Post 7

I am a firm believer in using presentation software in the classroom. I believe that reinforcing the material being taught via. PowerPoint is extremely beneficial. PowerPoint allows the instructor to highlight what they believe is the most important information out of the lecture. However, on the negative side of using a PowerPoint it does allow the students to focus less on the lecture because they have the opportuinity to write down essential information and then "zone-out". To use PowerPoint to support student learning dimension I would: Create a flowchart or outline with key points and helpful tricks to help students remember the material. To help students understand and apply, I would have multiple slides on a PowerPoint giving different examples of the concept being executed in everyday life or situations that my students could directly relate to. And finally to have students analyze, evaluate, and create I would require that my students be able to either write a paper or correctly create a project directly related to the material taught. Since technology is a fairly recent phenonemon schools seem to be some of the first places to gain access to new pieces of technology. However, as the technology phenonemon has grown the economy has failed therefore, the amount of money for schools to purchase equipment has also declined. Unfortunately, students in some school districts are way behind others in learning basic skills that have now become a necessity in life.