remote locations. Teachers can actually plan a field trip that will include completion of a research assignment. While on a field trip as a research topics arise Wi-Fi provides the capabilities for internet connectivity and onsite instruction. Learning doesn’t have to be postponed. This will provide students with a memorable experience that is sure to induce learning.

“Virtual learning environments are fully rendered environments in which the users become emerged. It creates a digital environment in which you can interact (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).” This software is used to support teaching and learning in educational settings. Though originally created for distant education, it has most recently evolved into face to face classroom activities. Using virtual reality implementations teachers can create virtual field trips. On these field trips students can visit places they would have never been able to visit. It also provides opportunities for students who may be out of the country or on a leave of absence due to illness the ability to continue their education. The software can also be used by students who have physical disabilities. It will allow them to experience moving freely while in the “virtual world without impediments (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).” “Learning is breaking out of the narrow boxes that is was trapped in during the 20th century; teachers’ professionalism, reflection and ingenuity are leading learning to places that genuinely excite this new generation of connected young school students – and their teachers too. VLEs are helping to make sure that their learning is not confined to a particular building, or restricted to any location or moment. (Virtually There).”

Week 3: Chapter 2 , Question # 2

2. What is the difference between formative and summative feedback?

As an educator begins to design and plan a technology – enhanced lesson it is essential that instructional planning takes place. “Planning ensures that the best possible approach to learning (Lever-Duffy, McDonald)” will be selected. All aspects of the lesson should be thought out, step by step. Teachers must consider exactly what needs to take place in order for instruction to be effective. “The Design-Plan-Act (D-P-A) system addresses all needed planning steps.” In the design phase “teachers take a strategic look at instructional delivery (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).” It is necessary to use “an Instructional Design Model in this phase so no step is missed (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).”

“The Dynamic Instructional Design (DID) model provides assistance in creating an instructional design. It emphasizes flexibility and responsiveness in the instructional design process (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).” This model requires revisions and corrections throughout the process. As a problem arises there are measures taken to ensure correction and improvement. “Such a continuous improvement process is at the core of high quality instruction (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).”
Formative and summative feedbacks are two essential elements of this model. Each type of feedback takes place during various stages of the process and contributes equally to the design. Formative feedback occurs while the learning event or process is in progress. “The DID model includes a formative feedback loop during every step of the process so that feedback can be gathered and midcourse corrections can be made (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).” This will allow for continuous improvement in the overall design of the lesson. “Formative feedback ensures a way to facilitate the continuous flow of information as a system is implemented so that corrections and adjustments can be made while the process unfolds (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).” As a result educators are able to realize at an early stage exactly why the lesson isn’t as effective as originally planned. At this point corrections can be made to optimize the learning experience. From the feedback a determination as to what steps need to be taken to improve the lesson should be made.

It is important that you perform a final check of the instructional design plan. Summative feedback occurs at the conclusion of the learning event. This portion of the process also calls for revision and improvements. “Because formative feedback is continuous throughout all steps of the process, the summative feedback loop serves as a final check once all steps are completed (Lever-Duffy, McDonald).” Summative feedback will provide information necessary to improve the design. Educators may want to review or reinforce the lesson once the changes are made to ensure the effectiveness of the new strategy.