In regards to Productivity Tools I will examine Information Processing Tools that will be useful in the classroom. The four I will highlight are: Drawing, Word Processing, Spreadsheets, and Databases.
1. Drawing
In Microsoft Word Drawing is a tool that allows the user to create many various visual displays within their document. The drawing tools can easily be used to; add clip art images, create shapes, draw lines from one point to another, add in unique text, and change the colours and view of any of the previously mentioned differently. It is very easy to use and students will be able to do so easily as they will be familiar with Microsoft Word. Here is a sample poster I have created using the drawing tools in Microsoft Word to display various Math Symbols.
Entrepreneurship 30 – Initiating a Venture
Module 9.2 – Advertising/ Poster Creation
Within this module students are to begin their planned business venture by setting some business goals and determine a plan of action. As with any business venture students will need to let their customer demographic know about their product. To accomplish this task of advertising the students would be instructed to create a poster using the Drawing Tools in Microsoft Word. It would be suggested that the students have appealing and attractive colours to catch the eye of possible clients, and some pictures displaying their product and service if applicable. I would encourage them to get creative to set their poster apart from their peers.
2. Word Processing
Word Processing is a program that students will need to be familiar with and skill in for both academic and personal reasons. As within a Word Processing program documents of various natures can be created; papers, resumes, letters, emails, and lists. As students will need to have the skill of being able to create and alter word documents both in and out of the class this is an important skill set for them to have. Here is a sample Cinquain Poem about Buttons. Within the sample I have altered the font, colour, and indentation to make it more appropriate to the genre.
Objective 1.15 – Debit/ Credit - Increase/ Decrease
This objective seeks to have the students to identify a transaction as either a debit or a credit and whether it would increase or decrease the account. To have the students further hone their accounting skill I would assign them in pairs to work together to create a word document regarding a few examples. I would give each pair a description of three transactions, it would be up to the pairs to determine the following for each: if it is a debit or a credit, to which account, & does it increase or decrease the account. The pairs would be instructed to create their answers in a word document in a creative fashion that would be the material interesting and easy to read. This could be in the form of a poem, song, or rap, in whichever formatting they desire. Once completed the pairs would present their work to the class, and I would compile them all into a document to email to the students so they may have the answers as a study guide. The purpose of this would be to have students learn accounting in another manner as opposed to just worksheet completion. It also allows them to explore a word processing program.
3. Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are a fantastic way to organize information and further analyze the numerical information by having the totals, or an average noted. They are also handy to use in the substitution of a calculator. Within the classroom they will be useful to both the student and teacher to track progress and keep a record of information. Here is a sample spreadsheet I created regarding Salary Totals.
Information Processing 20 – Intermediate Keyboarding
Objective 5.4 – Timed Writing
As the students are to complete a time keying test using correct words a minute (CWAM) as a measure of their keyboarding rate I would have them set up and use a spreadsheet to track their progress. The spreadsheet will be useful as the timed tests are something that will be done regularly in the class throughout a given semester. It will allow students to easily track and view their progress. It will also allows them to see an average of their keyboarding speed. The spreadsheets will also be useful for my review of the students progress in this skill area.
4. Databases
A database is a record of information that is recorded into various categories which can later be sorted and retrieve by one or more of those categories. The most common example of use of a database is within a library. The books are entered and can then be found by searching for any or all of the following; author, title, year published, call number, or anything else entered in the database to identify the book.
History 10 - Economic Decision Making
This unit requires students to understand economics and how the economy affects the standard of living, and society in general. I would instruct students to complete some research to obtain the following information and statistics in regards to their city/ province; the average income earned, the LICO, the percentage of people on social assistance, the estimated amount of a home/ rent, minimum wage, the percentage of people living below the poverty line, and the annual income of the highest income earner they can find worldwide. I would instruct students to enter all of this data into a database for later retrieval, and comparison. This would allow students to experience and build the skill of working with databases. While the content would provide students with a view of the discrepancies that exist within the economy, and how that affects our society.
