March 26th Tech Training - post your share-out here!
March 20, 2008 by Martha Rankin
Our next all-staff tech training is Wednesday, March 26, 2008.
To view/download our informational flyer (including training’s topics, presenters, and expected learner outcomes) click on the green hyperlink here:
Informational Flyer - March 26 Tech Training
To view/download our March 26 Tech Training Evaluation, click on the green hyperlink here:
Tech Training Evaluation 03-26-08
Our application requirement for this training is to use your newly acquired knowledge and/or skill(s) in class and share your experience here in this post by April 26th.
I walked away from Mandi and Anna’s training with a renewed desire to 1) learn how to do screenshots and 2) effectively use them in a word document and/or PowerPoint.
Mandi and Anna’s PowerPoint on How to Make a PowerPoint was full of great screenshots, arrows pointing to key spots of focus, etc.
Believe it or not, I never knew how to add a screenshot to a PowerPoint or document. After the presentation, I sheepishly asked how to do it. I learned a new skill!!
I have practiced and used that skill in a couple of my documents and PowerPoints. Thanks, Mandi, Anna!!!
(P.S. — Stay posted…I will do a quick tech tip post on how to add screenshots so you can learn how to do it too.)
I emailed Martha my PowerPoint (my application of my newly-acquired knowledge). She will post it on the blog to share.
It was fun!!! My students were active participants in the review of Unit 4, All Star 1.
I was so impressed with Anna’s PowerPoint presentation using All-Star 1 that I tried it with Unit 4 from All-Star 2. I used the same idea that Anna used because she showed us how to add pictures from Google images, and then to add our own text. My students were very excited about the presentation since they also learned to use the mouse to turn the page, and the laser pointer to help the other students focus on each word as we practiced the questions and answers written on the board. PowerPoint really keeps all the students focused, and participation was 100% when I presented it.
I have access to two nice computers for my students at my new site. I have internet cafe classes twice a week. They have searched information that they were interested in. The students searched politics, other residences, earthquakes and much more. It is so exciting seeing an 85 year old use a computer for the first time. Thank you for giving me more confidence to teach them. I hope at some point we will be able to try power points and much more!!
I recently made a power point presentation to use for the next unit which we will start next Monday. I did show my class an already made power point from one of the Internet sites I like and they seemed to be really excited about being able to control the mouse and advance the slides. I can’t wait to use my own ppt in class next week.
After Anna and Mandi’s workshop, I was inspired to create 2 power points on the clothing unit that we were studying. One was for styles of clothing at work, with photo images googled in, and the other power point was for shopping vocabulary. Both were filled with question titles to elicit responses from the students.
The students were attentive and seemed to enjoy the images and questions. It was a good way to illustrate what we were learning in the book. (The power points came after Martha’s guitar presentation, so practically all the students remarked that the class was really great that evening!)
My aim now is to do at least one power point presentation for each unit so the students can grasp the essential grammar points or vocabulary in a focused and interesting way.
I learned a lot from Mandi by just presenting with her. For example, I didn’t know how to insert the screenshots. I discovered that it is just like inserting any other image from google!
I also loved the snapshot of Lora Finch teaching using her PowerPoint. I have since begun using the laserpointer to emphasize what I am teaching both on my Powerpoints and on the whiteboard like Lora did. I also have had the students use the mouse almost everyday in the classroom. I believe that putting the technology into their hands definitely empowers them.
I do use a PowerPoint for each of the Units I teach. I use it to preview the unit and also intermittently to review. It is a very useful tool. As is that laserpointer.
Martha’s Blog is a wonderful resource both as a way to stay connected with teachers that I don’t get to see often as well as for sources of new technology and teaching tips.
Thanks everyone!
If all went well, I just posted a blog for my class Monday morning on wordpress.com. It is pathetically primative compared to Martha’s website for us, but it’s a start.
I was very excited to learn how to add pictures from Google into Power Point to use in the classroom. The students liked the presentation. Power Point is a good tool to use in teaching and keeping them attentive in their learning process.
Wow, Taylor, congratulations for starting up your own blog for your Intermediate Low/High ESL students: http://teachert4u.wordpress.com/
Good luck!
Martha
I finally got a chance to utilize my PowerPoint presentation on US Government in my class on Wednesday evening, April 23rd.
I had the students follow along with the US Government Chart I devised over the years, synthesizing all those items covered by the USCIS for the requisite 96 questions upon which their interview-examinations are based.
By going over the items on the SmartBoard, while referring them to the items also shown on their Charts, the students had a much enhanced comprehension of these critical Governmental subjects they need to know for their interviews.
I hope to be able to further use PowerPOint to prepare other matters that can be enhanced by similar means.
Thanks again to our mentors: Anna, Mandi, & Martha!!!
posted March 31
Mandi and Anna’s presentation was very helpful. It was at my level, which I really appreciate. It is so fun exploring what one can do with a PowerPoint presentation. The sky is the limit. I never realized how truly creative one can be with a PowerPoint. I would love to use them with my older adults. They would find it amazing and very enlightening. Martha, I always enjoy your workshops.
With appreciation,
Ilene
posted April 26
I used the March 26 training to prepare a new powerpoint presentation in grammar to my class. The students love taking turns coming up front to be the teacher, which involves just tapping the whiteboard to bring up the answers and the next slide. It is a great hands-on exercise for the students.
Blog application: I download This I Believe podcasts to my iPod and really enjoy listening to them…and yes they are very inspirational! Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a BESST Center “This I Believe about Adult Education” project where we could record our students’ thoughts on how Adult Education has impacted their lives?
I played around with my iPod and “This I Believe” and I think the easiest is just to have teachers access the “This I Believe” website and play the essay for the class from the computer. I did not have the essays you listed on the blog on my iPod because some have been around for awhile, but they are all searchable on the website and can be listened to and printed and even translated. I did burn a CD of the whole book, which I gave to Martha, but it is hard to find individual essays that way…anyways I gave Martha a document to post on the blog with some instruction for how to do this. Feel free to do with it what you will.