Week 13

MS Word:
As a student, I use MS Word for so many different reasons. While note taking, I find the organization tools to be effective (bullets, indentations, etc.) since they have quick buttons where you can easily redefine a level of indentation. Since note taking requires a need to quickly process the information and jot it down--it helps having these quick switches and the knowledge of outlining points easily.

I also use the tables and text boxes quite often in projects. Having the ability to customize the font and structures of these two, allows me the ability to concentrate on the content as it helps organize things visually for me. Their selection of real to cartoon images for clip art are helpful when planning lessons. Children are so easily drawn to visual design traits, and MS Word offers so many variations.

MS Excel:
I must confess that I do not use this program as often as I could. MS Word has tables that I would use on a more regular basis. I find that Excel might be helpful in terms of budgeting--though I have created visual representations of data in Excel. Since there are online spreadsheets (ie. Google spreadsheets) that allow me to share information with others as well as allow them the ability to interact with my spreadsheets, I generally will turn to those first. Since data itself is better served while feeding to an audience, using the offline Excel is less beneficial to the Google version. I know there are methods to share Excel, and it is also more technical with better formulas or functions, but I rarely need anything beyond a basic function of defining sums or lists.

MS PowerPoint:
MS PowerPoint is so helpful with presentations.  I use it often for lessons or class presentations.  The functions I mostly use are embedding images or videos, slide animations (with different levels of timing), and of course the templates they have.  Since it is visual, organizing your information with less text is ideal.  I find that the slide animations help me most in defining what I want shown at a specific time.  I've used this for class games before as well.

Projects for MS PowerPoint:

• Targeting elementary-level students, they would learn the importance of form, structure, and organization through creating a PowerPoint and its animation function.  Students would show a procedure or tell a story with dynamics.  The animation function allows them to control when information is given and teach them the use of structure.
• For middle-level students, I would ask that they create a presentation on the three branches of American government.  Since they will be taking a field trip to the state's capital, I would ask them to incorporate a self-interview embedding video clips, organizational charts, word-bullets, etc. to show their experiences.
• For middle-level students, I would ask them to present 3 short presentations with different themes (three different styles of information perhaps with the intent to evoke sadness/empathy, humor, and excitement).  Students would need to persuade an audience by using PowerPoint's templates, animation, etc. in an effective way.  The teacher will ask students to reason their use of certain functions to show their thought process.