Learning
About The 3 Basic Software Tools
In this blog we will
discuss the uses and problems that arise from the 3 basic software tools used
education technology according to chapter 4 of Integrating educational
technology into teaching.
Word
Processing Software
Word Processing Software is a great way to put
anything printed on paper into an organized format, producing teaching
materials that is accurate, polished-up, and completes tasks at a more productive
rate compared to handwriting. The word processing software’s excellent
qualities do not stop here; it attracts interaction by being able to share,
feedback, and collaborate (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pp. 112-114), this
interaction can lead and foster creativity in cooperative group-learning
projects.
There are issues
that need to be addressed upon for example; that if students start word
processing too early around 4-5 years old, will not be willing to develop
written expression. Some organizations allow students to use word processing
over handwriting to answer essay-type test questions. But, research found that
students’ word-processed answers got lower grades than handwritten answers, and
also, the students that uses word processors over handwriting for their works
have more involuntary errors because of auto-correction (Roblyer and Doering,
2013, p. 120).
Spreadsheet Software
Spreadsheets are used often
in education because teachers use spreadsheets to keep track of their budgets,
grades, mathematical problem solving, and etc. The spreadsheets displays all
information in organized rows, and columns, the data is automatically
recalculated instantly, giving you assurance in the data and saving your time
(pp. 122-126). Students with difficulty in math are more likely to have
problems getting familiar with spreadsheet programs to assist them in their
math ability (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 125).
Presentation Software
Presentation software organizes
information (text, images, audio, and video) in slides, and present ideas in an
effective way that the impact of the information is enhanced to the best
understanding possible allowing for further collaboration with the students.
Presentation software must be utilized correctly to be able to teach
effectively (p. 128). Bad presentation habits can derail an education such as;
showing few slides at a time before having students apply the information,
using slides with no text (images), moving while presenting the slides, on the
last slide, moving forward directly to student work without giving out hard
copies (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 130).
Classroom Use
As a deaf science teacher in
the coming future, I will be using the PowerPoint software most often than
others, because it is crucial to the teaching method that I will use daily in
my classroom, the bilingual deaf education. It requires the information to be
presented via text on slides and then translated into American Sign Language.
Here’s a video of a renowned specialist in Bilingual Deaf Education, Dr. Robert
E. Johnson, presenting about Bilingual Deaf Education, and he is using the very
same method that he is presenting about.
References
Roblyer, M. D., &
Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational
technology into teaching. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
