Lesson 18: Educational Technology 2 Practicum

          Much like filed studies in teacher education; Educational Technology 2 offers students the experiential process of adapting to technology integration within a student-centered paradigm. This is the practicum phase of the course which can be done, as seen fit by the teacher, either at the end at the more theoretical lessons or inserted between lessons. The practicum requires one to actively participate and do hands-on activity.

            The essential requirements for the ET-2 practicum will be:

·         A computer laboratory/special computer classroom with adequate sets of computers for hands-on tutorial learning.

·         Participation of computer lab tutor/assistant- as the teacher’s technical assistant- to assist the learner in the use of the computer and its various programs.

·         Assigned number of hours in conformity with the course requirement. Tutorials are preferably done during weekends in order to provide continuous hours of computer hands-on training.

1.      Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program which allows one to enter numerical values or data into the rows or columns of a spreadsheet, and to use these numerical entries for such things as calculations, graphs, and statistical analysis.

Why use Excel?

Spreadsheets (like Microsoft Excel) can be very useful for student interactive activities, interactive lectures, and instructor use for developing materials for class. Example aspects of spreadsheets that are relevant to science education are:

Using Excel as a calculator to explore what mathematical equations can tell us about how the real world works for specific input conditions or for a range of possible values.

The calculator can be pre-constructed with a focus on student exploration or students can be guided to construct their own calculators and then explore. The first option saves time but the second option prepares students to use Excel for their own projects and future activities.

·         Graphically displaying equations (analytical models) and real data.

·         Obtaining numerical solutions to more mathematically complex models.

·         Graphically comparing results from a model and observations.

·         Statistical analysis including mean, standard deviation, and error bars on graphs, linear and polynomial fits, multivariate analysis, etc.

·         Spectral analysis (Fast Fourier Transforms).

·         Displaying histograms of student’s results or student response to exams or questions.

Source: http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/mathstatmodels/xlhowto.html

          To sum it up, Educational Technology 2 promises to bring the student teacher and the professional teacher trainee to the challenge of a new age- integrating technology in the teaching-learning process. The brisk pace of technology is a preparation to bring our teachers to move ahead with their use of technology in the classroom.

            The course ET-2 prepares us future educators to the real setting of teaching and learning. The 21^st century learners are technology-oriented individuals and it entails a big challenge to us future teachers on how we will address their different needs and interests.

Regarding with the reporting, the reporters delivered the lesson well. They have demonstrated how to use the Microsoft Excel. They have also presented related videos about the topic. The reporters also presented a significant study that further explained the use of Microsoft Excel in education.

Using Microsoft Excel is a hard task. It requires an individual to be equipped with the necessary skills needed so that he/she will come up with the right product. Unlike other Microsoft applications, Microsoft Excel in the hardest to manipulate. Even me, I am not that competent in using the Excel because of the formulas and other things to be memorized. If given the chance to enroll in tutorials I would probably be enrolled in Microsoft Excel class. Of course thanks to ET-2 because it had given me background about the Microsoft Excel.

Microsoft Excel is very important especially to us teachers. It is useful in computing grades. The thing is that, we must be equipped with the skills needed so that we can use the Excel well. With Excel, there is no need to do manual computations wherein errors are possible. On the other hand in Excel you can be sure that your computations are accurate.