Tech Skills: Spreadsheet # 6

Microsoft Excel is a program that I think should be used more in the classroom setting.  It is important for students to be able to learn how to use a spreadsheet.  The reason I suggest Microsoft Excel is because most of our kids are more familiar with the Microsoft Office software than any other set of software.  As a special educator, I am required, by law, to keep a daily record of all the interactions that I have with each of my students on a daily basis.  For this reason, Excel has become a very valuable tool for keeping track of how many minutes I spend with my students on a daily basis.  Even though it is possible to compute the totals on paper and pencil, or even on a table in Microsoft Word, I feel that using Excel is valuable because you can use the auto sum feature, or create other formulas to add up the total minutes with ease.

                I have been using the basic features of Excel for about 5 years now.  However, I have never created charts, graphs, or even used color in Excel.  To be honest, I never realized you could do so much more to your documents in Excel.  Last week I logged onto a website called Atomic Learning,  and listened to a tutorial on how to make your documents more professional in Excel.  I was astounded at how much I did not know about Excel.  Since that day I have been in the experimenting stages of using color in Excel.  If you are interested in a sample Excel document that I am working on then please click on the attachment that I have added to my blog.  

                Since I have never used Excel as a tool of instruction in the classroom, I decided to do some research on my own and find out how it is being used in the classroom.  I found out that there are many ways that you can introduce Excel into the classroom.  I also found out that you do not have to create this elaborate project for kids in which they use excel.  I think it should be small tasks that they are given at first so that they can feel comfortable and also enjoy their learning.  Maybe after you have had several sessions in Excel you can add a small project for the kids to work on.

                One example of a simple project students could do in excel would be to research five of their favorite singers and create a spreadsheet of their favorite singers CD or mp3 sales for the past five years.  They could then use the autosum feature to add up the CD or mp3 sales for the past five years to see who had sold more.  It would be something that they really enjoyed doing and it would teach them the basic functions of a spreadsheet.

Tech Skills: Database # 5

This summer I took a two hour course on Microsoft Access Database. It was the first time that I had ever had any instruction in Database. Most of the teachers in our district do not know how to use a database. However, Grand Prairie I.S.D, the district that I work for has decided that all special education records will be completed on a database. We are still in the beginning stages of implementing this new record system and so I have not started completing my records on database as of yet. However, I am excited about learning this new technology. I feel that if I am able to learn it well then I will be able to teach it to other teachers and maybe even collaborate with them on some ideas of how to teach database to our own students.

I realize that the purpose of this blog is for me to reflect on the type of instructional technologies that I have encountered with database. Since this is my first year to use database I am finding it hard to reflect on my encounters with it. I decided that the best way for me to be able to reflect on a technology that I have never used before is to go out and find different ways that this instructional technology is being used in the field of education. The first thing I decided to do was to log on to atomic learning so that I could take a refresher course on Microsoft Access. Next, I read chapter 4 in Roblyer’s book that explains in detail how this technology is being used in our schools. In addition to reading the chapter I also logged on to My Education Lab to complete an activity with Microsoft Access. Finally, I did a world wide web search to find out what other instructional technology educators were doing to implement Access into their classroom instruction.

Now that I have taken the appropriate steps needed in order to learn about working with databases I feel that I am more qualified to actually reflect on what I have learned with Microsoft Access. Atomic Learning helped me understand some of the basic functions of a database. I learned that databases are used for organizing large pieces of information into a searchable database. I also learned that the information stored in a database can be transformed into a professional looking report in minutes! Learning this helped me have a better understanding of what I might be able to do in the classroom to integrate access into the curriculum.

In the process of learning about Access I also found two amazing websites that help teachers integrate technology into the classroom. The first website had a project where students must choose their favorite athletes and place them into a database. I thought it was the perfect way to introduce a lesson on Access because it immediately allows the kids to take charge of their own learning, pick and choose the people they want to profile in the database, and because it is sports it engages them. Here is an example of how this lesson was used in the classroom. http://pjnicholson.com/nfl.htm

The other website that I found was called the Techno Kids Computer Curriculum. This can be found at http://www.technokids.com/. You can also find out more about Techno Kids project based learning online at Youtube.com. The Techno Kids Inc. creates detailed technology projects using a variety of different software. Each lesson provides step-by-step detailed directions for teachers and students. I posted a video about Techno Kids (it is right below this blog). Check it out for more information!!!!

TechnoKids Inc. Overview

Tech Skills: Word Processor # 4

How many times have you used a word processing document in the past week without even realizing that you were using it? Word processing has become such an integral part of our lives that we often fail to realize how much of an impact it has made in our lives! We use word processing to create our lesson plans, write letters home to parents, and even to insert pictures, graphics, and tables to organize data. How can such a simple tool like word processing be integrated into the classroom so that our future teachers, doctors, writers, entrepreneurs, etc. can also begin learning how to use this valuable tool?

