Relative Advantage of Spreadsheets / Databases
A
spreadsheet is an electronic document in which data is arranged and organized
in the rows and columns of a grid. Data can be manipulated and used in
calculations. Spreadsheets are widely used in business, both big and small.
In
education, spreadsheets have long been used in science and math. Along with the
ability to create and use formulas to perform calculations, spreadsheets also
enable users to create all types of charts and graphs from data. Additionally, spreadsheets are used in many
other subjects as they are great tools for producing timelines, kickstarting
discussions, Teachers also use spreadsheets as gradebooks for their
classrooms.
Spreadsheets
are dynamic, and help students to visualize numerical concepts in math and
science, as well as non-numerical concepts in social studies and language arts. Because they are dynamic, they enhance and increase
student motivation in learning (Roblyer and Doering, 2013). They also work great for sorting and
displaying information. Lists can be
quickly alphabetized in columns and/or rows.
Furthermore, they save time by allowing students (and teachers) to
complete calculations quickly. Lastly, they support the important skill of
critical thinking by allowing users to perform “what if” analysis. “What if” questions can be posed and quickly
answered or calculated utilizing spreadsheet functions.
Links
to Excel resources for educators:
Resources:
Roblyer, M., & Doering,
A. (2013). Integration
Educational Technology into Teaching (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Andrea,
ReplyDeleteI struggled to find ways that spreadsheets could be useful in language arts, especially at the middle school level. How do they apply to your subject or grade level?