Blog Post 9.

http://militaryhistory.about.com/?once=true&
This is the website I chose to review, and it is about World War I. American History is one of my favorite subjects, so I always go back to it when we have to review stuff! Anyway, this website is an about.com site, so the layout is well-organized and well-structured. However, it is more of a collection of blogs, articles, and links to other websites rather than a straight informational page. The web-source offers a ton of interesting information, but someone who was looking for easy-to-find facts and information would probably not have a good time. As an instructor, I would use the web-source to look for information to teach, not necessarily use it as a teaching tool.

The blog and article collection format of About.com websites can be confusing to some, but so long as the person is researching and has the time to devote to it, http://militaryhistory.about.com is actually a really great resource. The articles and blog posts tend to be written by educated individuals and offer unique perspectives, and different focuses than one would find by just using Wikipedia or another web-based encyclopedia.

Excel gives me a giant headache! I think it is a fabulous tool to use for those with the patience and more mathematical understanding/mindset, but for me? I can't stand it! I can never click the right cell and it always makes me want to just give up entirely. Learning about it in class helped a little bit, but I think I'd use it only for attendance and maybe as a gradebook. Other than that, I don't want to touch it until I understand it better... or maybe just never at all. I don't really see the need for the functions and advanced programs in a third grade or elementary school setting. I suppose it is good for organization and chart-making, but there are other easier programs that I can use just as well.