TechTactics: Instructional Models for Educational Computing

Rating:
Summary: Kick-Start Use of Office Software for Teaching
Review: Aimed primarily at high school teachers or those teaching foundation college/university courses- this text avoids theory, focusing on specific tools (e.g. spreadsheet, web, word processor) and what can be done with them in a classroom setting.

As an aside, despite widespread student familiarity with computers, experience suggests that there is a need for "hands-on" guidance on how to effectively use such tools to produce quality work.

Avoiding overly technical jargon or software package vendor bias, demonstrating applicability across subjects, the attractively illustrated & practical chapters span:
- computers in classrooms- the full context and setting
- introduction to computers for teaching- instructional models
- information retrieval- Internet, research, distance learning
- email and discussions boards- asynchronous communication
- presentation software, hypermedia
- graphics and interface design principles
- outlines, idea maps, storyboards
- evaluating student presentations
- educational applications of word processing- high level analysis, formatting
- databases- problems, classroom use, teaching, sort and queries
- building database-supported lesson
- acquiring data, formats
- using spreadsheets- math, statistics, charts and graphs, taxonomy
- appendixes- network, file management, chat and Internet conferencing, concept maps, sample database

Overall recommended, as thought provoking & useful, particularly for instructors at the start of their career. Could be coupled with (say) Office (9 in 1) for Dummies if teaching an introductory "computer software in business" course.