Reflection for ISTE NETS Standard #1

For this project, I created a narrated PowerPoint presentation that students could watch on their own. I had a difficult time deciding what to cover, but eventually decided that the correct usage of the comma would be helpful as it is something that many students and even adults have difficulty with.

I really like putting together PowerPoints. I especially enjoy locating the themes and photographs to use in the presentation. However, I have only had Office 2007 for just over one month and have noticed many differences between it and the 2003 version. While most are changes for the better, there are far fewer themes (formerly known as backgrounds) in this version. Plus, the backgrounds that I used to have did not copy to the new version when I was issued my new computer (at least I have all of my important files). That was a bit frustrating and I will simply need to use the 2007 version more just to get used to it. Also, it took me a bit of time to find a free program that would allow me to change the PowerPoint into a video so that I could upload it to YouTube. I found one, but it places the phrase "Evaluation Copy" at the bottom of the video. Eventually, I will need to find a converter that works well for that. I was also disappointed in the quality of the video that went up onto YouTube. The original was much clearer; although, I'm not sure if that is the fault of the converter or of YouTube as I have other videos that have gone up on there that are not as clear as the originals. Beyond that, I also need to learn how to add audio to PowerPoint that is not a loop from the beginning to the end. This way, if I make a mistake I can re-record what I have said rather than allowing an error to remain with the final copy.

This project fits into ISTE NETS Standards number one: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. This standard focuses upon the following:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

The narrated PowerPoint supports (a) by showing students an alternate way to use a familiar program. By having the viewer interact with the presentation (answering questions aloud, looking for items in photographs, etc.), the viewer is building on schemas they are familiar with through (b) while using digital resources. While I did not personally explore collaboration with this medium, and the final project does not apply to (c) or (d), it could be easily altered to do so. Due to the nature of PowerPoint, it could easily be emailed between students for virtual collaboration in creating a similar style project. In addition, this type of project could also require students to research specific information in order to teach it to others through this type of format.