Blog #10

I always knew the basic concepts of the most Microsoft programs. I knew how to use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel because of my previous computer classes in elementary and high school. This class provided me with a recap on my techniques in these programs that I haven’t used in a long time. A program that I have never learned about before is the Inspiration program. This program helps you make concept maps and outlines of the concept maps. I thought this program was very unique and different because I did not know that there were computer programs that allowed you to make concept maps of that sort, which would have helped as a student. I also learned how to use Paint. I figured I knew how to use this program, but this class taught me more in depth techniques about how to make a picture using Paint.

I hope our project will be helpful to Ms. Kirkendoll. We created a storybook for The Circuit with information about the author, as well as a short quiz so the students can take after they finish reading the story. I hope the students will enjoy the story more because of our storybook. This project gave us an insight into knowing what it will be like in trying to teach information to students. We had to decide how to teach this story and by doing so I think this opened our perspectives as a teacher. This will also help me see if this is what I enjoy doing. I came to realize that it takes a lot of time and effort to make a god lesson.

All the programs that I used can be very helpful when I am a teacher later on. Microsoft Word can help with the daily tasks of a teacher. I could use it to make handouts, quizzes, tests, or basically anything because Word contains all the basic concepts you need for a computer program. In Microsoft PowerPoint, I can use it to make lecture PowerPoint slides which I find very helpful as a student. Microsoft Excel can aid me when I am trying to make a grade book or do any other calculations through a program. Inspiration and Paint will help me map out particular techniques. Inspiration will allow me to make a concept map and Paint will allow me to draw pictures. These are all useful programs to have once you become a teacher.

I found it interesting that most of my classmates had the same opinion as me. We all tend to learn the same new thing each week and to basically have the same topic for the blog. I think this is unique because we are all learning at the same level. The class allows us to express ourselves through the blog topics, but I found out that the majority of my classmates did indeed have the same ideas as I did.