Blogs for Dummys

Wow, it’s about time that I post my blogs. I am one of those people mentioned in lecture today who was experiencing technical difficulties when trying to create a blog. I honestly spent a few hours trying to understand how to use “Blogger” and how I can alter its appearance and be meticulous about the blog’s details. Although I spent some time on the website, I still do not consider myself a pro, but a dummy. Blogs for dummys anyone? I never realized how intricate blogs can be…

After experiencing some difficulties, it made me wonder how students understand how to use different programs. Are they taught how to use specific programs at school, or are they responsible for learning the program on their own time? Although technology has enhanced our lifestyles and created a global community, it does pose some problems and I witnessed this during my prac. My year 8 English class had to create a Powerpoint Presentation or use Photostory for their assessment task to display how the character of Batman has evolved throughout the years. A few classes were designated for computer use, however I was unaware that most of the students did not know how to utilize these programs accordingly. I decided to allocate an entire lesson to teaching the students the unique functions the programs had. Unfortunately, I offered too much information for the students and they became easily frustrated. These programs can often discourage students to use them if they are not computer savvy.

Overall from this experience, I learned that computer programs are useful and helpful for students if they are properly taught how to use it, or at least are given a set amount of time for them to explore the various tools that the program has to offer.  Would it be beneficial for schools to enforce mandatory courses that focus on teaching students various computer programs and their functions since we are moving into a new age of technology?