Week 3 Blog.

This week’s assignments focused on the use of Word Processors and Desk Top Publishing software in the classroom. To me these tools have more obvious, yet no more useful, applications within education than some of the earlier tools that we have discussed so far in this class. Word processing tools have been around for a long time. I can still remember using a machine that appeared to be an electric typewriter that was referred to as a "word processor". I can remember the using the word processor to complete school projects and thinking about how much better it was to use this device than it was using a standard typewriter. I could input the material in its entirety into the machine, save it, and make needed corrections and additions before letting the machine print out the document. I could have never imagined the advancements that have now occurred with word processing software and programs. I have become so dependent up on this technology that I often question whether or not I can write anything by hand at this point. This weeks assignments helped me to explore a little more thoroughly the tools and accessories available in current word processing technology. I have felt like I have been fairly proficient with using the Microsoft Word tools to create high quality written documents but now that I have done a little further exploration I realize that there is so much more available to assist me with my writing. The text explorations that we have completed for this week were also very informative and insightful.  I can see many applications for most of these resources within my classroom the text to speech applications will be beneficial with working with speech and visually impaired students or with students with dyslexia. I really like the idea of using the Powertalk application from http://fullmeasure.co.uk to allow students to create stories and present them to the class.

I am not teaching so the assignment for reviewing the newsletter and etc was a difficult one. The only time that I use anything like this is at church for creating schedules for nursery workers. I usually assist my wife with creating a word document that just lists the individual nursery worker with the dates that they cover the nursery out to the side. We post this in the church and a copy is given to the workers.  For the purpose of this assignment I used Micro Soft Office Publisher to create a calendar from the existing document for the current month.  The nursery schedule is pictured to the right. 

This week's assignments were informative and will be beneficial to me as I begin my career as a teacher.