Databases and spreadsheets

I enjoyed using databases and spreadsheets to organize information that I find.

I think that spreadsheets are a useful tool to use while trying to present information to a group of students as well.  It is organized and structured which allows children to not get lost while reading the information.  For spreadsheets to be usable, they have to have labels above all the individual information they are trying to present.  Teachers need to make sure that the information they are gathering and organizing is clearly labeled for their students' optimal usage.  Spreadsheets are also so easy to create.  One of the great things is that children can create a spreadsheet not on a computer so they have one handy for whatever circumstances may come.  Spreadsheets should constantly be used in the classroom if teachers need to organize a lot of information.  The programs that we find on computers present day are excellent.  There are so many options and things one may do on a computerized spreadsheet that the possibilities are endless.

Databases are something that the internet age can not live without.  They keep track of all the information one may find anywhere on the internet about anything.  Databases are used by any age level because they are so easy to use and understand.  While language may differ between databases, the concept of a database is irreplaceable.  The entire internet is one database of sharing ideas as a whole.  I find databases to be extremely resourceful and necessary to do any of my work or research.

WebQuests

      Before this assignment, myself, like probably most of the world, had no idea what a WebQuest was.  As it turns out the concept and idea of a WebQuest is a smart and effective one.  It can be used anywhere where there is an internet connection whether it be school, home, public, or private, and they can be really successful indicators of thought.  As I browsed the site that hosts thousands of WebQuests, I stumbled upon some good ones, some bad ones, and some exemplary ones.  

     But what is a WebQuest you may ask.  Well, a WebQuest is simply an online lesson plan that spells out what a student's task is, what is expected of them, resources for them to use online, and a rubric to help self evaluate themselves as it goes along.  The lesson or task at hand needs to be completed by a student or a group of students by following the directions given.  There are tabs on the left hand side of the page that helps the student navigate what the should be doing and what the task comprises of.  I actually think the idea of WebQuests are great tools for extended vacations where you can give the students one assignment to complete.  It allows the student to reflect back on the assignment as often as they like and the goal of the teacher or creator of the WebQuest is to make is as clear as possible.  

     So think of it like this: you are a teacher and you need to give your students and assignment.  You want them to build knowledge,  you want to induce higher ordered thinking, you want them to use online resources to help them gain said knowledge, then a WebQuest is the type of lesson plan for you.  It allows children to work at home on their own and understand the entire task because it is spelled out for them.  With the Evaluation tab at hand, children have no reason to not know what to expect when they are graded on the already given rubric.

    But users beware; there are good ones and bad ones (as is the same with any lesson plan or anything in the world for that matter).  It takes a lot of weeding through the so-so and bad WebQuests online if you do not want to create one yourself.  But many tasks are great for a variety of students and there is no shortage of them by any means. I would definitely use one during my teaching career and experiment once to see if I liked it.  

Inspiration and Kidspiration

So while navigating these programs for a few days and finally finishing my product, I have to say I am not very happy.  The child's program was much easier to use for some reason.  I was having a very difficult time with my Inspiration.  On the Inspiration program, it would not allow me to open any templates so I had to do one on the fly.  It didn't give me any options; it said there were some available online but I did not think that was what I should do since I did not buy the program.

The Kidspiration program was much easier to use even though they are basically the same thing.  I was simply having much more trouble with the one geared for older children.  It is very rare that any software programs elude me but this one had me confused for most of it.  I don't think I would ever use the Inspir. program again.  It seemed like there are more efficient programs out there like PowerPoint, Paint, and Microsoft Word.  It was definitely not very user friendly (at least for myself).

I like being introduced to new programs.  It helps broaden my knowledge of school-related software which is something all teachers should strive for.  Although one of the two programs did not fit me well, I still loved exploring it.

Technology Haiku

To be without you
Bird without its flying wings
Tech flows in my blood.