Post #8

Security on the computer and the internet is very important. Viruses can slow down your computer and can end up costing a lot of money to remove. You can protect your computer by buying or downloading any of the antivirus software, such as Norton or McAfee. You should also update antivirus programs because people are always coming up with new viruses. To reduce your risk of getting a virus, there are many things that you can do. It is important to scan all materials downloaded off of the internet, all attached files, removable media, and software.

I was not very proficient in Excel before this class, and I learned a lot about it. It is still the program that I understand the least. I probably will not use Excel a lot as a teacher, but it is definitely something I will be able to use in my personal life.

I think that Excel will be useful in managing my finances. The mathematical functions and the charts are good for numbers. I am pretty bad with money so hopefully I can use excel to keep track of my money and my bills in the future.

Post #7

Evaluating web resources is very important for those teachers who plan on using technology in the classroom. There are various factors that can be used to evaluate websites. First, Authority, or a credible author or website creator. A good website will clearly present the author and their credentials. Affiliation refers to professional organizations or companies that support the website. Purpose and objectivity are also important when evaluating a website. If there are a lot of ads and pop ups, the purpose of the website is probably sales and not information. The content validity and currency should also be examined before determining whether or not a website is good.

I have learned a lot about excel since my last posting. I have learned how to make slideshows that are interactive instead of linear, and also how to include video in a powerpoint presentation. This is going to help me a lot in my future as a teacher because all of these skills will help my presentations to be more interesting, which will help my students learn more.

So far this has been my favorite part of the class. I actually enjoy putting together the powerpoint presentations, and I enjoy seeing the final project even more. I will definitely be using powerpoint more than any other program in the future.