Google Presentations

There is not a huge difference in Google Presentations and Microsoft PowerPoint, but the few differences there are might make people want to look into using Google presentations more often.

Google Presentations

Pros:
Allows users to collaborate on the document online.
Can access the document from any source.
Auto saves
Easy to use.

Cons:
Need an Internet Connection
Few designs/limited template creativity.


Microsoft PowerPoint

Pros:

Does not need the Internet
Ability to take notes on the slides
A lot of slide options

Cons:

Cost money
Not easily accessible by coworkers, friends, teachers etc.
Need PowerPoint to open the slide presentation.





In Grahams chapter 5 we find that google presentations offers the user the ability to make presentations using images, drawings and other graphics that correlate to the guidelines of common core, Common core guidelines for students presentations are "express and listen carefully to ideas, integrate information from oral, visual, quantitative, and media sources, evaluate what they hear, use media and visual displays strategically to help achieve communicative purposes, and adapt speech to context and task.”

Not only does google presentations allow students to create beautiful presentation to captivate their audience, it allows them to share those presentations with students, teachers and anyone else. The simplicity of sharing their work online is a huge advantage. During college I always used Microsoft PowerPoint and I cannot remember the amount of annoyances of emailing things to myself to work on it in a computer lab. Google presentations allows you to  have access anywhere. On way I can see how this can be useful is that students can grade their peers without anonymously. You could easily make an assignment where you have to go online and grade the different presentations on content among helping each other as well.

Teachers will find that the simplicity and flexibility of google presentations might be something they favor over Microsoft power point because google presentations is compatible with importing PowerPoint slides into the google program. Google presentations can be implemented into any computer, so if your school is Mac supporters, no problem! If they love Microsoft, no problem!

One issue that teachers and students must be careful of is that when sharing information to make sure that the team is aware of the changes and do not walk into a presentation and the order or material be different.

Over all I like what google presentations has to offer, even though I was a heavy PowerPoint user. Even with the lack of template creativity among some other things, it really is not a factor when the object under the common core requirements is to make sure students can accurate make a PowerPoint presentation. Google Presentations allows you to do that.



Graham, Michael J. (2013-04-23). Google Apps Meets Common Core (p. 72). SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition.

Uses of iPads in Education A tool Or Necessity?

The world of technology has taken off  the last ten years with the development of smart phones to smart watches and everything in between. I  could not imagine using an Ipad in the class when I was in high school and now they can be found everywhere within the class. How can such a device be so effective in learning, that even now the schools who once opposed it, are seriously considering the advantages of such a device.

Ipads offer a wide range of economic benefits. Certainly a big portion of the schools government aid is directed towards its teachers salary and its books.  Books can average $500-800 a year per student. A current  64GB Ipad Air with just wifi cost $499. If we were in charge, we would look to find any way we could to cut cost within reason of course, but for schools today, they just might have found a way to curb cost and increase productivity in the classroom.

Ipads also offer a seamless transition between material and the video/audio that can help enhance the lesson. There is no more tedious or burdensome CD and extra curriculum packet to read that helps you bring the lesson to life, it can be found all in one on the Ipad.

Ipads allow students to interact with the world around them seamlessly.


Educators strive to bring the class to life and there is much debate on whether or not Ipads are making a difference because of their technology or just because it's the "new" thing with students. Educators should be very careful before they make their evaluations, because the world they grew up in is often the one they carry with them in the class room, but in reality the class room is far different than what once was. Take for example my high school experience. I graduated in 2006, the iPhone did not exist yet. I first received a cellphone when I was 17.The technology we had in class was the roll around projector. I was very used to a normal class with a lecture and pencil and paper, . Now let us jump ahead to now where younger children are having access to these different devices. Where once when I was 17 I had just a phone, now small kids at age 6-8 have phones that can access the internet.  This is a day and age where parents are distracting their children using these devices. Is this a bad thing? I am unsure, but what I have noticed is that those kids who have been heavily influenced using these devices are stimulated and used to using these devices for a variety of things all ready. New Jersey implemented an Ipad only class and the students tested 90% above the benchmark compared with 60% of other classes.


