What types of planning and scheduling can be aided with the use of technology?
Word processing and spreadsheet software are wonderful tools for lesson planning. They are less messy, redundant and more time effective than hand written lesson plans. Monthly calendars can also be created using this type of software. Inspiration can be used to connect lessons so that cross connections between content areas can easily be seen. Software can also be used to personalize plans for individualized student needs and scheduling. It's a good place to record notes and comments as well.
Technology is also effective for scheduling. A common need is for keeping track of money for field trips, fundraisers etc. Excel is a wonderful tool for this type of recordkeeping. Scheduling of classroom visitors and speakers can also be kept organized using spreadsheets or word processing software.
Reference: Bitter, G. & Legacy, J. (2008). Using Technology in the Classroom. Pearson: Boston.
Excel is a great program for many different teacher tasks, including scheduling and data collection. As we saw earlier in the semester, Excel can be used for analyzing student data, which in turn allows teachers to alter instructional decisions based on that data. It is a great tool, and I hope to gain a better understanding of it in the future.
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