Ms Word is an excellent resource to use not only for developing and writing papers, but also for differentiating instruction. There are magnificent tools teachers can use in the classroom to keep children actively engaged and motivated during instruction. There are several useful resources that can aid in the overall learning process that many educators are not familiar with using. Graphic organizers can be developed by using the smart art function displayed in ribbon that’s located at the top of the page. Using graphic organizers to access prior knowledge is essential in all academic areas because it assists teachers with focusing on students’ comprehension skills. Graphs can also be inserted by using the chart function located in the ribbon. This helps teachers to integrate technology within their math and science curriculum.
Microsoft Word improves learners editing skills when completing essays, journals, research projects, etc. Teachers should teach students the foundation of spelling and grammar before having them revise their work or the work of others. Students should never rely solely on using the spelling and grammar function to complete activities for this will hinder them throughout their academic career. Remember our goal is to have productive citizens.
Microsoft Word can benefit teachers as well. These past two weeks I’ve had the opportunity to create both a flyer and newsletter for the very first time. This experience has opened my eyes to the many great things this program has to offer. Applying the design principles of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity is very important when producing any design. Using all four principles is what grasps the reader’s attention. One without the other only causes parents to discard important information. Flyers and newsletters are just two out of the many ways teachers maintain home/school communication. One of our goals as teachers is to create a rapport with parents in order to focus on a relationship that will benefit their child. When sending home papers we want parents to actually read and understand what we have to offer. By creating flyers and newsletters that are relevant and engaging we can continue to focus on what truly matters, our learning community.
Below you can find two interesting websites that discuss ways to integrate Microsoft Word into the curriculum. If you would like to view my flyer and newsletter please go to my website https://sites.google.com/a/baypath.edu/the-world-we-live-in/. Both designs are located on the online portfolio page.
Websites for intergrating Microsoft Word into the curriculum:
http://www.acs.ac/StaffDev/Microsoft/classroom/office98/wdhighlt.htm
http://schoolweb.missouri.edu/southiron.k12.mo.us/Technology%20H%20elpdesk/Word%20Tips.htm
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Four Design Principles
I absolutely adore SPRING and the wonderful things it has to offer: new life, new beginnings, fresh fragrances, beautiful weather, etc. With SPRING comes the knowledge of new information that was always there, but we would have never known about their existence unless the situation or event presented itself. With that being said; I’ve seen brochures, flyers, newsletters, and billboards everyday for as long as I can remember, but never paid attention to their designs. Just like SPRING each design has unique elements that can make things appear either strikingly amazing, or bitterly dull. It is up to the gardener to keep their plants growing like it is up to a designer to keep their targeted audience engaged.
According to Robin Williams, the author of “The Non-Designer’s Design Book,” there are four principles of design that should be embellished into every design. In order to remember the designs you can use the acronym of C.R.A.P. (contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity). I believe that every element of these design principles are vital when creating flyers, newsletters, brochures, billboards, etc. All four principles can help any and everyone design pieces that will be more informational as well as engaging for their readers. Below you will find a brief definition of each design principle.
The principle of contrast is what makes the pictures and words stand out on the page grabbing your reader’s attention. If the reader is actively engaged you are guaranteed to keep them looking forward to what you have to offer.
The repetition principle is also important because the designer is being consistent and repeats some aspect of design throughout the entire piece. There’s nothing worse than an inconsistent design with clutter. It’s not only unprofessional, but also prone to be discarded.
Using the alignment principle is what keeps the design organized and unified. According to Williams, nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Everything must correlate and be reader friendly.
Proximity is helps to organize information, reduces clutter, and gives the reader a clear structure. All items relating to each other should be placed close together.
The principles listed above are very beneficial for both teachers and students. Teachers can use them when creating flyers and newsletters to go home as well as enhancing their classroom website. If the teacher is trained and has knowledge on each principle they can incorporate design into their curriculum. Using all four principles in any piece will also keep parents from discarding the information and active readers.
Students can use the design principles for writing assignments that focus on creativity. For example, in high school there are many clubs that are developed and managed by students. When learners want to get information out to their peers about events, fundraisers, daily news, etc. they can use each of the principles in their design to keep their targeted audience attentive. All in all if the principles are not applied correctly one may not be able to deliver what we all are looking for.
