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Monday, September 10, 2007

A Little bit of Technology...

While preparing to take on the role as an educator as we become closer to commanding a classroom on our own, we have this necessity to use our resources to benefit our curriculum. The idea of technology can be overwhelming with all the opportunities and chances we have to bring new ideas to the classroom, however what is too much and is there such a thing? I find it hard sometimes to keep track of all the web based demands that all the professors ask us to do. Especially when I have to actually find time during the day to make it to a computer. I find that there is more balancing and scheduling that must be done in order to maintain assignments and due dates. I am not saying it is necessarily a bad thing, just different.

So, while thinking about my problems that I have with technology it reminds me what problems some students may have with certain assignments, ideas, or projects if they are not used to the concepts or practices. I am just used to doing many things by hand or hard copied that I sometimes forget the benefits of a web-based world. Maybe I just have to get used to the demands of technologically advanced professors and keep in mind of all the user names, passwords, shortcuts, web pages, links, and many other things. Sometimes having a problem of ones own helps in the long run because I will always be reminded of struggles that some people may have when it comes to the concept of using certain kinds of technology.

My Experience Thus Far

After two weeks of class, I think that I have learned a significant amount of new information, especially about Microsoft Word. I always knew that there were many features of this program, but I just never really took the time to explore any of them. In such a short amount of time, I have already learned not only how to use a number of different tools, but also how to implement them into teaching. I think that being able to utilize technology in teaching is extremely important in this day in age. I am looking forward to learning more about other programs I am already a bit familiar with as well as programs I've never even heard of.

Word 2007

I was talking with my mom about technology because she teaches the technology courses at my old high school and she told me that a new Microsoft Office came out. The most impressive change, she thought, was the new Microsoft Word 2007. After taking about the various tools that I have been discovering rediscovering in Word 2003, she informed me that in the new version, Word has become even more efficient and classroom friendly. There is a function that allows you to scan and transfer script into type. There is also more templates, help/troubleshoot options, as well as an updated thesaurus and dictionary. I was wondering though, with these new improvements to Word, do you think it is still advantageous to study the functions of and use Word 2003. I feel that it is very useful to study the functions of 2003 because these functions have only been improved upon, their cores left alone. However, there are arguments that would say using an outdated technology or technological program is, for lack of a better phrase, a waste of time (those who argue for Vista over XP or Macs over PCs for example).