Unit 1 – Improving Productivity Instructions ~ 100 words per box

1.1Why did you use a computer? What other systems / resources could you have used? I could of used the computer because it has a wide range of recourses to help make it look really good and it’s way much quicker than writing it out and doing it by hand because it would take forever to do it by hand whereas a computer could print the amount that I want/need so its way much quicker. You could save your work into folders and back up your data and files online in case something happens to your computer or you lose it on accident and your able to get it back because you backed up your data. If you was to do it on paper you could lose it and wouldn’t be bale to fine it or the paper could get damaged and wrecked so you would have to do it all again.

1.2What skills did you need to learn in order to use PowerPoint? I need to learn how to use the tool bar at the top. I didn’t how to create animations on the PowerPoint and make things move, I didn’t know how to Crop pictures, change font of the words, change the size and colour of the words. I also didn’t know how to time the slideshow and change the time of when the next slide starts. Another skill I didn’t know is how to hyperlink. I had to learn to hyperlink and put links from the internet on the PowerPoint to take me to the website. Also I didn’t know how to add shapes on there so I had to learn how to add different shapes on there. one other skill i had to learn was how to add screenshots much quicker because i didn’t know how to do that.

1.2What resources did you need to make the presentation successful? I needed to use the school website and the shared area to get all the pictures and videos to use for the PowerPoint to make it successful. the shared area had pictures of house group logos and head teachers so that was handy for the PowerPoint it also had up to date videos of the school to show what its like and what there is to offer there so that came in handy too. I also needed to use a computer with a large hard rive to hold all the data I used for the presentation so I didn’t run out of space and could save it with my other work.

1.4What factors might have affected how well you completed the presentation? (e.g. time / attendance / knowledge of software) Most lessons I would turn up late and during the lessons I would get my phone out and talk all lesson not concentrating on my work. I would also not save my work and the internet was down so I couldn’t use the internet. I could have improved it by coming to lessons early and cracking on with my work managing distractions around me not talking to anyone except the teacher if I needed any help on the PowerPoint. I could also be coming back after school to finish what I haven’t done. Another thing i could of dne is stay in at brake or lunchtime and finish what I haven’t done.

1.6Why did you use PowerPoint to make your presentation? What other software was available? Why did you choose not to use them? I used PowerPoint because I have used it for 5 years so I'm a master at it, it has the capability to make a presentation, add animation, pictures and videos and hyperlinks to make it really interesting and fun and also can have a master slide to make it look professional. I didn’t use the other software's like word, excel and publisher because on word you cant add animations, videos and master slides to make it professional, excel because on excel you cant add animations, videos and hyperlinks on it. excel is used for spreadsheets and keeping data also cant have a master slide on it. publisher doesn’t have the capability to use animations and videos and master slides to make it look professional and also its used for business cards and leaflets.

2.2Which tools within PowerPoint made it appropriate for your presentation? I used animations tool to create animation and movement into the presentation so it looks more interesting, design tool to create a design for the background so it looks nice and professional, the spell and grammar check to check for spelling and grammar mistakes, slideshow tool to create the slideshow and time the slides on when to change and move on and also insert so I can insert hyperlinks to go to other slides and sites, use consistent word art on all the slides, videos to show more about the school and new slides to gather more information about the school.

1.7Were there any legal constraints or local constraints that changed the way you created your presentation? (e.g. copyright, file sizes, AUP) Data protection act. There might of been a lot of pictures I wanted to use of some pupils for the presentation but I couldn’t of because I didn’t have the permeation of their parents to use the pictures of them for the PowerPoint. Some of the files were to big to use for the presentation and the highest size I could use is 32 MB so I couldn’t of used them which was bad because they had good information on them. I couldn’t use some things because it was copy write and its against the law to copy write so I couldn’t use that. I wanted to use some programs on the internet but they were blocked by the school so I couldn’t use that either and it stopped me from using good programs.

2.4What improvements do you think you could do to your presentation? I could add more information to explain a little better about the school and subjects so they understand it better. I could add better animations and pictures to make it look more interesting, change the background colours to the school colours so it looks more professional and ideal. I could of changed the colours on the hyperlink buttons to make to school colours so it looks more professional. I could Change the font of the writing and change the text to a more formal way so it looks more important and professional. I could also talk more about the teachers and who the head teacher is and who is in charge of what department.

3.2What improvements do you think you could have done to improve your work rate? (keyboard shortcuts, file names & locations, backups, work after school, templates, planning) I could of improved on learning how to do keyboard shortcuts so I could do things quicker, work a lot quicker, manage distractions around me and concentrate on my work. I could put appropriate names on the files so I can find them easier. Back up my work in case I lose it or something happens to the computer so its safe somewhere else. I could use templates to help get me started on the presentation. another way to improve my work rate is to plan my work out and make notes on what to do. I could also come back after school and get more done to the presentation.