This week in class, we were assigned to create a powerpoint project for elementary students. We created instructions and an example/template. We also used google documents to collaborate back and forth. My group created a "county report" on Powerpoint that we believe could be used at a fourth grade level.
As an educator, I think it's very important to realize not only how using technology will affect you as a teacher, but also how you can let your students use it to learn. Letting students play with computer programs such as Powerpoint can be such a positive experience. Putting together their own slideshow on a desired topic can be such an accomplishment for an elementary student. I loved creating a project from a student's point of view and trying to understand how my instruction would be interpreted by a fourth grade student.
Completing this project helped me to realize how my ideas are interpreted by others, something that I think is very important to remember as a teacher. We might think that just because we understand something, everyone does, but it is important that we create projects that are the appropriate grade level. If this isn't done right, it is something that could make using technology a negative experience for students throughout their education.
I really like the idea of using Powerpoint because the possibilities are endless. I loved looking through the Powerpoint book we used to see all the different projects available to use in the classroom. Looking at those projects was a great inspirational tool that allowed me to think of several projects on my own. It would be fun to let your students create an "all about me" presentation on Powerpoint. I think all of the options available on Powerpoint would allow the students to make their presentation very original because they could pick their font, colors, backgrounds, pictures, transitions, and so much more.
I also think using Powerpoint in the classroom would be a great way to create a paperless project. This is one of the things I love most about using technology. It would make it much easier for teachers to stay organized and accept students' work. With everything becoming so paperless, it would be a great tool to help acclimate students to using the internet/email to turn things in.
Video Reflection:
I really enjoyed this week's video. It was awesome how Jordan went through each school subject and told why that subject has helped her learn about chickens. The things she is learning in these subjects are helping her right now and will help her in her future career. I think when students are able to learn more about their own interests in a particular school subject, they are more likely to excel in school.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Picasa
This week in class we were instructed to find pictures and practice using Picasa to edit, improve, or alter them. I did both of my video reflections last week so there is no video this week.
I can't even begin to describe how excited I was to discover the possibilities Picasa holds. I love editing my pictures and I had actually been debating about purchasing Photoshop. A big reason I hadn't made this purchase yet is because of the cost. I love the fact that Picasa is free through Google. I can definitely see the ways this program could be extremely useful and valuable for a teacher.
My favorite part of using Picasa was exploring the numerous options for editing your photos. I loved all the color options such as saturation, sepia, black and white, and also "popping" a specific color. Many of the pictures I take are on my phone and are therefore not the best quality. Picasa allows you to upload pictures from any device and fix the grain/pixel quality of that photo. It's nice to know that even though you aren't able to take a picture with a high quality camera or in the best setting, you can still fix it to be a great picture.
I also enjoyed the organization options of Picasa. You can sort your photos into folders by event, season, or even who is in that photo. I love that you are able to tag the pictures because it makes it so much easier to search for a particular picture without having to go through every folder to find it.
I love discussing the uses of Picasa for teachers in class. My favorite idea was using this program to store pictures of your students in order to learn their names more quickly. I also think it would be a great option to have those pictures on hand in case you needed them for an art project or something along those lines. If you were teaching in the upper elementary grades, I think it would be fun to introduce the use of Picasa to your students. With the technology of computers and cameras becoming more prominent, it could be a fun project for students to begin learning about these programs at a young age.
I can't even begin to describe how excited I was to discover the possibilities Picasa holds. I love editing my pictures and I had actually been debating about purchasing Photoshop. A big reason I hadn't made this purchase yet is because of the cost. I love the fact that Picasa is free through Google. I can definitely see the ways this program could be extremely useful and valuable for a teacher.
My favorite part of using Picasa was exploring the numerous options for editing your photos. I loved all the color options such as saturation, sepia, black and white, and also "popping" a specific color. Many of the pictures I take are on my phone and are therefore not the best quality. Picasa allows you to upload pictures from any device and fix the grain/pixel quality of that photo. It's nice to know that even though you aren't able to take a picture with a high quality camera or in the best setting, you can still fix it to be a great picture.
I also enjoyed the organization options of Picasa. You can sort your photos into folders by event, season, or even who is in that photo. I love that you are able to tag the pictures because it makes it so much easier to search for a particular picture without having to go through every folder to find it.
I love discussing the uses of Picasa for teachers in class. My favorite idea was using this program to store pictures of your students in order to learn their names more quickly. I also think it would be a great option to have those pictures on hand in case you needed them for an art project or something along those lines. If you were teaching in the upper elementary grades, I think it would be fun to introduce the use of Picasa to your students. With the technology of computers and cameras becoming more prominent, it could be a fun project for students to begin learning about these programs at a young age.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Digital Cameras Pt. 2/Picassa
This week we worked on putting together a Google presentation with the pictures we took on our desired subject. We were also instructed to download Picasa and practice using it.
I have really enjoyed getting to learn about using digital cameras in the classroom. Putting an actual powerpoint project together was a great experience because it allowed me to see how two of the tools I've learned to use have come together. I loved being able to incorporate pictures of the world around me right here in Utah into a powerpoint that I could potentially use in my own classroom. I love collaborating with other students to create a project as well. It allows a task to be completely quicker and also creates the opportunity to see someone else's point of view.
Picasa was an awesome discovery! I am always having such a difficult time with organization of my photos so I loved the organization features on this program. I love that you are able to use the search bar to find the folder or picture you are looking for. It saves so much time! The ability to tag people in photos is also a really helpful tool because it allows you to sort photos into categories of who is in which photo.
I enjoyed working with both of these tools and I am hoping that later in the semester we will get to experiment with Picasa some more. Using programs like this to set up projects or presentations for your class can be such a great learning tool.
I have really enjoyed getting to learn about using digital cameras in the classroom. Putting an actual powerpoint project together was a great experience because it allowed me to see how two of the tools I've learned to use have come together. I loved being able to incorporate pictures of the world around me right here in Utah into a powerpoint that I could potentially use in my own classroom. I love collaborating with other students to create a project as well. It allows a task to be completely quicker and also creates the opportunity to see someone else's point of view.
Picasa was an awesome discovery! I am always having such a difficult time with organization of my photos so I loved the organization features on this program. I love that you are able to use the search bar to find the folder or picture you are looking for. It saves so much time! The ability to tag people in photos is also a really helpful tool because it allows you to sort photos into categories of who is in which photo.
I enjoyed working with both of these tools and I am hoping that later in the semester we will get to experiment with Picasa some more. Using programs like this to set up projects or presentations for your class can be such a great learning tool.
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