Week #2 - Virtual Schools and PowerPoint in the Classroom

Another week down and I'm excited about all of the things that we're talking about in class. This week, we discussed PowerPoint presentations and how they can be used in the classroom. I think PowerPoint is a very effective tool if used properly. I tend to sometimes think that my presentations are boring and need to be jazzed up to make them more interesting. I learned a very important thing about that this week. Adding to many bells and whistles to your presentation may make it appear more interesting on the surface, but it is extremely detrimental to learning. Adding pictures is great IF the pictures are relevant to the subject. Irrelevant pictures are incredibly distracting, causing students to only remember what was in the picture rather than the actual content on the page. It's OK to embellish your presentation with things such as pictures and animation, but it might be best to include those things on your “filler” pages, while keeping the content pages just text.

We also discussed virtual schools for K-12 students. I realize that we will see these schools increasing and becoming more accepted as time marches on, but I'm still not sure how I feel about them. I agree that virtual schools have some very unique things to offer that traditional schools do not. Through virtual schools, students are offered courses that may not be offered at their own school. For example, students in the Midwest might be able to take a course on the history of Alaska Natives – a course you would probably not see on any history curriculum in their part of the country. Students are also able to be in class with students from other parts of the country, as well as other parts of the world. Virtual schools also offer flexibility to students who have crazy schedules or health issues which make it difficult for them to attend traditional schools. All of these benefits are great. However, I still feel like something is missing. Like home-schooled students, I think students in virtual schools must find a way to supplement “school” with other activities to improve social skills. Students in virtual schools might miss out on several things that society (at least society in the US) considers to be “rites of passage.” Is there a virtual school football team for students to play on or cheer for? Will they be able to attend a virtual school prom? Can they participate on the virtual school's Scholar Bowl team or participate in fundraising activities for the Journalism club?

Lastly, we learned the difference between “digital natives” and “digital immigrants.” Digital natives is the term used to describe the generations that have grown up with new technology. Digital immigrants are those who were born before the new technology we use today. I feel like I kind of fall in between the two. I feel very lucky to have had some opportunities that others may age did not. In middle school (the early 80s), I participated in a gifted and talented program in which we learned to program computers. Then, as a sophomore, I won an Apple Junior computer. At the time, no one that I knew personally owned a computer. I was able to get a head start on the “new” technology while many others were left behind. I then went to the first college in the nation to have computers in every dorm room. I feel very fortunate to have had these opportunities, but technology changes so quickly that I still sometimes feel left behind. I realize that to be a successful educator, I will have to constantly adapt and learn new things, especially with regard to technology. Luckily, my love of learning is one of the reasons I feel compelled to teach!

'Til next time ... Diana