ASCD Ed Leadership "Power Up" column for March

My Power Up column Technology Skills Every Teacher Needs in ASCD's Educational Leadership March issue is now available.

The 6 tech skills expected of all incoming freshmen - three

In 2005, I outlined five skills classroom teachers should expect all incoming high school freshman to have mastered. Eight years ago. Time for an update. I'll look at each skill, one per day, and add a 6th skill area - Managing one's online presence. Each skill is accompanied by a set of expectations, a performance task, and an evaluation checklist. Changes to the 2005 document are in bold.

Multimedia presentation software and digital image handling

Expectations:

I can create a computer-generated slide show (PowerPoint, Keynote, GoogleApps, OpenOffice AppleWorks) that can be used to accompany a presentation I would give in class. I know some basic rules of graphic design that apply when creating the presentation. My slide shows include images (modified clip art, original graphics, scanned images, and photographs), and text fields. The computer generated slides help reinforce or amplify my spoken message. I am able to perform the following tasks when creating a slide show:

1. Explain the features, uses, advantages, and disadvantages of multimedia/presentation programs and projects.
2. Create an original slide show file.
3. Use the outline feature of the program to organize the presentation.
4. Add, delete and rearrange slides in the presentation.
5. Select or create a background/master.
6. Add titles, text and bulleted and numbered text.
7. Add. resize, and move images to slides including:
   1. Original photographs.
   2. Clip art.
   3. Original graphics using drawing tools.
   4. Scanned images.
8. Locate royalty-free images on the Internet and be able to cite the source of images.

Assignment

Create an original slideshow of at least six slides on a single topic. The slide show must be organized, have a

consistent style and format, and include both text and graphics. Submit a printout of the slides or share the file online.

Assessment checklist

• Name of the file, along with your name, your teacher’s name, class name and hour on the first slide.
• There is a minimum of six slides.
• All slides have readable text and a consistent format (background, font, layout).
• Each slide has a title.
• At least one slide has a block of text.
• At least one slide has bulleted or numbered text.
• The slide contain each of the following (and are labeled)
  • An original photograph.
  • A piece of clip art shown in 3 sizes at various locations on a single slide.
  • An original graphic created with the program’s drawing tools.
  • A scanned image with the source clearly stated.
  • A royalty-free image with the source clearly stated.

(This performance assessment makes me uneasy since such projects should include presentation skills along

with the technology skills.)

The 6 tech skills expected of all incoming freshmen - two

In 2005, I outlined five skills classroom teachers should expect all incoming high school freshman to have mastered. Eight years ago. Time for an update. I'll look at each skill, one per day, and add a 6th skill area - Managing one's online presence. Each skill is accompanied by a set of expectations, a performance task, and an evaluation checklist. Changes to the 2005 document are in bold.

Spreadsheet use and graphing

Expectations:

I can use a spreadsheet, Excel, GoogleDocs, or OpenOffice, for basic applications such as keeping a budget, analyzing data and creating charts and graphs. My spreadsheets use labels, formulas, and cell references. I can change the format of the spreadsheet by changing column widths and text style. I can use the spreadsheet to make a simple graph or chart. I am able to perform the following tasks when using a spreadsheet:

1. Understand the function and uses of the spreadsheet.
2. Open a new spreadsheet. Identify rows, columns, and cells.
3. Know and use labels, values, and formulas.
4. Use a range of values in a formula.
5. Add additional rows and columns. Delete columns and rows.
6. Change the width of columns and heights of rows.
7. Format spreadsheet cells, rows and columns (for example as numbers to a certain decimal point or as currency.)
8. Create a chart or graph using data in a spreadsheet with axes labeled or a legend.
9. Select a print range.
10. Select a horizontal print orientation.
11. Add a worksheet to a spreadsheet file and label the worksheet tab.
12. Use a survey tool (GoogleApps Forms, SurveyMonkey) to create a questionaire that can then be analyzed using a spreadsheet.

Assignment:

Create two spreadsheets a spreadsheet with two worksheets to the following specifications.

1. Using an online survey tool, conduct an informal poll of at least 10 of your classmates about an issue or preference. (For example, favorite drink at lunch – milk, water, pop, sports drink, juice.) Enter your data into a spreadsheet worksheet and use the data to create a bar or pie chart that is labeled. Set a vertical print orientation.
2. Create a second worksheet containing the following data for a class play that gives a running balance of profits or loss and calculation with the number of tickets needed to be sold in order to break even. Set a horizontal print orientation.

Expenses:

$1000 – Scripts and royalties

$500 – Sets and props

$300 – Costumes

$100 – Program printing

$200 – Piano accompanist

Income

$5 tickets sold

$500 Program advertisements

$300 Donation from student activity fund

Asssessment checklist:

• Name of the files, along with your name, your teacher’s name, class name and hour is in the upper left corner of the printouts or shared file.
• The survey was correctly designed to collect the required data. The survey data was entered in the worksheet.
• Both worksheets have data clearly labeled.
• Both worksheets have correct print orientation.
• Both worksheets have columns of different widths.
• Worksheet A is correctly labeled and:
  • Data is entered in correct format (whole numbers, no decimal points)
  • Graph is of correct data and is clearly labeled
• Worksheet B is correctly labeled and:
  • Data is entered in correct format (currency) and in correct arrangement
  • A formula adding a range of numbers is used for totaling Expenses and Income
  • A formula to subtract expenses from income is used and labeled as Balance.
  • A formula multiplying ticket price by tickets sold is used to calculate expected income from ticket sales.