TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS

Technology can hold you back or set you FREE

Useful Links

Classroom Procedures and Policies

I am revising and rewriting my procedures and policies at the moment. I will send an email to all of my students and their parents when I have completed that task! In the meantime, please ask if you have any questions about anything!

Converting File Types

Some of you may have noticed that some file extensions won't work on your teacher's computer. To solve this problem, we use a media file converter program called Format Factory. Format Factory will convert any media file type to any other media file type. This only runs on a Windows machine - it is on our computers here at school, so it is clean to download and install.*

FWAFA recommends converting your files to the following file types (extensions) for each of the media formats:

video: .avi
audio: .mp3
images: .jpg
text: rtf

Format Factory also can rip CD's and DVD's along with a lot of other cool stuff that you might want to use it for at home!

* One word about the installation - before you click the last button that says "Finish," make sure that last screen has time to completely load. You'll probably want to UNcheck the boxes that want to make Ask.com your default search engine and add an Ask.com search box in your browser. These are harmless, but annoying!

Important Note About Digital Text Assignments: .rtf files

FWAFA computers are equipped with WinXP Pro and Office2007. Due to the variety of platforms and programs that our students use to do their work, FWAFA requests that you save your files as an .rtf, Rich Text Format file. When you save your document, choose the .rtf extension in the drop down file type menu.

Just what is/are "Technology Applications"?

click to learn more about Mrs. Maddox Technology Applications encompass the following disciplines according to the State of Texas:

computer foundations (basic Office apps)
digital graphics/animation
multi-media
video/audio technology
desktop publishing
web authoring

Although there just isn't time to focus 100% on all of these areas, I try to be sensitive to the interests of my students in choosing projects for them. I also often work with their academic teachers in assigning these projects.

My goal is to integrate an efficient use of technology into the everyday lives of my students, as well as to introduce them to new ideas and experiences in the world of technology in order to allow them be the best student/citizen that they can be.

The world our students live in an information driven world in which the amount of available information has grown exponentially compared to when we were students. We had to take copious notes and spend time memorizing information in order to be successful students, where our students now have access to infinite amounts of information at their fingertips at any moment of the day! I believe that being able to find resources and information is probably the most essential skill for computer users - the computer itself has evolved to what we have today through the process of problem-solving, which we all know is important for being a successful, contributing citizen. Along with being able to find information, one needs to be able to evaluate the validity and usefulness of that information in order to use it wisely. We will be learning these skills as well on a daily basis!

All assignments and extra resources will be posted on each class's pages so that you can keep up with what we're doing. I tell my students that whatever is posted on their class's web page is the final authority for any questions or anything that I might have said in class. Please be sure your student knows those resources are there so they may benefit as well.

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