Excel, Careers and Wikis

Maribeth LawrenceActive Learning withExcel, Careers, and Wikis1Maribeth LawrenceClass InformationComputer Applications I10th, 11th, and 12th graders13 students totalFull YearMicrosoft 2007

Purpose of Activity No prior Career Prep Course Introduce students to:www.pacareerzone.orgwww.bls.gov Have students create a wikis and understand wiki etiquette Get students to think about their future Incorporate Excel into the exercise

Objectives:After an introductory unit on Excel and a discussion on career choices, students will research careers that interest them, create a spreadsheet with five career choices and the details of those careers, and then select their top two choices and create a wiki page. Students will demonstrate these skills through the correct completion of these activities with 80% accuracy or higher, teacher observation and discussion.

Step 1: Internet Research Pennsylvania Career Zone Quick AssessmentBased on Interests and LikesOffers information on many careers Verify info found with Bureau of Labor and StatisticsFamiliarity with other resourceReinforced findingsStep 2: Create SpreadsheetCareerEducationSkillsWagesOutlookVerified with BLSEntry-levelAverageExperiencedAdvertising Sales AgentOTJTroubleshooting, Management, Persuasion$23, 460.00$50,960.00 $64,570.00 GrowthAverage Wages $62,570Compensation and Benefits ManagerBachelor's Degree or higherProblem-Solving, Mathematics, Persuasion$45,080.00 $74,400.00 $89,060.00 Significant GrowthAverage WagesCourt ReporterBachelor's Degree or higherWriting, Learning, Monitoring$32,700.00 $40,490.00 $45,600.00 Significant GrowthAverage WagesFlight AttendantLong-term TrainingMonitoring, Negotiation, Instructing$38,070.00 $42,500.00 $47,400.00 Significant GrowthAverage WagesTravel AgentVocationalMonitoring, Critical Thinking, Mathematics$20,300.00 $34,610.00 $41,760.00 ConstantAverage WagesStep 3: Discuss WikisBenefitsCollaborative ToolMany contributors many ideasContent constantly being updatedCreating Our WikiSet-up an account with WikispacesJoin garcomputerapps.wikispaces.comUnderstand Wiki EtiquetteWiki Etiquettefound at http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ceo_tipsheet/2007_3.htmDosBe boldMake notesGive praiseBuild structureBe politeWiki Etiquette (contd)found at http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ceo_tipsheet/2007_3.htmDON'TTake it personallyIgnore questionsDelete useful contentBe chattyKeep it secretStep 4: Create Wiki pageHave Fun!Describe Top Two Career ChoicesLet this page reflect your likesInsert two links to other pagesInsert two photosEmbed a videowww.garcomputerapps.wikispaces.com

Benefits:Students really enjoyed activityThis is fun!This is better than Excel!Students were more interested in career choicesExposed students to career websites and wikisStudents took pride in their work

Drawbacks:One or two students put little effort in and played on the internetOne student wanted to be walked through the entire processStudents could not embed videos because they were blocked

Guidelines:Review Wiki EtiquetteFully develop the wiki home page Know how to navigate in your wiki pageBe prepared to quickly reinsert home page contentDisabled discussion settings

Keep Your Students Intrigued Have them Create a Wiki!

Questions?