Google Docs

GOOGLE DOCS...

Google documents is a web based word processing program that allow you to create, edit, save and revise your word documents, spreadsheets, presentations and drawings.
With google docs, text can be...

*Bold, in Italics or Underlined and have various fonts, colors, sizes, and backgrounds.


Text can be left justified,

Centered,

or right justified
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Line spacing

can be
adjusted also
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Clip art can be added ____
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Google docs creates advantages to productivity in the workplace and at home.

Pros    (of using google docs)       
1. Don’t have to purchase or use Microsoft word program (save $150-$200)
2. You can access your documents from anywhere where there is a computer and internet
3. Google auto saves your work so you don’t lose work as often
4. Multiple people can access, review and edit one document
5. Allows for group calaboration for work or school environments
6. Allows group members to make document changes in real time for immediate review by others in group.


Cons (of using google docs)
1. Power or internet outages and you are without access to your documents
2. Google docs automatically saves all your work (including your mistakes)
3. Google docs is not a secure enough site for government

Julie Shelly: Yodio - OTEN conference on Yodio by jrshelly

The following is a recording done with Yodio that discusses my experience and reactions to the 2010 OTEN conference in Forest Grove, Oregon.
I think Yodio could be a useful tool for the classroom, because assingments via video/ audio can be posted for students to watch. Also, students can record a presentation on a particular topic and then they can watch each others recorded work and write a reaction in the comments. Overall, Yodio can be a useful classroom tool.

Julie Shelly: Yodio - OTEN conference on Yodio by jrshelly

Julie Shelly: Podcast

This voice over slide show was created, recorded and embed using Screenr. The Screenr program allows you to capture images or video of what is on your computer screen or in video. This program may also be an essential tool in the classroom. I would use it to record slides of class notes so that students who are absent can get caught up and review what was done in class. Again, group and individual projects can be created and recorded for the teacher and other students to review and respond. Course description and details can be put on the class blog site via Screenr. If an assingment needs to be explained showing steps or procedure this program would be very helpful for that. An example may be how to make blueberry muffins. The teacher can show (by recording themselves) what the ingredients are, how much to measure out, when and how to add things together and how to bake them. The finished product can also be viewed. This would be a great tool for a mechanics class where certain procedures of mechanics need to be shown step by step.

Julie Shelly: Podcast

Spreadsheet data analyzing

The purpose of this project was to identify trends in student test scores over a period of 5 tests.  Raw data for the entire class was given via spreadsheet.  The data represented individual student test scores on 10 tests.  For this assingment we were asked to only evaluate the student's scores on the second half of the semester or tests 6 through 10.  After deleting tests 1 through 5, I averaged each student's 5 remaining test score (tests 6-10).  I then caculated a class average by averaging scores on tests 6-10 for all students combined.  The class average was 192 points.  The assingment then asked us to only evaluate the information for those students who fell below the class average.  I then deleted the student's who were above the class average and analyzed the remaining information.  I found that most students improved on their test scores with each new test.  So, the majority of students did their best on test 10 and their worst on test 6 with a gradual successive increase in between.  I found one student, Katherine, who did not follow this pattern of improvement. She improved from test 6 to test 7, but then did poorly on test 8 followed by again improving on test 9 and 10.  This type of spreadsheet assingment would be a useful tool in the classroom for analyzing grades, test scores and trends in student acheivement.

Podcast

I created a powerpoint presentation that I wanted to bring to life. I used screenr to record my powerpoint slides as the information from the slides was read aloud. The following is the screeenr presentation.

Yodio - OTEN conference on Yodio by jrshelly

I went to the OTEN conference and the following is my presentation.

Delicious, Google documents and Web 2.0

I recently signed up for "Delicious.com". I have used it a few times already and have found it to be quite helpful. Delicious is a way to bookmark your favorite web sites using the internet. Yet another way of cloud computing. I am saving any new important web sites to my delicious account as well as any sites I previously had saved on my laptop. The best feature about Delicious is the ease of access to sites. It doesn't matter if I'm at work, home or school or even visiting family, I don't need to pack around my laptop. I can get to the sites I have saved by getting online.
Google docs is now one of my favorite technology tools to use. I am able to collaborate classroom projects from home, work or school. One person owns the document an then invites whoever else they would like to have editing access. Google docs allows instant and continuous input from several person's on the same document. I would love to see this become a norm when creating Individualized Education Plans in the Special Education.
Web 2.0 Seems to be a term to describe "cloud computing". I think it is a blanket term that describes the whole idea of creating, editing, producing, publishing, sending etc. all work throughout the internet. This same information is also saved continually "in the clouds" or online.