First of all we need to understand why word processing is such an important tool in education. The biggest advantage to using word processing in education is being able to save time by creating and saving documents to use over and over again. Having a copy of last year’s lesson plan or welcome letter to use again for the following year allows teachers to be able to spend the extra time they need on refining the lesson. It takes out some of the tedious “first year planning” that all teachers must do when they begin their teaching career. All of our planning from the previous years of teaching is stored in a nice series of documents that we can open at anytime we need. Having a word processing tool not only allows us to save time from our planning it also gives us the ability to revise and edit and change any document that we need to and have it ready to print and publish at a moment’s notice.

As a special education teacher I have found that word processing truly benefits my students who have learning disabilities. Some of my students struggle with fine motor tasks such as writing with a pen or pencil. They also struggle with the spacing and spelling of words. A simple task of note taking can be made less painful for my students if they have access to a word document on Microsoft Office. It also cuts the time in which they would need to write, in half. If they misspell a word they can easily right click on the word to locate a correct spelling. If they do not know the meaning of a word they have access to a dictionary or thesaurus to help them understand it.

All students in the classroom benefit from the enhanced appearance of the document that they are creating. The materials they are creating look more professional and are easier to read. Students can also share documents with each other and collaborate on what they are learning. My favorite part about teaching kids to write on a word processor is the fact that they can revisit their writing and see how much they have improved since the beginning of the year. They can even take a favorite piece of their writing and change it up and make it better!

Model Classroom Lessons # 3

The Link-to-Learn Website has an archive of lessons for teachers to use when they want to integrate technology into the classroom. All of the lessons are arranged by Content and it even includes lessons in the areas of Fine Arts. One of the most common misconceptions that teachers have about technology is that it “doesn’t fit into my lesson plan.” However, I have discovered that there is a place for technology and it can indeed enhance the lesson if it is done correctly. As an inclusion teacher I work in all four content areas: ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies. I do not just focus on one subject area. So today I would like to share with you some technology integrated lessons that you might be able to use in your own Middle School Classroom.

First of all, you will need to remember to use the Technology Integration Planning Model (TIP) that I mentioned in last week’s blog when you are planning to use technology in your lesson. Secondly, you will need to make sure that you know what TEKS you are focusing on and also what Essential Questions you will want the kids to answer and the Big Understandings that you want the kids to come away with! Today I would like to focus on using technology in the Middle School Mathematics Classroom. I think that this is one of the areas that many teachers may not realize they can integrate technology into.

After searching on the Link-to-Learn Website Archive I found three Middle School Level Mathematics Lessons that I would like to introduce to you today. The First Math Lesson that I found is called Miles of Tiles. I like this lesson because it teaches students how to problem solve using real life issues. One of the most valuable lessons that students can learn in Mathematics is how they will use this information later on in their life. In this particular lesson students learn how to measure the length and width of the classroom in order to compute the total area of floor space in the room. One of the central reasons that this lesson is so beneficial to students is because it is also a lesson on measurement that goes right along with TEKS from all three grade levels in Middle School. The TEKS that it aligns with are: Mathematics 111.22 6.8B (6th Grade), Mathematics 111.23 7.9 (7th Grade), and Mathematics 111.24 8.8 (8th Grade). If this particular TEK is represented in all three grade levels then it must be an important concept that the students need to learn. I love how the lesson includes learning goals, materials, and websites for enhanced learning, but what I would like to see this lesson include in the future is essential questions and big understandings for the learning goals. This is definitely an area of the lesson that I would add to it in order to teach the concepts better.

The next lesson that I would like to focus on is a lesson that introduces students to probability. Once again, all three grade levels in middle school learn about probability. Probability is essential to teaching students how to problem solve. Students learn through probability and chance that the solutions to problems are not always easy to solve. They also learn that sometimes you must make a decision about a problem and then go back and revise and edit the decision that you made to find a better solution. In this lesson students actually use the internet to help build a better background knowledge of what probability is. Next, students actually invent their own board game that uses dice and includes within it an element of chance. This lesson plan is great because students are able to learn about probability by actually creating a board game that uses probability. This helps students apply what they have learned almost immediately. Once again I love the aspects of this lesson that include learning goals, materials, and websites but I would like to see it also include essential questions and big understandings. I think it would also be beneficial to teachers if there was a way to link it right back to the National Technology Standards that students learn in the classroom.
The final lesson plan in Mathematics that I found that would be valuable to middle school math students was a lesson on mathematical ratios and proportions. This is a fundamental skill that must be learned in 6th grade. However, I work in an 8th grade math class with both general and special education students who are still struggling with this concept. I have seen this concept taught to students in all three grades. However, because the students are still struggling with this concept this actual lesson plan might have to be adapted for the students who do not quite understand the concepts of converting from fractions to percents. Because this is an area that students struggle in I do believe this lesson plan would be good. We might not be able to do the entire lesson as it is stated but we could definitely pull out parts of the lesson to teach and re-teach important concepts such as proportions. I like the websites that are provided that allow students to go online and work with proportions and ratios.

Technology Skills Individual Progress Plan # 2

I took the atomic learning assessment and scored 56 out of a possible 100 points. In order to be successful in the MTT program I need to review and refine my skills in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access. I have not had many opportunities to work with these programs and so I am not as familiar with them as I am with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powerpoint.

