The purpose of this Action Research Project is to show how easily computers can be accessible to teachers and their students without impacting the instructional time in the classroom. When a teacher is struggling to do two things learn to use technology learn to incorporate new practices into their repertoires results don’t appear quickly

The US Department of Education’s Getting America’s Students Ready for the 21st Century: Meeting the Technology Literacy Challenge states: “Combining computer skills and the ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity, and performance – has become as fundamental to a persons’ ability to navigate through society as traditional skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic.” reading writing arithmetic US Department of Education. (1996). Getting america’s students ready for the 21st century: Meeting the technology literacy challenge. Washington DC: US Department of Education. Retrieved on February 6, 2003, from http://www.ed.gov/Technology/Plan/NatTechPlan/execsum.html.

In many instances we have technology in place at our schools In many instances we have technology in place at our schools. The challenge confronting schools is to make teachers semi-computer literate. Show the teachers how to use that knowledge to quickly and effectively create student usable instructions enabling students to successfully and independently navigate throughout computer projects that enhance established curriculum. If the teachers do not know how to effectively use computer technology without hindering mandated instruction, computers will remain idle.

Microsoft’s PowerPoint program allows the educator to accomplish this goal by quickly creating instruction sheets that the students use to successfully complete assigned projects throughout the curriculum. I will research if the use of computers in the classroom results in higher test scores in reading and writing. I will follow a sample of elementary students and track their progress throughout Jr. High, High School, and College. Then use the increase of test scores to motivate teachers to invest the time to learn how to incorporate computers in the classroom curriculum.

Today I will teach you how to make a recording you can input into a Students PowerPoint Portfolio A common method of assessing a students current reading ability is give a timed fluency reading. Using Microsoft PowerPoint a teacher can easily create directions a student can follow to make a recording of themselves reading a selection of text and save it in the student’s personal computer portfolio. The student, teacher,or parent can review the recording later at parent conferences, IEP meetings, and used during report card grading. In many instances we have technology in place at our schools. The challenge confronting schools is to make teachers semi-computer literate. Show the teachers how to use that knowledge to quickly and effectively create student usable instructions enabling students to successfully and independently navigate throughout computer projects that enhance established curriculum. If the teachers do not know how to effectively use computer technology without hindering mandated instruction, computers will remain idle. Microsoft’s PowerPoint program allows the educator to accomplish this goal by quickly creating instruction sheets that the students use to successfully complete assigned projects throughout the curriculum. PowerPoint is a component of Microsoft Suite that comes pre-installed on most computers presently in classrooms. PowerPoint is a powerful graphics program that transforms the way you create and share presentations, enabling you to communicate ideas smarter and faster. PowerPoint allows you to quickly preview slides and apply a variety of design templates and color and animation schemes to your presentation.

It is simple and quick to make easy to follow directions even you can follow. I use screen shots or screen captures of the actual dialog boxes the student will use. This enables the student to see which buttons to push exactly as they will experience them on the screen. This enables the teacher to quickly make directions that students can use to navigate throughout their portfolios to finish assignments and build their portfolio.

Today’s assignment Make a Microsoft PowerPoint recording of a one minute fluency reading for your student portfolio.

The student will: Open their PowerPoint portfolio Insert a recording of them reading for one minute Save their work in their portfolio The student will accomplish this independently by following the directions you create

How to take a Screen Capture To create a picture of all or parts of your screen, hold down these keys. A plus sign (+) means keys are held down together. Press these keys To do this Create a picture file of the entire screen Create a picture file of a rectangular section of the screen. (After pressing and releasing the key combination, drag across the part of the screen you want to take a picture of). To copy a section of the screen or a window to the clipboard instead of saving it as a file, press the Control Key as press the key combination. ctrl +

Before You Begin How to record your voice in PowerPoint Open your PowerPoint presentation (See How to Open a PowerPoint Document) Choose the Insert pull down menu select Movies and Sounds select Record Sound Press Record to begin recording Press Stop to end recording Press Play to hear what you recorded Practice what you are going to record Hold up the recording sign Wait for Permission Make your recording Before You Begin Press Save Name Your Sound Press OK

To dress up your instructions sheet try the following tool bars Draw Tool Bar Text Box Insert Word Art Insert Clip Art Use the lines and arrows tools and even the 3D box maker as you have time. Insert Picture from File Use AutoShapes to make boxes and use the paint bucket to color them in. Use these buttons to add color and format the thickness of lines and boxes