Software tools and games are a great way to engage students in learning without making them feel like it is boring or uninteresting. Games are a fun way to help students review before a test or quiz and also cement the information in their brains without continuously lecturing them. The screen shot above is an example of a game that teachers can create and use in the classroom. It is "Who wants to be a millionaire." It is a powerpoint template that teachers can edit to meet their subject area and enter questions or upcoming tests or review information that was previously discussed. My future subject area is 9th or 10th grade science and as you can see from the screenshot, I entered a question about acids and bases. The template tells you where to put the correct answer (and in this case the correct answer is "A".) This is a fun way to get students involved and you can even get them to work in teams to play the game. Using games or hands-on approached to learning is a way to utilize standard 3 from INTASC. This standard says, "The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners." I think the idea of using games as a way to engage students can help teachers reach this standard. I think that using any kind of approach that is different from lectures or note taking is a way to meet the needs of diverse learners.
In class we also learned how to use Microsoft Excel to create basic spreadsheets. We learned how to input formulas so that excel can do all the math for us. This was a great concept to learn because a lot of grade books use an excel type program to keep track of grades. Excel is a helpful software to know how to use outside of the classroom too. It can help back up the grade books, manage your bank account, or keep track of spending when it comes to extra money. In class we used Excel to participate in a "recycle project." This project was basically finishing a partially completed spreadsheet using formulas and formatting. Once the spreadsheet was completed we had to use the information we calculated and through Excel, make two graphs to display the information. This project was a real eye opener for me. To be honest I never really understood all the hype about Excel. The program itself is complicated but at least now I know why. Excel is powerful! It can do so much with the little bit of information you put into it. I would like to dive deeper into Excel after this class and learn even more!
(This is the recycle project that I completed in class. It is very simple version but it can easily be expanded upon.)
The idea of using a program like Excel meets INTASC standard #4. This standard states, "The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills." Excel is a program that allows students to visual interpret problem solving applications. What I mean is teachers can assign a problem that makes a student use their problem solving skills. Students could then utilize Excel as a way to demonstrate their understanding of the material and also assist them in doing some of the basic calculations.
