Lesson 2 Blog

This week I learned about using spreadsheets and databases in the classroom. This lesson was particularly valuable to me because, as I noted in my technology literacy review, this is an area in which I am particularly weak. I now see the value of using spreadsheets. Particularly, the ability for students to immediately see how the abstract numbers relate to concrete charts, as the technology article pointed out in its “what’s good about it” arguments. I think that it is easy to get caught up in the theoretical math without showing students exactly why they need to understand its practical applications.

I will admit that I do not use spreadsheets or database creation software very frequently. I have not really touched Excel since high school and have only used Access a few times, and then only on a very limited basis. The school system where I am currently working as a substitute uses a web based system called Infinite Campus as their administrative database. They use this to collect attendance and input grades. While I usually do not use this system, several teachers for whom I have subbed on multiple occasions have demonstrated how it works. It is nice to be able to look up class rosters and take attendance without having to bother the school’s clerical staff.  

I believe that database software is very valuable in a school situation. Obviously, the main focus of such software is to organize information and knowledge so that it is easily accessible. Therefore, as teachers, we must show students how to use these types of software so that they know how to gain access to this information. But more importantly, we must teach them how to use that information to analyze, synthesize and make value judgments. We must lead students to higher levels of thinking as Bloom’s taxonomy points out. I liked the assignment that the technology article on databases suggested; this would assist social studies teachers in helping their students understand the ‘horrors of war.’

I found one idea for using Excel on Microsoft’s website. The link can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/education/DesignSurvey.aspx. Basically, it shows how you can use Excel to have your students make a survey, then be able to look at the data and create a chart. Finally, the students can analyze their survey results. I really liked this idea because I feel like I could use it in an upper level elementary classroom. The hardest part of completing this activity for elementary students would be creating the formula to calculate the results. However, I feel like they should be able to do this if I were to lead them through the process, step by step, in a computer lab situation. The reason I choose this particular website is because I feel like a lot of the ideas for using databases seemed to be aimed at middle school and high school classrooms.