PowerPoints are intended to display information in a way that makes sense and it easy to follow. However, I tend to get caught up in all the slide backgrounds and animation rather than actually following along with the presentation. I think that guidelines are helpful for everyone. I love the idea of an outline. I am able to foresee what will be presented, I can begin with the end in mind. It really helps me to stay focused. I like more conversation and dialogue rather than reading off the slides. It also makes sense that we should use consistent animation and to use legible fonts.
I am very familiar with Ebsco Host, but sometimes I feel as if it can be very overwhelming. It is very beneficial to know how to narrow down your searches and that you can utilize other resources such as videos, images, e-mail, importing and exporting. I often think of Ebsco Host as only a search engine. The tutorial really allowed me to become even more familiar with the system which will lead to me to more success throughout this study.
As for Kidpix and PowerPoint, I think they are great attributes to include in any classroom. I think that it is really important for children to work with technology and have multiple opportunities in which they can express themselves. I have used Kidpix in the past to practice following oral directions. The directions lead the students to create a specific picture. I love the twists the teachers put in the assignments where the students recreated their own version of the story. I plan to implement this into my own classroom.
There are many resources available to teachers and students. With technology growing so popular and ever changing, it is important for us to become familiar with engaging technology tools in which we can guide learning.
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. I agree that the Powerpoint presentations were great reminders of the do's and don'ts of presenting. It is so important to make sure the slides aren't too distracting and cause the students to not listen because for young children, that is a very hard thing to control. I also agree with you that it Ebscohost can be overwhelming and frustrating. The tutorial on how to search and utilize it will be a great reference for me in the future.
I look forward to utilizing this new technology presented to me in this module. I am interested to hear that you had success with Kid Pix because it sounds like a great program that would really interest the students!