The Third Week

Sorry that this post is a little late...I've been trying to keep a regular schedule of posting on Saturdays or Sundays, but that didn't work out this weekend.

Last week in COMP 204, we began to discuss the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW). Though they are colloquially held to be synonymous, we learned the distinct differences between the two in class. The Internet is the massive network of networks that powers tools such as the WWW, email, and file transfers all over the world. The WWW is just an application of the Internet that allows its users to navigate through web pages via hyperlinks and view information in a multimedia format. Besides technical terms, there was not much to be learned about the Internet and WWW for our class--we have all been using them since elementary school for classes and entertainment, so we know our way around.

We did, however, broaden our viewpoints on the Web and the Net by examining them from a future educator's viewpoint. For example, the Internet is an extremely useful tool when it comes to connecting a school district (we have a campus network that demonstrates this idea to us daily) because administrators, teachers, and students can all access software, hardware, and other data necessary for the learning process. Whether the information is handouts explaining projects, a worksheet to be filled out and submitted via the network, or a district-wide bulletin to inform parents of news in the schools, the network provides ease of access to all. The benefits of the Web are clear, especially in this day and age, when students respond so well to technology and use it so often in their daily lives. Online learning can take place in the form of Web scavenger hunt or research project using various websites. I recently read an article that dealt with my discipline specifically: it detailed a study conducted with ESL students that used hypermedia to learn new vocabulary and showed significant increases in learning and retention of the words that they researched themselves using the Web.

The Second Week

During the past week, we continued our study of MS Excel, then moved on to Microsoft Word. In Word, we tackled some common difficulties, such as tab and text alignment. We learned how to make the ruler our best friend by setting indents (left, right, AND hanging) and tabs (left, right, decimal, you name it). I didn't know that there was more than one type of tab before this class! We also went over how to best use the Review Ribbon in MS Word Vista to track changes and add comments.

Being able to set tabs and indents will certainly cure many formatting headaches when it comes to making handouts and worksheets for my students in the future. Not only will these basic skills make my life as an educator easier, but they will also improve the professional appearance of any letter, resume, grant proposal, etc. that I write. I can also use the "Track Changes" and inking features (yeah, tablet PC's!) to mark changes and edits on students' essays if I choose to do so electronically via email.

The First Week

The first program we studied this week was Microsoft's Personal Information Manager, Outlook. We practiced using the program not only as an email provider, but as an organizational tool for schedules, tasks, and appointments. We learned simple ways to connect with others connected to Microsoft Exchange, such as mass emails sent as blind carbon copies (BCC) and appointment requests through the use of shared calendars. With these freedoms and new opportunities for communication, we were also taught the importance of responsible information sharing and professional conduct.

A program such as Outlook has obvious uses and benefits in the teaching environment (given that I teach at a school that uses Outlook). I had not used it for more than sending and receiving emails before this class--now I find it useful for setting up my schedule and keeping track of events. I will continue to do this as a teacher, especially because Outlook allows one to share calendars with other users so scheduling appointments is much easier and more efficient. Outlook also will allow me to send requests for appointments and invitations to events to multiple users at a time, ensuring that all involved are on the same page and receive the same updates.

We also dabbled in Microsoft Excel this week. This was an especially groundbreaking lesson for me because I had only used Excel to create charts and bar graphs prior to taking COMP 204. The class went over the difference between formulas and functions, and I now know the proper names for the components of the program itself. We have had the opportunity to practice computations and designing spreadsheets by way of a gradebook that we will keep for ourselves in the class.

Excel has mostly very obvious applications in the classroom as well. A spreadsheet can be manipulated in various different ways to be used as a record book for grades, whether the teacher wants to categorize students by age or add weight to certain assignments. The gradebook could also include a section for making note of students' attendance. As an advisor for a club, one could track the financial records of the club or organization. A spreadsheet could even be used to manage personal finances at home.