Description
This concise and practical text describes the major educational computer applications and provides methods for using computer tools effectively in the teaching/learning process.
The author focuses on the word processor, database, spreadsheet, Internet, and hypermedia software–tools that all classrooms with computers have. The text is independent of hardware and equally applicable to Macs or PCs, and speaks to methods that apply across grade levels and disciplines. The text has been extensively class tested and written from the perspective of what will work for teachers. Many helpful models, lesson plans, skill–building tips and activities are included to allow students to pick up this book and put it to use in the classroom right away.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Teaching with Computers Effectively? 3
Technology Operations and Concepts 3 Learning Environments 4
Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum 5 What Is an Instructional Model? 6 Assessment and Evaluation 7 Productivity and Professional Practice 8 Social, Ethical, Legal, and Human Issues 9
Preparing Students for the World of Work 10
Three Kinds of Computer Use 11
Teaching about Computers: Computer Literacy 11 Using
the Computer as a Teacher for Your Students 13 Using a Computer
as a Cognitive Tool 15
Summary 18
References 18
Annotated Resources 20
Chapter Two
An Introduction to Computers for Teaching 22
Objectives 22
Instructional Models and Computers 25
What Does the Research Say about Using Computers in Classrooms? 26
Constructing Technology-Supported Lessons 28
Summary 30
References 30
Annotated Resources 30
Part Two
The Internet: Information Retrieval
and Communication
Acquiring and judging the value of information and exchanging information are the topics of Part Two of this book. One of the greatest strengths of the Internet is its role as a repository of information. In addition, Internet-based communication, including e-mail and web-based conferencing, helps students acquire information from each other and from experts. It provides opportunities for collaboration
during problem-based learning activities. Furthermore, the Internet is becoming
a classroom itself. It is a medium in which a broad range of courses and learning activities are available for both children and adults. In addition to its role as a repository for information, the Internet is a powerful tool for communication.
You will learn how to design instruction based on communication over the Internet. As your students use the Internet for this purpose, they will improve their writing skills as they acquire information.
Chapter Three
Information Retrieval 32
Objectives 32
A Short History of the Internet 32
The Modern Internet 34
Using the Internet for Research 35
Asking Questions 35 Accessing Information 37 Analyzing 39
The WebQuest 42 Copyright Issues and the Internet 45 Bloom’s Taxonomy and Internet Research 47
Listservs 48
Distance Learning 50
Interactive Television 50 Internet-Based Courses 51 Summary
of Key Elements of Distance Instruction 52
Summary 52
References 53
Annotated Resources 55
Chapter Four
Web Tools: E-mail and Discussion Boards 58
Objectives 58
E-mail 59
Discussion Boards 62
A More Elaborate Use of E-mail 67
Asynchronous Communication: Tools and Methods 71
E-mail 71 Web Boards 73 Keeping Track in a Discussion: Three Ways 74 Search Function 75 Discussion Monitoring 77 Planning and Evaluating Asynchronous Communication Projects 78
Summary 81
References 81
Annotated Resources 81
Part Three Displaying Information
Before the computer, students had fewer formats in which they could display
information. They wrote most reports in text–handwritten or typewritten. Some students would cut pictures out of magazines to include with reports. All charts and graphs were hand made and hand calculated. Students with poor writing
skills had limited opportunities to work with many facts and ideas on the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy because they had to be more concerned with producing a legible product with passable grammar. This is not to say that legibility and grammar are not important, but a focus on them can keep students from learning other skills that are just as important. Presentation software and word processors allow students to work with large ideas and concepts, much as the
calculator shifts students from a focus on computational errors to looking at the large ideas in mathematics.
The process that students use to display information in a computer-based presentation provides opportunities for them to organize and contextualize the
information. Organizing information, or, better, finding the organization that is inherent in information, is one way to learn it well (Gagne et al., 1993; Woolfolk, 2000).*
*References for Woolfolk and Gagne et al. appear in Chapters 5 and 6, respectively.