According to Robin Williams, the author of “The Non-Designer’s Design Book,” there are four principles of design that should be embellished into every design. In order to remember the designs you can use the acronym of C.R.A.P. (contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity). I believe that every element of these design principles are vital when creating flyers, newsletters, brochures, billboards, etc. All four principles can help any and everyone design pieces that will be more informational as well as engaging for their readers. Below you will find a brief definition of each design principle.
The principle of contrast is what makes the pictures and words stand out on the page grabbing your reader’s attention. If the reader is actively engaged you are guaranteed to keep them looking forward to what you have to offer.
The repetition principle is also important because the designer is being consistent and repeats some aspect of design throughout the entire piece. There’s nothing worse than an inconsistent design with clutter. It’s not only unprofessional, but also prone to be discarded.
Using the alignment principle is what keeps the design organized and unified. According to Williams, nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Everything must correlate and be reader friendly.
Proximity is helps to organize information, reduces clutter, and gives the reader a clear structure. All items relating to each other should be placed close together.
The principles listed above are very beneficial for both teachers and students. Teachers can use them when creating flyers and newsletters to go home as well as enhancing their classroom website. If the teacher is trained and has knowledge on each principle they can incorporate design into their curriculum. Using all four principles in any piece will also keep parents from discarding the information and active readers.
Students can use the design principles for writing assignments that focus on creativity. For example, in high school there are many clubs that are developed and managed by students. When learners want to get information out to their peers about events, fundraisers, daily news, etc. they can use each of the principles in their design to keep their targeted audience attentive. All in all if the principles are not applied correctly one may not be able to deliver what we all are looking for.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Websites in the Classroom
Websites in the classroom are essential to daily instruction. There are so many wonderful reasons for integrating technology into the curriculum. Classroom websites can assist learners with communication, social, and functional skills. I feel that by having them children will be more willing as well as motivated to learn new and exciting things. Classroom management and participation may also increase significantly in a more positive way. Every school should consider allowing teachers to have a website for their class.
Websites in the classroom can eventually bridge the gap between home/school communications. Parents will remain up to date with curriculum, events, activities, etc. Maintaining a website takes a significant amount of time; however, keeping it current will be not only benefit the student, but the parent and teacher as well. In no way should a classroom website be confused with a parent/teacher conference. I believe that a parent/teacher conference should remain face to face for a more intimate relationship. Discussing grades, strategies, areas of strength and concern, may be a little overwhelming for a parent if conveyed over the internet. Having a website will give the parent an overview of what their child is learning daily, whereas a parent/teacher conference will give a parent a general idea of how their child is progressing in all academic and social areas.
This week I had the pleasure of creating my very own website using Google sites. The instructions were reader friendly and it was very easy to navigate through the page. What I adored the most about this website is there weren’t too many unnecessary icons and boxes which made the content extremely comprehensive especially the set up for a new page along with the editing of a page. I would definitely recommend using Google sites to begin a classroom website because of the accessibility.
Below you will find two websites that pertain to using classroom websites.
http://technological-teaching-aids.suite101.com/article.cfm/guidelines_to_create_a_classroom_website “Guidelines to Create a Classroom Website,” has five important steps to take when creating or revising a classroom website.
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/689 “Using a Classroom Webpage to Communicate with Parents,” informs us of how Kathleen Eveliegh, a first grade teacher effectively use her classroom webpage to interact with parents.
Websites in the classroom can eventually bridge the gap between home/school communications. Parents will remain up to date with curriculum, events, activities, etc. Maintaining a website takes a significant amount of time; however, keeping it current will be not only benefit the student, but the parent and teacher as well. In no way should a classroom website be confused with a parent/teacher conference. I believe that a parent/teacher conference should remain face to face for a more intimate relationship. Discussing grades, strategies, areas of strength and concern, may be a little overwhelming for a parent if conveyed over the internet. Having a website will give the parent an overview of what their child is learning daily, whereas a parent/teacher conference will give a parent a general idea of how their child is progressing in all academic and social areas.
