Technology at Work Visual Tools Tony Medeiros – Education 613 – Workplace Audience – December 15, 2008

2 Training Goals By the end of this training, you will have a better understanding of the basics of four visual technologies By the end of this training, you will have a better understanding of the basics of four visual technologies You will also explore ways to apply these visual technologies in the context of your everyday work You will also explore ways to apply these visual technologies in the context of your everyday work Enjoy learning about visual technologies in the workplace! Enjoy learning about visual technologies in the workplace!

3 Table of Contents: What’s Inside? Spreadsheets 4 Spreadsheets 4 Try Excel Now! 5 Try Excel Now! 5 Visual Maps 6 Visual Maps 6 Create a Visual Map 7 Create a Visual Map 7 The Internet8 The Internet8 Access the Web Now!9 Access the Web Now!9 Presentations 10 Presentations 10 Create a PowerPoint Slide 11 Create a PowerPoint Slide 11 Congratulations! 12 Congratulations! 12 Want to Learn More? 13 Want to Learn More? 13 Additional Resources 14 Additional Resources 14 References 15 References 15

4 What are Spreadsheets? An electronic spreadsheet manipulates numeric data and displays it in tables and charts An electronic spreadsheet manipulates numeric data and displays it in tables and charts Here are a few common professional uses: Here are a few common professional uses: Prepare budgets Prepare budgets Create numeric tables and summaries Create numeric tables and summaries Prepare visuals (charts) of numeric data Prepare visuals (charts) of numeric data Source: Lever-Duffy, J. and McDonald, J.B. (2008), pp. 171, 179

5 Excel: A Visual Example Spreadsheet SS Spreadsheet SS Chart SS Chart SS What are some good ways you could use Excel in your job? What are some good ways you could use Excel in your job? What specific task or project could you organize and complete faster with Excel? What specific task or project could you organize and complete faster with Excel?

6 What are Visual Maps? Visual Maps… Visual Maps… Communicate complex ideas more quickly using symbols and images Communicate complex ideas more quickly using symbols and images Images are designed to inform us, persuade us, and remind us Images are designed to inform us, persuade us, and remind us Technology WorkHomeSchool Source: Norton, P. and Sprague, D. (2001), p. 35

7 Visual Maps: An Example A complex novel like MacBeth, with its twists and turns, can more effectively be explained with a visual map A complex novel like MacBeth, with its twists and turns, can more effectively be explained with a visual map What specific work task or project could you organize or explain more effectively with a visual map? What specific work task or project could you organize or explain more effectively with a visual map? Source:

8 Web Content Internet website content… Internet website content… Makes an excellent resource for information, images and multimedia for any task or project Makes an excellent resource for information, images and multimedia for any task or project

9 Evaluating Websites When searching and exploring websites for information, evaluate their credibility When searching and exploring websites for information, evaluate their credibility What makes a website more trustworthy? What makes a website more trustworthy? Websites that end in.edu (academic sites) Websites that end in.edu (academic sites) Websites that end in.gov (government sites) Websites that end in.gov (government sites) Websites that end in.org (organizational sites, such as PBS.org or Edutopia.org) Websites that end in.org (organizational sites, such as PBS.org or Edutopia.org) Read their “About US” to learn more about the site’s values and goals Read their “About US” to learn more about the site’s values and goals

10 Presentations: Bringing it All Together Electronic presentations such as PowerPoint… Electronic presentations such as PowerPoint… Bring together all the components of visual communication in a professional format for presentation to an audience Bring together all the components of visual communication in a professional format for presentation to an audience

11 PowerPoint PowerPoint can be used to include any and all of the following: PowerPoint can be used to include any and all of the following: Images (art, photographs, etc.) Images (art, photographs, etc.) Text Text Charts Charts Symbols Symbols Audio Audio Video Video What are some tasks or projects where PowerPoint could help you communicate key points or results more visually and clearly? What are some tasks or projects where PowerPoint could help you communicate key points or results more visually and clearly?

12 Congratulations! You have now learned so much more about the uses and benefits of several visual technologies in the workplace, including: Excel spreadsheets and charts for analyzing and displaying numerical data Visual Maps for communicating complex information quickly and effectively through images Finding and evaluating Websites for quality information and content Bringing it all together in a professional PowerPoint Presentation

13 Want to Learn More? Upcoming Training Upcoming Training Focused on a particular technology tool Focused on a particular technology tool Detailed, hands-on, in-class application of tool Detailed, hands-on, in-class application of tool Sign up for any or all of the following detailed training courses today! Sign up for any or all of the following detailed training courses today! Introduction to Excel Introduction to Excel Visual Mapping Basics Visual Mapping Basics Web Searching and Website Evaluation Strategies Web Searching and Website Evaluation Strategies Introduction to PowerPoint Introduction to PowerPoint

14 Additional Resources For more help or ideas on using the features of Microsoft Excel, Visual Maps, Website searching and evaluation, or using Microsoft PowerPoint, you can also try the following websites: For more help or ideas on using the features of Microsoft Excel, Visual Maps, Website searching and evaluation, or using Microsoft PowerPoint, you can also try the following websites: Microsoft Excel Help – Click on the Help section at the top of the Excel file menu and then type a topic or question Microsoft Excel Help – Click on the Help section at the top of the Excel file menu and then type a topic or question Excel 2003 Help & us/excel/FX aspx Excel 2003 Help & us/excel/FX aspxhttp://office.microsoft.com/en- us/excel/FX aspxhttp://office.microsoft.com/en- us/excel/FX aspx Inspiration.com: visual learning Inspiration.com: visual learning Cornell University: 5 Criteria for Evaluating Web Cornell University: 5 Criteria for Evaluating Web Microsoft PowerPoint Help – Click on the Help section at the top of the Excel file menu and then type a topic or question Microsoft PowerPoint Help – Click on the Help section at the top of the Excel file menu and then type a topic or question PowerPoint 2003 Help & us/powerpoint/FX aspx PowerPoint 2003 Help & us/powerpoint/FX aspxhttp://office.microsoft.com/en- us/powerpoint/FX aspxhttp://office.microsoft.com/en- us/powerpoint/FX aspx

15 References Inspiration.com. (2008). Retrieved December 15, 2008, from Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. B. (2008). Teaching and Learning with Technology (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson. Norton, P. and Sprague, D. (2001). Technology for Teaching. Boston: Pearson.