I use Excel occasionally at work and am usually able to complete minor tasks with assistance. However, I want to be able to manipulate data and organize numbers in Excel with ease. I also want to be able to show others how to use Excel. There are still many teachers out there who are unfamiliar with Excel. This year I am actually learning more about Access because we are required to submit data in Access every few weeks. However, I do not have Access at home so I am unable to practice unless I am at school. I think I need to work on organizing databases.
I would also like to become more familiar with manipulating sound and video on PowerPoint. I recently learned how to put a video into PowerPoint but I had technical difficulties with it once I transferred the PowerPoint to school on my flash drive. What I discovered is that you have to download the ppt and the video file separately so that when you get to school you have a copy of the wmv file downloaded as well. I had not realized that my wmv file was playing as a file saved onto my desktop and not as a file that had been downloaded onto my flash drive.

I have five personal goals that I would like to accomplish while I am in the MTT program:


Goal # 1: I would like to learn how to create formulas in Excel. I am going to take an online tutorial of Excel on the atomic learning website. I am also going to attend a free Excel training workshop that is offered by my school district.

Goal # 2: I would like to learn how to manipulate databases in Access. I plan on watching a video from the Atomic Learning Website. I also plan on learning how to use Access through the database I am putting together at work

Goal # 3: I would like to learn how to add sound and animation to PowerPoint. I plan on asking the district technology specialist at school for assistance on this matter.

Goal # 4: I would like to learn how to create and edit a wiki. Our technology specialist has an excellent wiki and she is going to offer training on it during the year so I plan on going to those trainings. I am going to look online at Atomic to see if a tutorial is available as well.

Goal # 5: I would like to learn how to create a simple website. I am still unsure about how to accomplish this goal. I have tried learning html and have found it to be very difficult. I am also looking into the dreamweaver CS5 or CS6 to help me get started.

Standards # 1

There are three organizations that have helped shape the way that technology is taught in Texas today. Two of those three are government ran organizations: the Texas Education Agency and the Texas State Board for Educator Certification. The third organization, the International Society for Technology Standards, is an organization that was developed in 1979 for educators world-wide who were interested in bringing Technology into the school system.

Now that we are in the 21st Century all three organizations have a set of technology standards that serve as an avenue for both educators and students alike, to be able to plan, teach, learn and collaborate together! The Texas Education Agency added Technology Standards to the previously developed TEKS and named them Technology Application TEKS. The State Board for Educator Certification came up with standards for teachers who were interested in specializing in Technology Education. The standards are called the Master Teacher Technology Standards. Finally, the ISTE came up with a set of standards and performance indicators for both teachers and students. They call them the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S) and Teachers (NETS-T).

One of the central connections between all three sets of standards is the idea that Technology should be integrated into the classroom. All three organizations promote the teaching and learning of digital software, computer systems, and the acquisition of electronic information. The Technology Application TEKS were designed as a curriculum specifically for students. Teachers are provided with strands that explain what students should know and be able to do. The teachers then take these strands and incorporate them into the already established TEKS for their curriculum so that students have an opportunity to use technology in the content that they are already studying. Similar to the Technology Application TEKS are also the National Educational Technology Standards for Students developed by the ISTE. One of the ways in which the NETS-S and the TEKS mirror each other are in the fact that they both emphasize student problem-solving in relation to technology. For example, Technology Application TEKS # 7 says “the student uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems.” At the same time, the NETS-S # 4 says “Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.” The students in my middle school are very social but at the same time they lack the critical thinking skills that they so desperately need, to work out daily problems. I have discovered that when you have the students work in small groups toward a common goal on something that they enjoy doing and something that they have to think about and plan out and design for themselves that it really helps them to tap into their creative side and gives the more opportunities for critical thinking and active learning.

In contrast to the NETS-S and the TEKS, there are specific technology standards that have been developed just for teachers. These standards help teachers develop lessons so that they can instruct students on how to use technology in the classroom. These standards are different in the fact that they describe what teachers should know and be able to do. The NETS-T and the MTT are both standards that focus on how the teacher should use technology in the classroom. Since both of these standards were designed with the teacher in mind there is a big emphasis on being a resource, modeling how to do something, and also continuing professional development in the area of educational technology. For instance, NETS-T # 5 says that teachers should “continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.” The MTT Standard V says, “the master technology teacher facilitates appropriate, research-based technology instruction by communicating and collaborating with educational stakeholders; mentoring, coaching, and consulting with colleagues; providing professional development opportunities for faculty; and making decisions based on converging evidence from research.” As a 7th grade teacher at a middle school, I realize how important it is to be a resource not only for my students but also for my teachers. This year I have had the opportunity to work in two different classrooms with two different teachers and show them how to use PowerPoint to teach an effective lesson. The best part was that I even learned some new things about PowerPoint that I never knew!
As you can see, even though each of the standards that we have talked about focus on different populations of the school but all really have the same desire. They have the desire to teach, inspire, educate, and activate the minds of 21st century learners into a world where Technology and Education are becoming one!