Use in the Classroom
Laptops have a variety of different uses in the classroom for many different subject areas. For early years, students need to learn basic skills including typing, navigating and appropriate use of the internet, however in Year 5 we extend these skills to programs and software including Microsoft Word, Powerpoint and Excel, Prezi and Google Earth. The students are also regularly practising research and beginning to learn about different sources and referencing.
Microsoft Word
In Word, students are encouraged to pay attention to the academic layout of their document. Students explore different fonts as well as the use of tables and images. They have been looking at spellcheck and the reliability of using it, as well as spacing between words and paragraphs. Students use Microsoft Word to write descriptions, stories and reports.
Microsoft Powerpoint
Powerpoint is a useful tool for students to create presentations with. Students experiment with Powerpoint to learn effective ways to create an engaging presentation. They learn how much information should go on each slide and how many pictures is appropriate. They also learn how to use Powerpoint during a speech in such a way that they do not read off each slide, but so that the slide helps enhance what they are speaking about.
Microsoft Excel
Excel is a program that allows students to create various types of graphs and charts. Students are also able to list various types of data and explore ways to represent this data. Excel is also linked to Microsoft Word which students also have the opportunity to explore. Excel is a program that students need to explore first with a teacher before carrying on independently.
Prezi
Prezi is a program that is similar to Powerpoint however is online and allows much more freedom for creativity. Again students learn the same skills in Prezi as they do with Powerpoint, however in this program they also learn how to navigate from one page to the next so that it looks appealing for the viewer. Students often have the choice to use either Powerpoint or Prezi.
Google Earth
Google Earth is a piece of software that can be downloaded or used online. Students love Google Earth as it captures photo images of every place around the world. Google Earth helps teach children about latitude and longitude as well as allows them to zoom in and out of various places around the globe. Google Earth can be used in Mathematics, Geography and Science.
Researching
Before researching independently, students are taught about cyber safety and what to do if an inappropriate website appears. Students are also taught what a reliable website looks like, and dissuaded from using Wikipedia. Students often research different topics using both the internet and factual texts. Students are also moving on to writing down the name of the book or website, the author and the year it was written or created.