08 May 2007
What do I want to get out of this computer class?
Please write a single page (minimum three paragraphs - five to seven sentences per paragraph) on what you would like to leave this class knowing. You do not have to create a blog account, but please make sure that you put your name on your posting (particularly if you post anonymous). I would like to see your assignments posted as early as next week (Tuesday, 15 May). I will deduct 10 points for every week thereafter that you have not posted. I will give 25 bonus points to those of you that take the time to create your own blog and an additional 25 bonus points if you figure out how to link your blog to mine. Total possible points 150 (I'll let you apply the bonus points to whatever part of your grade you would like!!!)
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18 comments:
Dear Professor Howard,
Here is the link to the Blog I created with my post answering your question. http://atkins4seizures.blogspot.com/
I have copied my reply below as well in case you do not have time to visit my Blog to read it.
Thank you the challenging assignment. I enjoyed the opportunity to create a Blog.
Mike McHugh
When I complete my Data Systems for Human Services class I am hoping to be able to really take advantage of the vast features that my computer is capable of doing. I am especially looking forward to be able to utilize the "Outlook" application to its fullest extent. I already have learned much in the first day of class despite the fact that the first half of the session was hijacked by another class. When I left on Saturday I was able to go home and format my Wordperfect documents into Rich Text in order for them to be legible to the large majority of folks that use Microsoft Word.
Originally I was hoping to somehow opt out of the class. I was under the misapprehension that since I utlized a laptop computer in my daily work and I was not afraid to explore it's uses on my own and watch the many tutorials that are available through the Microsoft website that the class would not be very helpful to me. I am pleased to have found that I was mistaken and a bit embarassed to discover just how much more I have to learn. It seems to me that computer use is an ever changing and ever evolving system and if you want to keep abreast of the lastest developments and stay informed you not only have to continue to your solo exploration but must also connect with others who have knowledge they can share about the systems we use each day.
In addition to learning more about how to better utilize Microsoft Outlook I am hoping to become more skilled and creative with the Powerpoint application. I have seen other students at school who are capable of adding sounds and even animation to the slides they create. I hope I will learn ways to do these tasks as well. If subsequent classes are as informative as our first was I am assured of continually increasing my skills and being coming more adept at things I presently am not even aware of existing.
And the icing on the cake has been being able to create my own blog space, thanks to the encourgement of Professor Howard.
What do I want to get out of this computer class?
Cathie Barnes
Computers have always been something that I thought was too complex and technical for me to comprehend. They are a necessity in the corporate world and because of that, I have never really been able to escape from them. So, I had to learn to work with them. However, my knowledge of how they work is quite limited because of my perception and my fear of “breaking” them if I explore too far. As a matter of fact, it took a very long time for me to invest in a computer as my personal computer is only a year old. So, I am looking to gain a lot from the Data Systems for Human Services course.
As a student, increase knowledge of the computer will assist me in meeting the requirements of many of my courses. I specifically need help with proper formatting, spacing, figures and tables. So having a strong knowledge base of word will help me present my work appropriately as required. In my research, I need to know how to safely research information over the internet without running into some of the problems that could occur from utilizing the internet.
In my current position, I supervise twenty people and I am required to do monthly reviews as well as yearly performance appraisals. Their performance is driven off productivity and quality metrics. Every year when it is time to do the performance appraisals, I say to myself, I wish I had a spreadsheet or some mechanism of tallying up the entire years results rather than me manually calculating each month’s result to come up with the years result. So, I am looking to learn how to create spreadsheets that will keep a running total/result for me. This would make life so much easier for me at work. I am constantly being locked up in email at work. I have so many emails, many of which I can not delete but have no space to keep them. I figured out how to create folders but I still run out of space and need to delete from those folders as well. So, I tend to keep a lot of paper. I am looking forward to this class teaching me about space and how to manage it well.
Finally from a personal standpoint, a good spreadsheet would help me with managing my finances better. Rather than having to balance my check book all the time, I would like to just plug in numbers to a spreadsheet and let it do all the calculating for me. I would like to safely “surf” the internet without getting nasty viruses and other junk that I hear can make life with a computer crazy. I have a computer and I really do not know if I got a good one or not. I heard Dell was good, so I brought a Dell computer. How much space or memory it has, I do not know. However, I am hoping that this course will help me with maintaining my computer and better understand how it works without thinking that if I do something, it may break it.
Note that this blog thing has me very confused. This should give you an idea of how computer illiterate I am.
I would like to find out more on computers, because I am looking forward to starting my own busniess and work on computer. So for me this class will be my life, along with some where I know how to get around.
Posted by Tammy Robinson at 6:05 PM 0
Professor Howard
after creating three Blogs I finally got one that would open and respond. I posted my comments to your blog. To review my blog, pls click on the following:
http://SisSouljahSista.blogspot.com
Demeka Jones
I have always thought of myself as computer illiterate, they terrify me. When they do not do exactly what i want them to do or think they are supposed to do I panic. I would like to be more comfortable with using a computer and be able to do more than turn it on and type a report.