This week I had the pleasure of creating my very own website using Google sites. The instructions were reader friendly and it was very easy to navigate through the page. What I adored the most about this website is there weren’t too many unnecessary icons and boxes which made the content extremely comprehensive especially the set up for a new page along with the editing of a page. I would definitely recommend using Google sites to begin a classroom website because of the accessibility.
Below you will find two websites that pertain to using classroom websites.
http://technological-teaching-aids.suite101.com/article.cfm/guidelines_to_create_a_classroom_website “Guidelines to Create a Classroom Website,” has five important steps to take when creating or revising a classroom website.
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/689 “Using a Classroom Webpage to Communicate with Parents,” informs us of how Kathleen Eveliegh, a first grade teacher effectively use her classroom webpage to interact with parents.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Web Search Engines
Searching the web wasn’t my “friend” at first, but now we’re at least acquaintances. I’ve never thought about the process one must take in order to adequately find information on the internet. If the search became too lengthy I would ultimately use which ever resources showed up first. Being enrolled in my Educational Technology course has opened up a whole new world for me that I am definitely willing to explore.
There are several web search engines I recently learned about that I never knew exist (hierarchical, page indexers, natural language, Meta search engines, and visual search engines). Each type has its advantages and disadvantages depending on what type of search you are conducting. It can also be exceedingly time consuming to locate information if you’re not familiar with the different types of search techniques. These techniques include: reading the webs help screens, evaluating websites for purpose, credentials, and effectiveness is imperative, developing a comprehensive key word list prior to searching, and reading page descriptors. My experience with using web search engines has decreased my stress and frustration level significantly. I think that by evaluating context and credentials, brainstorming key words, using Boolean Logic (And and Or) between simple words, as well as setting a purpose lends a hand in discovering information on the web. I am not an expert searcher yet, but I do believe that practice, patience, and training make a difference.
There are many concerns about using web search engines in the classroom; however, these tools are exceptional. They provide learners with a wide range of knowledge that can be used without having to subscribe to sites and paying fees. There are many kid friendly search engines that prevent inappropriate sites from showing up on search results so monitoring for teachers becomes more manageable. If a facilitator, instructor, or teacher is familiar with the different web search engines and making sure to evaluate their content many students will benefit from what’s being taught and become expert searchers as well.
Below you will find information about evaluating web search engines. It is important to read this information before exploring the internet.
http://www.library.jhu.edu/researchhelp/general/evaluating/
Different types of Web Search Engines and Databases
http://www.online-college-blog.com/index.php/features/100-useful-tips-and-tools-to-research-the-deep-web/
Web Search for Kids by Librarians
www.kidsclick.org
There are several web search engines I recently learned about that I never knew exist (hierarchical, page indexers, natural language, Meta search engines, and visual search engines). Each type has its advantages and disadvantages depending on what type of search you are conducting. It can also be exceedingly time consuming to locate information if you’re not familiar with the different types of search techniques. These techniques include: reading the webs help screens, evaluating websites for purpose, credentials, and effectiveness is imperative, developing a comprehensive key word list prior to searching, and reading page descriptors. My experience with using web search engines has decreased my stress and frustration level significantly. I think that by evaluating context and credentials, brainstorming key words, using Boolean Logic (And and Or) between simple words, as well as setting a purpose lends a hand in discovering information on the web. I am not an expert searcher yet, but I do believe that practice, patience, and training make a difference.
There are many concerns about using web search engines in the classroom; however, these tools are exceptional. They provide learners with a wide range of knowledge that can be used without having to subscribe to sites and paying fees. There are many kid friendly search engines that prevent inappropriate sites from showing up on search results so monitoring for teachers becomes more manageable. If a facilitator, instructor, or teacher is familiar with the different web search engines and making sure to evaluate their content many students will benefit from what’s being taught and become expert searchers as well.
