Word
Processing Software
Its’s hard to imagine going through
school without word processing software, but this was done not too long ago. For
most of my generation, using word processing software to complete assignments
for class is an automatic assumption. This assumption is an example of how
great of an impact this software has had on education (Roblyer and Doering, 2011,
p.116). One positive of using word processing software is the ability to easily
share documents virtually which is a huge time saver in education. Although
this software has many benefits, which in my opinion outweigh the negatives by
a long shot, there are some issues that critics have found with the use of this
software in education. One issue is the impact word processing has on students’
handwriting. This is a legitimate concern and should be noted when designing
early education curriculum. My personal opinion is that the knowledge of using
tools such as word processing software is more valuable than having perfect
handwriting.
Spreadsheet Software
Most people shy away from
spreadsheet software and simply worry about the learning curve that this
software brings to the table. I, however, enjoy using this software and am not
an “excel wizard” by any means. I can perform the simple tasks and find this
software very useful for working with any type of numerical data. In the classroom,
this software has much potential to help educators save time, stay organized and
even help present material to students. Roblyer
and Doering (2011) also note, “students can use spreadsheets to create neat
timelines, charts, graphs, as well as products that require them to store and
calculate numbers” (p.125). This software is very valuable to education and
does not present many issues besides getting over the fear of working with
numbers and a small learning curve.
Presentation Software
Presentation software is used in education for a variety of different
subjects. It brings many benefits to the table. One of those benefits is how it
can enhance the impact of the information being covered. “When a presentation product is well-designed,
it supports and supplements what the speaker says, using graphics and
multimedia to give illustrations and drive home points with images and sound” (Roblyer
& Doering, 2011 p.128). As
beneficial as this software is in education, its impact still “largely depends
on how teachers use them and how much time they spend with the material” (Roblyer
& Doering, 2011 p.25).
Classroom Use
In my
business class, I would use presentation software as a visual aid while discussing
strengths and weaknesses of company mission statements. As Roblyer and Doering (2011)
say, “though using presentation software does not assure an organized coherent
talk, its emphasis on sequencing and breaking information into component parts
can promote a more organized approach.” Therefore, I would have a current
Fortune 500 companies’ mission statement on each slide and have my class
discuss what they like about the statement and what they would like to change.
References
I definitely shy away from using Excel and I'm a math teacher; I know right! There were a lot of things I did not know about Excel until a couple of days ago in my ED 527 class. I didn't know excel had templates. But that just shows that because I was afraid of using excel, I didn't know about the cool features that excel really has. On top of me being lazy because of the program used in the school system already comes with a grade book along with averages and all. I'm definitely going to try and use excel more.
ReplyDeletePresentation can be very powerful and dangerous in the classroom at the same time! Roblyer and Doering(2012) say, "teachers use them to focus students attention and guide note-taking." (pg. 130) I also agree with you when you say that it can be very useful in the business world as well!
ReplyDeleteAs Roblyer and Doering point out, a presentation should help support what you're saying rather than stand alone as all you have to say! I think the notes accessory in the presentation software is awesome! I had a professor that used it quite frequently!! That way students don't have to see what you need to say and you can put less on the slides. Presentation can be really beneficial! How often do you see yourself using it and for what types of lessons?
ReplyDeleteI hope to attain the skills that make PowerPoints beneficial in the classroom. If I can use them as "support" like you stated then I see no reason not to have them accompany any lectures I do in class. I'm going to be open minded and try to get feedback from students as much as possible to help figure out what works!
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