Chapter Five
Presentation Software 83
Objectives 83
Office Suites and Teachers–How Do They Apply
to Classrooms? 83
Capabilities of Office Suites 83 Office Suites and Projects 83
Presentation Software 86
Displaying Information: Key to Creating Understanding 88
The Role of Interactivity 88
Executing a Hypermedia-Supported Lesson Plan 91
Summary 92
References 93
Annotated Resources 93
Chapter Six
Graphic and Interface Design Principles 94
Objectives 94
Rule 1: Use General Design Principles 95 Rule 2: Orient
Users 95 Rule 3: Justify Text Appropriately 97 Rule 4: Limit Type Styles 98 Rule 5: Limit Colors 98 Rule 6: Standardize Use
of Colors 99 Rule 7: Enhance Text with Graphics and Interactivity 99 Rule 8: Eliminate Superfluous Items 99 Rule 9: Use Upper-
and Lowercase 99 Rule 10: Keep Text Lines Short 100 Rule 11:
Use Single Spacing 100 Rule 12: Simplify the Structure 100 Rule 13: Limit the Focus 100 Rule 14: Provide Emphasis 101 Rule 15: Know Your Audience 101 Rule 16: Do Not Flash 101 Rule 17: Use Lists 102 Rule 18: Navigate Consistently 102 Rule 19: Do Not
Stack Text 102 Rule 20: Include Multiple Graphic Types 102 Rule 21: Organize the Screen 102 Rule 22: Size Matters 103 Rule 23: Placement Matters 103
Summary 105
References 105
Annotated Resources 105
Chapter Seven
Outlines, Idea Maps, and Storyboards 107
Objectives 107
Outlines 108
Idea Maps 109
Concepts: Examples and Properties 111 Questions and Answers about
Idea Mapping 113
Storyboards 120
Branching 121
Hot Words 121 Hot Graphics 122 Icons 122
Menus 122 Branches That Help Users Get around
in the Software 123
Summary 126
References 129
Annotated Resources 129
Chapter Eight
Evaluating Student Presentations 131
Objectives 131
Rubrics 131
Creating Standards for Your Students 132 Some Notes
on the Components of the Rubrics 134
Questions and Answers about Using Multimedia
Presentations 140
Summary 141
References 142
Chapter Nine
Educational Applications of Word Processing 143
Objectives 143
Management Issues: How Many Computers
Do You Have? 144
One-Computer Classroom 144 Five-Computer Classroom:
“Jigsaw Model” 144 Laboratory 145
The Models: Using the Word Processor to Teach
Content and Skills 145
High-Level Analysis and Skills 146 Targeted Learning Problems 151
Word Processing Tips 151
Bullets and Numbered Lists 151 Using Tables to Organize
Information 152 Making Links to the Internet 152
Importing Information from Other Applications 154 Spelling
and Spell Checkers 154 Readability Statistics and Grammar
Checkers 156
Text-Reading Software 157
Summary 161
References 161
Annotated Resources 162
Part Four
Analyzing Data with Databases
and Spreadsheets
Chapter Ten
Databases: What They Are and How They Work 163
Objectives 163
Solving Problems Outside the Classroom: Three Stories 164
A Business Problem 164 A Scientific Problem 164
An Ethical and Sociological Problem 164 Databases Help
People Think about Difficult Problems 165
Databases in the Classroom 165
How Do Databases Support Student Learning? 166 What Do
Students and Teachers Need to Know? 167
Getting Started: Teaching the Tool 167
Form View 168 Table View or List View 169
Sorts and Queries 172
The Sort: Putting Information in Order 172 The Query: Classifying Information 175 Grade-Level Suggestions 178 How to Provide Student Assistance 179
Planning Your Database 182
Summary 184
References 185
Chapter Eleven
Building a Database-Supported Lesson 186
Objectives 186
Templates for Building Database-Supported Lessons 186
Learning with a Database: Describing an Unknown 188
Analyzing a Lesson Plan 193
Understanding the Steps 195
Set Up the Problem 195 Teach the Nature of the Questioning
Process 199 Focus and Explore 200 Students Write Their
Own Questions 201 Require a Product 204 Have Students
Make Comparisons 204 Encourage Students to Resolve
Discrepancies 205 Encourage Students to Think about Using
Databases to Solve Other Problems 205
Summative Evaluation of a Database Project 205
Summary 209
References 210
Annotated Resources 210
Chapter Twelve
Acquiring Data 212
Objectives 212
How Do Teachers Acquire Datasets? 212
Data on the Internet: Examples of Some Good Sites 213
Formatting Data for Use in a Database 215
Technique 1: Making Raw Internet Data Usable 215 Technique 2: Internet Databases with Their Own Search Engines 218 Technique 3: Building Your Own Database 219
Summary 220
References 220
Annotated Resources 221
Chapter Thirteen
Using Spreadsheets to Think
about Numbers 223
Objectives 223
Numbers as Tools beyond Math 223
Choosing the Problem 225
The Versatile Spreadsheet 225
Easy Spreadsheet Tools 225
Descriptive Statistics 228
Example: Understanding How Soil Affects Plants 228
Descriptive Statistics: What Do They Mean? 233
Mode 234 Median 234 Mean 235 Mean,
Median, and Mode and Scales of Measurement 235 Standard
Deviation 237
Using Simple Arithmetic Outside the Math Class 237
Charts and Graphs 240
Bar Charts and Column Charts 240 Pie Charts 242 Area Charts and Bar Charts–Looking at Data over Time 243 Pivot
Tables 243 Formulas 244
A Model for Spreadsheet Use 247
Bloom’s Taxonomy and Spreadsheets 247
Summary 247
References 249
Annotated Resources 250
Appendix A Your Network 251
Appendix B File Management 259
Appendix C Chat and Internet Conferencing 263
White Board 263
Application Sharing 264
File Sharing 266
Advantages and Disadvantages 266
Audio and Video Conferencing 267
Appendix D Concept Maps 273
Idea Maps for Events 277
Looking at the Big Picture 283
Appendix E
Sample Database for an English Class 287
American Society Reflected in Fiction 287
Step 1 288 Step 2 288 Step 3 289 Step 4 289
Index 291
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Tech tactics: Technology for Teachers, CourseSmart eTextbook, 3rd Edition
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