Below you will find information about evaluating web search engines. It is important to read this information before exploring the internet.
http://www.library.jhu.edu/researchhelp/general/evaluating/
Different types of Web Search Engines and Databases
http://www.online-college-blog.com/index.php/features/100-useful-tips-and-tools-to-research-the-deep-web/
Web Search for Kids by Librarians
www.kidsclick.org
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Licensed Periodical Databases
Licensed periodical databases are vital resources to use in the classroom. They can assist learners when finding information for research projects, focus on literature to develop higher order thinking skills, provide articles from authors with credentials, and expose learners to different periodicals created on the internet. During an assignment in my Educational Technology course I’ve learned how to effectively navigate through a licensed periodical database in order to not only save time conducting research, but also to find relevant documents for my search. Using the Boolean logic of AND and OR along with a few key words (i.e. Education AND Technology) can get you closer to locating articles, magazines, newspapers, books, and journals. There are many licensed periodical databases that you must subscribe to; however, there a significant amount of them that can be accessed through your neighborhood library if you hold a current library card. They can also be accessed through several educational facilities and school systems as long as you have a username and password. Having exposure at an early age will make it easier for students to understand how to use a licensed periodical database. The more knowledge and training a teacher has will make it easier as well to instruct learners on the importance of research and ways to effectively use these resources. Most importantly it takes a lot of time and practice to become an expert searcher.Being familiar with the different databases definitely helps.
Below you can find an article on licensed periodical databases. Feel free to add it to your favorites, I did.
“Internet or Databases?,” by Shonda Brisco
http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.baypath.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=18&hid=101&sid=0656a12e-4967-4c84-afb3-f033b7937480%40sessionmgr111
Library Media Connection; Feb2006, Vol. 24 Issue 5, p44-45, 2p
Below you can find an article on licensed periodical databases. Feel free to add it to your favorites, I did.
“Internet or Databases?,” by Shonda Brisco
http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.baypath.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=18&hid=101&sid=0656a12e-4967-4c84-afb3-f033b7937480%40sessionmgr111
Library Media Connection; Feb2006, Vol. 24 Issue 5, p44-45, 2p
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Blogs AND Education
Technology is more universal today than ever and it’s a wonderful device to enhance communication skills. I believe that blogs are fundamental tools that when used appropriately they can essentially provide people with resources to use in all aspects of life. They’re great educational tools to assist with interaction amongst administration, colleagues, students, and parents. Blogs can eventually bridge the gap between home/school communication and increase parental involvement. Using them helps teachers facilitate learning through the use of literature, writing, metacognition analysis, increase higher order thinking skills, etc. If a blog is properly monitored by facilitators it can also be used as an intervention for students with disabilities and broaden the horizon in inclusive classroom. “Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms,” by Will Richardson supports my beliefs on blogs. Here are a few websites and periodicals that also support my beliefs. Please read to get a closer look on how effective blogs are in education.
WEB LINKS
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/weblogs/
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001449.shtml
PERIODICALS
http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.baypath.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=10&hid=106&sid=91ec6005-74ff-42c2-93f1-a60ff8ffddc5%40sessionmgr110
http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.baypath.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=107&sid=4df56682-123b-459a-bfd9-b521513f00f7%40sessionmgr112
WEB LINKS
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/weblogs/
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001449.shtml
PERIODICALS
http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.baypath.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=10&hid=106&sid=91ec6005-74ff-42c2-93f1-a60ff8ffddc5%40sessionmgr110
http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.baypath.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=107&sid=4df56682-123b-459a-bfd9-b521513f00f7%40sessionmgr112
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Enjoying Everything Life has to Offer
I value the many gifts God has given us in order to be productive citizens. Life is a precious gift and I'm continuing on this journey not only to explore, but also to instill knowledge into every person that I see along the way. Living in Florida for 10 years has been a very intersting and magnificent experience. Divesity is one of the most beautiful parts of life and while living in such a diverse state I've learned to accept people for who they are rather than what they look like. I taught 4th grade for 5 years in Ft. Lauderdale and Hollywood, FL before moving back to Connecticut 2 years ago to assist my elderly mother. It's been extremely overwhelming at times going back and forth to the hospital with her, but through it all God has given me the strength. I also have a 4 year old son that is my LOVE, JOY, & REASON for continuing on this journey. LIFE is what you make it. I hope to become a better parent and a more effective teacher while living it.
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