Kelly Knoop

EDU-506

Spring 2009

Introduction: In this class, we explored many different aspects of technology education that as educators we would be able to implement in our classroom. I already had a pretty good basic understanding of technology from my previous courses, but I challenged myself during this class. Instead of doing the minimum requirement I wanted to make everything more advanced than needed. There were four main components of this class, a lesson plan using Microsoft Word, a spreadsheet using Microsoft Excel, a PowerPoint presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint, and finally a Web Quest using Microsoft FrontPage. All of these items can be used to teach students in the classroom. I enjoyed learning about Spreadsheets and Web Quests the most because I was not as familiar with them. I do wish that the class went into more detail about things that could be used on the internet as teaching resources. I think that the internet is such a growing plethora of information that it is difficult for teachers to know how to manage it. I think that this class needs to explore more about the internet and less about Word. Anyone who has made it this far in the college education has enough background information to maneuver effectively around Word. The class should add an extra component of what some free, educational resources are on the internet and how to use them in the classroom. Overall it was a great class and I liked exploring how much I actually could do with a computer. Harrison Yang is an amazing teacher as well, very humorous and makes the working environment very comfortable.

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Title: The Digestive System Lesson Plan (using Microsoft Word)

Description: In this assignment, we were to create a lesson plan using Microsoft Word. The minimum requirements were: insert one object such as a picture, word art, or shape and use text wrapping with it, it needed to have page numbers and the lesson needs to relate to the real world. This needed to be done in Microsoft Word.

Reflection: This was a good exercise. I already have a great understanding of this assignment. Microsoft Word is something that every college student should be able to navigate. I feel as a teacher I will be using this to make assignments, worksheets, quizzes and tests. I did learn some new things, for example, I learned how to add effects to text. Although I will be printing out whatever I use in word, so the effects are not essential to my purpose. This is a good exercise for freshman in their undergraduate semesters. As a graduate student, I found this exercise to be repetitive

Click here to view my lesson plan.

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Title: Solar System Grade Book (using Microsoft Excel)

Description: In this assignment, we were to use Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet as either an evaluation or assessment tool. The requirements were to create a spreadsheet, to use one feature of spreadsheet like a graph or function, and to insert a text box that described the project, purpose or give directions, reflection or conclusion.

Reflection: I probably learned the most from this exercise. I will definitely be using the electronic grade book in my own classroom. I like how you can keep typing grades in, and it will compute the average for you. This is good to track progress of your students, especially if you have a student who is falling behind, or if a parent is interested in their student’s grades. Instead of taking time to compute their grade, the spreadsheet will automatically change as you input a student’s grades. This is also efficient because has the ability to compute letter grades based on your schools scale system. The only problem that might occur, is input error, so it is important that as an educator you check your outcome before permanently giving a student a grade.

Click here to view my spreadsheet.

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Title: The Rainforest PowerPoint (using Microsoft PowerPoint)

Description: In this assignment, we were to work as a group to create a PowerPoint Presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint. The requirements were to create at least one slide, create an action button in the master slide, create a 15-minute group presentation with 5 minutes for question and answers, and insert at least one picture in.

Reflection: I love using Power Point. I can’t wait to get my own classroom so that I can make fun and interesting PowerPoint presentations for my students not only for presenting information, but for them retaining and checking for comprehension. In this presentation, my partner and I created a mode of presenting information about the rainforest, and I also added an extra component of a trivia game at the end. This trivia game was used to see if the students were paying attention to the presentation. PowerPoint is an excellent teaching tool for presenting information, pictures, and even videos. Everything I did on this assignment was already known.

Click here to view my presentation.

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Title: Presidents Web Quest (using Microsoft FrontPage)

Description: In this assignment, we were to create a Web Quest for our students using Microsoft FrontPage. This Web Quest could be an individual project or group project. It must have the six components of Web Quest (index, introduction, task, process, evaluation, and teacher page including credits). The Web Quest must include at least one related graphic, all sources must be working, and a concept map in the teacher page.

Reflection: This assignment made the course worthwhile. In this assignment I was able to create a web quest for my students and was actually able to publish it. I had had no experience with this teaching source and found it to be fun to create and offer students a more personal and up to date form of assignment. I feel that students will do excellent using this mode of learning. It will give the students a chance to deeply explore a topic or project in a form that is new to them and essential in today’s society. This is also good to know because I will be able to view other educator’s Web Quests and alter them to fit into my classroom. This is an amazing resource.

Click here to view my Web Quest.