Powerpoint of Presentation on Egyptian Pyramids.

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Mr. Hechler's Talk

One interesting thing I learned for Mr. Hechler's talk was how easy it is to damage you computer through things that you may think are actually helping your computer.  When I clean my screen, I tend to use a paper cloth or tissue to wipe it down.  I had no idea that doing this could end up hurting my screen through the lint from the paper towel and the lotion on the tissue.  I am now going to be able to take better care of my computer and make sure it lasts a lot longer.

My Powerpoint Presentation

I will be doing my presentation on the Egyptian Pyramids.  I will highlight their significance in the Egyptian religion and their construction.  I have found enough information that I can have a very good presentation.

Powerpoint Presentation Articles

After reading the articles on the powerpoint presentations it is very apparent that a good powerpoint takes a lot of effort and thought, but it can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of a presentation.  5 Major points that come to mind for me when making a good presentation:

1.  Few words on the slides - in order to convey a message on a slide, I have to be able to focus on a little bit of information at a time.  It makes everything much more effective.

2.  Good color coordination - I don't want to have to strain myself for an hour trying to read off of the screen.  It is crucial to keep your audience focused.

3.  Limited animation.  The simplicity of a presentation makes it good, not the flashy animations.

4.  Smooth transitions - With smooth transitions, my attention can and focus will be a lot easier to keep if everything flows smoothly.

5.  Fonts - Although not that important for me, I want to be able to read the text easily so that I can focus on the information instead of having to decipher it.

With a little time and effort, an ok powerpoint has been made into a great powerpoint.

Chris Nolan's Presentation

I definitely learned a lot in the presentation on Tuesday. I never knew that Google could be so useful in finding specific information. The use of only having certain sites, using the cached button to see past sites, it can all become very useful in finding what I need effectively. I never knew that you could look up specific url's, such as .com, .gov, and .org and also eliminate them from the search. I can see that being really useful in eliminating sites that will not have good information.

What surprised me the most was the cached feature of Google. To have information stored on the site and the ability to look back is actually quite amazing. It just shows how far the internet has come and how versatile it can be.

Comments on "They stole an image of my son and just had to pay $4000"

After reading this blog, I had mixed feelings about the outcome of the case.  It is understandable that the person wanted compensation for the image used in the magazine and under the laws deserved compensation because nobody asked for his permission to use the image.  However, if only to play devil's advocate, the image was put up onto he internet, which is public domain.  The internet is there for everyone to use, so was it right thaT the company was sued for $4000 Because they took an image off of a public place.  Furthermore, it is very doubtful that the picture was trademarked, copyrighted, or had any other legal bindings that strictly prevented its use.  Although I agree in the outcome of the case, if someone is going to lose $4000 dollars, it should be obvious that the image cannot be copied.  Not everyone is familiar with copyright laws, so make it easy for them to know.  The father deserved the money, there is no doubt legally, but laws should be made clear to help prevent similar cases.

Powerpoints

I have always liked powerpoints as a tool to teach students.  They can make a class a lot more interesting instead of having to stare at a white board for an hour waiting for notes.  Information is precise, obvious and they can be used as excellent study guides on blackboard.  However, if the the PowerPoint is not done correctly, it can end up hurting students.  This has happened to me in one case.  The teacher had not organized his PowerPoint's very effectively, leaving only a couple words per slide and no explanation for the text.  Furthermore, the way he had formatted his slides made the information very jumbled and unclear.  Although I adapted to his style, the unconventional method actually hampered my learning.

When a PowerPoint is done correctly it becomes a very powerfull tool for learning.  I can personally say that without powerpoints throughout high school and my first year at Trinity University, I would have had a much different education, most likely for the worst.  Although not all classes can use PowerPoint's effectively, those that can add a new experience for the students and will help them become better students.

Microsoft Word

I have always used Microsoft Word since I was young for homework, projects and papers.  I know how to effectively use it, changing fonts, headers and footers, spell check, thesaurus, etc.  I really have no problem in using word.  I would, however, like to understand the way in which Microsoft Word recovers files from my computer, in case one is removed and I need to be a able to recover it quickly.  I would also like to learn how to insert pictures into documents without disturbing the flow of the paper, for example having the picture cat a paragraph in half and not having to spend half an hour trying to move it to the bottom of the page.

What Computer Experience?

I have very little computer experience outside of everyday use.  It's not that I don't now how to use one, I just don't know the more specific actions that can be done by a computer to make it more efficient.  I have a MacBook here at Trinity and really like it.  There are different actions you can use with the laptop, such as zooming in the screen or scrolling with the mouse-pad, which makes it fun to play with.  Unfortunately, I can not get into the different drives that Trinity University has at the moment because my computer cannot access the server, which could make things difficult in the future, but fortunately I have not had to use it yet.  

In regards to the computer class, I hope to be a more efficient student and accomplish my work in a better style and manner.  I have enjoyed the class so far and have already learned functions that have practical applications and are extremely useful in improving my computer efficiency.  I can see what I learn in Computer Skills being extremely useful in my next three years at Trinity University as well as much later on in the future.  However, I would like to learn more about my computer, such as how to use different applications, such as spreadsheets.  This could come in extremely useful in later life, as I want to become a business major.  But, for the time being, becoming more effective in using a computer will work too.

First Blog

Hello, my name is Bruce Graham. I am a student at Trinity University and entering my second semester of my first year. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Trinity and look forward to this semester and the years to follow. I was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and lived there until I was six. My father's work moved us to Chicago, Illinois, where I have lived ever since. I have a younger sister who is seven years old and no older siblings. I don't have a favorite food, I like all kinds, but I am very partial to Chipotle for a burrito. Although I use computers every day, I don't have a lot of experience in applications and shortcuts that can be used with computers, and I look forward to learning more about computers so I can be a more efficient student.