October 12, 2010 9:38 PM

Oregon Technology Standards

1. How might you explain the big picture of what these standards are trying to accomplish?
The standards are set so that each graduating student will be not only able but comfortable with many aspects of technology.  Some of these aspects include comuputer processing literacy such as typing, creating documents, and power point presentations.  Another aspect or standard is that the student must be able to do research using online sources.  They must be able to share projects or work on documents with other students via the internet, and they must be able to save and access information, documents and websites for later reference.  Students must be prepared to use technology for school and work as many jobs require you to be technologically literate.  Even a job in a fast food restaurant requires use of a computerized cash register.  It seems that very few jobs will not require some level of technological literacy.  As a teacher, we must also be comfortable and knowledgable about technology so that we can teach these skills to our students, so they can pass the standards required of them now to graduate. 

2. Describe some strategies you could implement at your grade level in order to accomplish this huge task.
      I work with middle schoolers currently and I can think of many ways in which these standards can be taught and worked on.  One of those ways is by doing a group presentation.  First, the student can access the internet to do research on their chosen topic for their presentation.  Secondly, the student can use google documents to word process the information to go into the presentation.  Third, by using google documents, each person in the group can contribute information or give feedback to other's information.  Fourth, the students can coordinate a time to get on Skype and discuss revisions and opinions about their presentation.   All of this can be rom anywhere they have access to a computer.  Fifth, the students can create a web page or a blog and post their presentation in video, audio or document form.  All of these steps can be preformed on one assingment yet the multiple steps will meet several of the technology standards.  I think that the more technologically advanced we become as a society, the more specific and detailed these standards will become.  This is done to keep up with employer demands in society.  Not only for our future doctors, teachers, attorneys, social workers, engineers and computer tech people but also for our future bookeepers, car salesmen, postal workers, beauticians and retail store clerks.

Benefits of Blogging in Education

Blogging in education is a new concept to me as is blogging in general.  I have asked a few of the teachers that I work with if they blog and if they do would they use it for education.  Only one of these middle school teachers knew what a blog is but did not have one herself.  After completing my picture, introduction, yodio and a couple feedback posts on my blog I am better able to answer this question.  I think a blogspot could be a helpful way for students and parents to stay informed of what is going on in a classroom.  Assingments can be posted with explanations and additional information.  If students are unsure of something or would like to give an opinion about an assingment they are able to leave a comment on the classroom blogspot.  Another way it could be helpful is if the teacher puts links on their blogspot for students who need to do additional research or readings for an assingment.  For my class(es) I would definately post a sylablus, rules, expectations how many points each assingment is worth, total points to be earned etc.  I also think a classrrom blog would be a good way to allow students to collaborate their opions about a particular topic by commenting on the blog.  I could see how embedding audio or video could be important in a classroom blogspot as well.  First, any pics, audio or video to be watched in the classroom could be also viewed by any parents.  Secondly, on a field trip for instance, students could take pics or video of what they are seeing and post it to the blog.  Later these clips can be viewed with family and the experience visited again.  I think that there are many, many more ways that blogging is helpful in the classroom, but I will need a little more time as a teacher to discover them.

Post #1 - Introduction W/ photo

My name is Julie Shelly and I am a busy mother, part time graduate student at Willamette University and a full time employee of the Salem-Keizer school district as a one to one instructional assistant.  My days are very busy as I start by dropping my four year old off at Head Start at 7:30 am in Albany then drive to Judson Middle School  in Salem and start work day at 8:10 when the first period bell rings.  I spend the day assisting Special Education teachers and students and running from one end of the building to the other as my walkie-talkie bekons me.  At 4:00 I drive back to Albany, pick my son up and take him to karate class.  Twice a week I drive to Willamette University and participate in graduate classes.  My son and I moved from the Oregon coast to the Willamette valley this summer and we are still acclimating to the new climate.  My goals include completing graduate school attaining my teaching license and then my endorsement in special education.  I would like to work with elementary or middle schoolers.  Some of my talents include fluency in sign-language and a background in speech language pathology and audiology.  Some of my hobbies include playing hockey, crocheting, watching movies and spending time with my four year old (what a neat age!).