Certainly an argument can be made that teachers still have to be creative and that the Ipad is just a tool, but watching how generations find themselves behind a screen at an early age, I believe it is more than that, it may one day become a necessity. Students are engaging this world at a much different pace then we ever did. As educators we should be careful not to make the mistake of assuming that the kids of today are inspired by the same things the kids of yesterday are. I encourage all educators that though we have our convictions of how education should be, our only conviction should be the success of a student.

https://sites.google.com/a/tonykrug.info/tablet_tableau/tablets-in-education/uses_of_ipads

http://www.eclassroomnews.com/2011/06/02/new-jersey-district-plans-ipad-only-algebra-course/3/

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/05/interesting-ways-to-use-ipad-in.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29&utm_content=Google+Reader#.VVAiY_lVhBc

I am most familiar with Microsoft word and that is because I mostly use windows operating system. I have also used google docs however.

One of the major advantages that Word has is its versatility.
Word has the ability to give you a lot of editing, font and other applications within its program.
Google Docs does not have as many editing options.  Word also carries many professional editing abilities.

Word does not have the ability to be used anywhere like google docs. There has been many situations where I have needed to write something out and did not have access to a computer and google docs helped me. This is the biggest advantage of google docs, its ability to not be restricted by the device, but can be accessed anywhere.

Google docs cannot really attach or upload images, but does posses collaborative editing, the ability for multiple people to work on one document.


pg 43 of Graham talks about the necessity for students to start using digital tools to creatively write. Having access to google docs is easier for younger students in this critical component in common core Anchor Standard 6 because it allows students to get a taste of creative writing within technology without the burden of a keyboard.

Tablets - Options/Uses

Technology is playing a bigger role in peoples lives than ever before.It is almost hard to ignore technology in every facet of our lives. People are learning differently and they learn through a vast array of devices. If schools  do not  try to implement technology in the classroom, it might be a fatal error. One of the big pushes is to have tablets in the classroom. How can tablets be beneficial for our kids? Most parents look at tablets as another distraction or gaming device they pull out to keep their children quite, but tablets can be a great instrument for our schools. Like all things, we can use it wisely and benefit or poorly and fail.   Take a look at some of the pros and cons of tablets we can use in the classroom.

Nook

 Pros: 

*Ability to make notes and references while reading.

*Software available on most devices.

*Expandable storage capacity

*Can use flash

Con:

*No Cellular Connectivity

* Cannot play or stream videos well or at all

Kindle

Pros: 

*Text to speech functionality.

* Has the richest sources of books.(access to amazon)

*Ability to use Flash

Cons:

* Very limited apps depending on model.

* Limited storage capacity.

Ipad(Apple)

Pros: 

*Has the richest source of applications(apps) This is often overlooked, but there are many apps that make up and enhance the learning interaction of the Ipad.

* Ability to organize your data,books apps etc.

*variety of options with Cellular connectivity.

Cons:

*No Flash player

*Ibooks is limited on books that can be purchased.

One particular feature that everyone must consider is the Internet connectivity for each tablet. The internet is how each tablet can download apps, books and the various other items students will use during the use of their tablet, Most tablets have wifi and is not much of a concern when accessing the internet but not all tablets have cellular internet. Cellular internet is provided by a phone company which allows for you to access the internet from anywhere, not from just a hot spot. 

Prices for connectivity depend on the provider and service that you would like. The prices to connect are a high monthly fee starting around $100 a month.

It would be more cost effective for schools to invest in good internet with top of the line wireless routers than to invest the money in cellular internet for a lot of tablets. Certainly one issue may be overloading the wifi network, but the need for cellular for every tablet is limited if unneeded. I could see the usefulness of some select tablets within the school system having them,, but almost everyone has the ability or can find a location for wifi if the students needed or were allowed to take them home.

When considering which tablet might be good for kids at school we have to look at a variety of criteria. One major point is cost, the cost of the tablet will be a major factor when deciding on a device because many will be purchased. by far the kindle and nook are the cheapest options. Another factor is the resources. These tablets are going to be used in the classroom for educational purposes and it is important to be able to have a vast array of resources to use. Amazon really has some good options when it comes to the ability of resources. Another factor in determining the right tablet is the ability for it to be used, the interface with the Ipad allows any user the effortless ease to move from watching a movie to suddenly reading an article. When making the final decision on what tablet might be right for the classroom, it might be wise to consider what tablet can offer you the most options and abilities to learn. 

My First experience with technology

The very first experience I had with technology was with an original GameBoy at age eight. A new world drastically opened up in my life that I had no idea existed. From this point on, the world of technology would consume me.