EME 2040 BLOG

For almost all of my years of computer use, I have used solely Microsoft Word to type any documents. It was never really talked about by my teachers but it was pretty much always expected. My dad used to hate Word and used exclusively WordPerfect instead, but my mom taught me that Word is much easier and much more compatible with our computers. Between essays, letters, outlines, and posters, I thought by now I would be an EXPERT when it comes to Word. Nope. It didn't take me long to realize that I don't really know a lot about different operations on MS Word because I had pretty much limited myself to such a small range of operations. Learning about new functions in the software has been a highlight of the class and will be an asset to me in my career. In terms of copyright and fair use laws, my teachers have always been pretty adherent to the rules. We used public domain materials that were fair use and okay to use and never made illegal copies of anything. The only time I d...

When it comes to 21st-century classroom, technology is a valuable and unavoidable resource. Teaching without technology is, to be frank, outdated and will not prepare students for the world. That said, there are a lot of reasons that using technology in the classroom is beneficial to both educators and students. For teachers, the influence of other successful teaching techniques can be a jumpstart for technological advancements in the classroom. The pressure to produce high-functioning and well-performing students can also facilitate a technology-based curriculum. For students, the influence comes from wanting to be successful as adults, which in this age is difficult without at least the most basic education of technology. Technology also provides easier and more individualized ways for students to learn, study, and retain information. After reading over the ISTE Standards for Educators, I feel like I have a pretty comprehensive view of what a technological classroom is. Personally,...

My previous experiences with technology have been few and far between. Yes, I am well versed in Snapchat, Netflix, and everything I can consume from my iPhone, but when it comes to professional technology like spreadsheets or presentations, I am lost. I have used programs such as Word, Powerpoint, and Excel before, but I have sort of blindly navigated my way through them and hoped for the best. I've never truly been educated on all the bells and whistles of those programs, which is something I would really like to learn in this class. Like I said before, in this class I'd like to learn in depth the different uses of Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. I would also like to become more educated on different types of technology that would be used in an elementary school setting. I want to teach kindergarten, so incorporating and addressing technology in a way that doesn't come across pedantic is my main goal. I want to be well versed in using both Smartboards and Prometh...