Word Processing

This week's content explains the basics of Word Processing, Writing, and Lesson Planning. Some of this information will be a review, and some of it may present new ideas for you to consider. Word Processing Basics explains some simple information about this type of software. We are all very fortunate to have access to sophisticated word processing programs in our schools. They are much more than simple text editors. Writing in the Classroom explores how you would engage students in the writing process within the classroom. Actually, all of the ideas presented could be done with or without computer technology. In many of our elementary and middle schools, students can engage in these activities using a product called an Alpha Smart. At the high school level, a similar tool is the Dana, also by Alpha Smart. These are inexpensive text entry devices which allow students to compose text and then "beam" their work to a computer for formatting and printing. Very cool! And honestly, you can engage students in these activities with the low tech alternative known as pencil (or pen) and paper. :-)   Writing Prompts A writing prompt is a story starter of sorts, designed to engage students in an activity to promote organization, creativity and fluency in their writing. It can also help the teacher to see if the student understand specific course content, depending on how the actual prompt is structured You can easily design a writing prompt by presenting an opening line, the beginning of story, to which the writer must complete the sentence and continue writing the story. "I thought I was going to die . . ." "It was the last thing I heard before . . ." "All these candy canes . . . where did all the stripes go?" "Is somebody out there? Anyone? " In many cases, a writing prompt is used at the beginning of class to stimulate thinking prior to a lesson. Be sure to read through this information on Creating Effective Writing Prompts.

Desk Top Publishing

Desktop publishing is all around us from magazine and newspapers, to the images on your tooth paste container. Simply stated, DTP is the combining of text and images in a 2-dimensional form, and it eventually becomes a printed product. To learn more about Desktop Publishing. simply follow these links.   The Impact of Images discusses the many uses of images in an educational environment, both for instruction and for administration. Collecting Images describes the methods for obtaining images for use in your publications. Modifying Images explains how you can use a variety of software programs such as Microsoft Photo Editor or Microsoft Paint to change the images you have for focused purposes. Designing Images simply reminds you that you may use graphic tools in programs such as Microsoft Paint or the drawing tools in Microsoft Word to design your own original images.

Desk Top Presentations

The Power of Multimedia discusses the many uses of presentations in an educational environment, both for instruction and for administration. It also provides a flowchart of the process of building a presentation. You will see samples of the major categories of presentations appropriate for use in the classroom. Media Files explains the various formats of media which can be used in a presentation. There is information located in this section to help you locate appropriate media for your presentations. PowerPoint Basics provides you with an overview of how to go about creating your own presentation. This is simply an overview. The detailed explanation is contained in the document PptBasics. doc or PptXPBasics which you can access through your Blackboard account. Please use these documents to walk through the process of designing your own presentation.

Teacher Utilities

Instructional Materials describes how teachers might supplement their instructional program with ready-made or teacher-produced items designed to introduce, reinforce, and assess student learning. The development of these materials allows the teacher to differentiate instructional as well. Graphic Organizers explains the various forms of graphic organizers which can be used in the classroom. Although most teachers consider these to be used solely for instruction, graphic organizers are incredible in helping teachers with administrative tasks, from a simple checklist to inventory control sheets. The various types of GO's are mentioned here, along with a chart identifying which type could be used to reinforce various levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Be sure to visit the links to sample GO's provided in the content. Puzzles and Worksheets provides you with some terrific ideas on types of puzzles or worksheets you can develop for use in your instructional program. Be sure to check out the wonderful links available online to gain access to collections of worksheets, or to tools specifically designed to help you create your own puzzles and worksheets. Taking the time to explore these collections may prove valuable to you when you become a teacher. Tap into the work that has been so freely offered and shared by other teachers around the country.

Assessing Student Progress

Tests describes the process of constructing a test and considerations for the writing of questions. This also includes the writing of directions for your students and selecting the types of questions you might ask on your test. Online Quizzes provides an overview of the process of creating and online quiz and making it available to your students. Detailed steps are included in the handout titled, Online Quizzes, available via Blackboard. Rubrics discusses what a rubric is and why you might want to use one in your teaching. There are several links in the content for you to explore this week.

	Spreadsheets
	Spreadsheet Basics discusses the many uses of spreadsheets in an educational environment, both for instruction and for administration. It also provides some simple definitions and examples of how to work with text, formulae, and functions. Charts and Graphs describes the three most common types of charts or graphs used in classrooms today, the line chart, the bar graph, and the pie chart.

Legal and Ethical Issues

The Ethical Use of Technology describes several areas that we as educators rarely consider, because these topics may fall into the area of cyber crime. You'll want to review the ten commandments of computer ethics, and even consider placing a copy of this list near any computer in your classroom. It's a great idea to discuss this list with students. Acceptable Use describes the policies which school divisions and individual schools have written to protect both students and faculty/staff as they use the equipment which has been purchased by the school board. You may find some of these ideas interesting. Some of you may even remember having to sign such a document when you were in high school. Copyright - as educators we have a tendency to believe that if we copy something for our students' use, we are in the right...but that is not always the case. We must become familiar with copyright law and the Fair Use Policy which govern what we can and can not do with instructional materials, both print and non-print, in the classroom. Child Safety is an ever present concern for all of us. Often, our students leave our buildings only to return to unsupervised environments. Do they understand how their behavior on line might jeopardize their safety? What can we do to help prevent the attack on our unsuspecting youth? Please take the time to visit several of the links provided in this week's content. You will be shocked by what you discover. Safeguarding the Schoolhouse - Please take the time to go through this web site. It will provide you with a greater understanding of the need to be vigilant in what we do to protect our students.

Technology Integration

Planning for Integration discusses the various types of strategies you might employ in the classroom including specific types of software, Computer Assisted Instruction, productivity software, Internet based learning, and research. Technology Integration Model explains a specific model, the 5W/5E model which can serve as a blueprint to help you determine and how and why you would use a specific strategy with your students. Evaluating Instructional Software takes you through the various types of software that are targeted specifically to address content area goals and objectives. In this section you'll discover the criteria you'll want to use when evaluating a piece of software for your classroom.