Technology to Support Learning

I have used several material generators so far in my career. The only desktop publishing software I have used was Microsoft Publisher. I have only done quick projects with this for graduate classes and have offered it as a format choice to my students for two of the unit assessments that we do during Health. I have not spent the time outside of these to learn what else I could use it for or to see its true potential. I have tried the Exam View Assessment CD that came with our new textbooks last year. I have not touched that CD since last year because I found it very frustrating to use. I would consider trying one of the other test generators that is suggested in the book for this upcoming school year. I currently use RubiStar to create my rubrics. It is easy to follow, prints in an easy to follow chart and I have had experience with it from my undergraduate classes. I started using it 10 years ago and haven’t had a reason to try a different program since. I have also used Puzzlemaker in the past but probably haven’t used it in almost 4 years. As far as worksheet generators, we received two CD’s with our new workbooks that we use to reproduce our classroom materials off of.

Looking over the data collection and analysis tools, I have only used a couple. I have used four different electronic grade books in my 10 years of teaching. I just started using PowerTeacher last year and still haven’t been trained on it. Everything that I have learned about this program has been through trial and error. Formal training maybe be offered this year since all teachers have been told that everyone will transfer from PowerGrade to PowerTeacher. We are also supposed to have access to PowerSchool. I have been told several times that I have access to it, I continue to ask how to use it and to this day, have not received a working password. I am the type of person that will pursue an answer until I am shot down a couple times, then I quit asking and caring.

I enjoy using graphic tools like clip art, sound, video and fort styles/sizes to enhance the resources that I have created in Microsoft programs. They are extremely easy to use and add personality to a brochure, PowerPoint, poster, calendar, or whatever else I create.

I have never used IEP generators, graphic document markers, PDF’s, form makers, statistical packages, student response systems, draw/paint programs, image editing tools, charting/graphing tools, electronic encyclopedias, electronic atlases and mapping tools, electronic dictionaries and thesauruses, CAD systems, music editors, sequencers, MIDI tools, reading tools, microcomputer-based labs, graphing calculators, and calculator-based labs, geographic information systems and global positioning systems. They sound interesting but I can’t stress enough that I am not interested in making the time to learn more programs. I fell like my job already takes up hours of my daily family time and I just don’t want to continue doing that.