I would like to walk away from this class more proficient in using Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. I use them for school and occasionally for my job. I am a pre kindergarten teacher and I would like to create a spread sheet to allow me to tally grades for my students using a point system that will compute the total points for the marking period and it will not be disputable.
I would like to be able to create my own PowerPoint presentation without someone holding my hand the whole time. I love to see a PowerPoint presentation that have the words slowly appear on the slide or have pictures that compliment the topic.
I would also like to learn some simple trouble shooting tools to allow me to help myself with a minor problem with my computer.
Another thing I would be interested in learning is shortcuts to make my life a little simpler. The shortcuts we worked on during the first class were very helpful. I just have to apply them to learn them.
Here is Detrick Ingram's blog:
Data Tools
Please visit my blog at
site
Good morning Prof.Howard, i think i finally created the blog. To view my blog please visit my site @panic2panic.blogspot.com
Also please with all respect send me a feed back when you sucessfully view my blog.
Thank you.
Proffesor you can view my blog at this address. This has been fun. http://cjayscorner.blogspot.com/
my link
Ashema's blog address is "http://wwwspfldcol.blogspot.com/"
Dear Professor Howard,
I am glad that you have given me the opportunity to expressed my opinion as to what I thought of the class before the beginning of the semester and what I beleive I have gain at the end of the term. I believe that my participation in this class would increase my awareness of the application of tecnology. The rise of information technology has made it increasingly difficult for anyone in this age to ignore its importance and for me this class was certainly an opprotuinity that I could not resist.
The class did not disappoint me because I was introduce to various applications that I was not aware of. Some of these applications are mail merge, excel, and power point. What the class has done is introduced these variuos applications and it is now left for me get on that road and put their usage into perfection.
I have began using mailmerge and the rest and hope to call on you Professor Howard whenever I get stuck (pretty soon). I want commend you for your patience and understanding, fully appreciating the difficulties that we face navigating our hectec lives along with been srudents. I can assure you that this class has be en benficial because I can now utilize microsoft at a level I never imagine.
Thanks.
Pius Juwle
Dear Professor Howard,
Orginally I was scheduled to take a World View course offered here at Springfield College but was a bit fearful of being able to handle a history class with possibly four or five papers due each and every month. Coupled with th Issues and Research class, both of these classes, I felt, would be too much for me. I wanted to remain on the Dean's list. I spoke with my advisor and she suggested your computer class. I considered her suggestion as I felt the class would be a review for me.
I then had a bit of a problem getting the book required for this course, "Learning Computer Literacy with Microsoft Office 2003", by Paul Wray. I beleive it was a week before class started when I finally was able to purchase the book from Barnes and Noble Booksellers.
Almost immediately, the book enlightened me! The pre assignments assigned were easy to follow and fun to do. The computer book mentioned above has a wealth of knowledge packed into its pages and I will be keeping it and using it often.
I can honestly say I thought I knew the computer and how to use it on a college level, but I did not. I do now know and feel more confident. I will be able to navigate the computer using the bars and icons with new knowledge and security. Everything I learned about Excel is new knowledge gained for me! I now have access to using a spreadsheet to help me control the flow of my personal spending.
Thank you, also for the insight, skills, and hints I now have to help me when writing and preparing my new resume. I will never send out another resume without a cover letter. And if I ever throw a huge party or hold a special event, when I am inviting over fifty people or more, I will use mail merge! Again, thank you. I enjoyed and am glad I took this class.
Ellyn Roberts
pjuwle@spfldcol.edu
I came to the class with the preconceive notion of being fully loaded with multi assignments. but when every assignment was partically discuss in the class. and how to do them, I was feeling much relief. The computer course was very challenging and rewarding. I had taken two computer classes since I started college but, I find this very interested. But time was very short. I hope this class will have section 1 and 2 to enable students compliting thier studies at Sprinfield college meet the compitition in the job market.The reading was very bulky but the partical aspert was very easy to do.
Another interesting thing I learned is that the professsor related to all the students in a very respectful manor.He also took every question very serious. whether it was a silly question or not.assemblly and disassembling the computer was a first time experince.
For now I feel confidence with my knowledge in power point and excel. I think I will forever appreciate the opportunity of taking data system course. because all of my final presentation is power point. I will also be making a Brochure for my other class final.with this
this course I don't think I would have done my final paper in other classes.
My preconceived notions of the class were that we would be exploring issues data systems specific to human services, what ever that meant. I did not however think that we would have covered the topics we did. That being said I have taken away information and skills I didn't have before attending class.Having classmate that were at verious levels of computer literacy was also helpful. Interacting with classmates allowed me to pay closer attention to the proper way of performing certain task. I have, for the most part been self taught, through trial and error. Once I learned that the computer would only do what I told it to I was free to explore. Let's not forget about the end user's best friend the "undo" button.In conclusion, I don't feel like the class was a waste of time. Class actually put my knowledge of basic computer skills to test, which again was good for me. There were however moments when your instruction got off track and therefore becoming distracting. I am also finding the text book to be a valuable resource. I have used the information already in practicle application at work. All in all its been an ok experience.Ted Dawson
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