Everything is going by so fast! There was so much material to read, research, and review on databases and spreadsheets. I have a history of using these two software pieces for a long time. I first encountered the use of an educational database when I began working for the Caldwell County school district in 1989, setting up their scheduling, grades and report cards, etc. through a program on an older model Mac computer. I also began teaching as an adjunct professor for the Hopkinsville Community College in the computer science department so I had to know about spreadsheets and databases in the Microsoft world so I could teach them to the students. Being no stranger to these two components of computer science, I tried to focus my attention on how they could best be used in the classrooms of K-12 educators. As I posted my idea on the discussion board and responded to other postings, I realized that a lot of teachers and pre-service teachers do not know a lot about how these tools can be used in a classroom and as a result, I learned a great deal as well.
I have used a large database in my position as the SIS Coordinator for my school district, namely Infinite Campus. I have to keep up-to-date the household information for our students, watch the scheduling, grading and attendance issues that might arise, help train new teachers and staff members on the product, etc. I also use spreadsheets quite often in my work and in my personal life, creating a "to do" list and keeping up with statistics as needed.
As I was looking for new ways to implement databases and spreadsheets in a classroom, I was surprised to find that there were lots of subject areas that were using them, not just math and science classes. For example, I found this site, http://learngen.org/resources/leobjects/lg0006ta.html, which instructs you how to make a crossword puzzle using Excel. This could be utilized in any class setting - social studies, reading, arts and humanities, etc. The possibilities are endless. Another one I found was at this link, http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow4/may99/ss-procedure.html. This web page contains instructions for making a simple graph with a spreadsheet that is suitable for 2nd graders (or maybe even younger). I was surprised that we really should be introducing these concepts to children as young as primary school.
Overall, reviewing and researching the use of databases and spreadsheets renewed my enthusiasm for these tools. We really should be utilizing them at a much younger age in our classrooms and giving our students the tools that they can build upon for the future. After all, if any of us have ordered from an online catalog or researched statistics online, we have utilized these technologies. They do have real-world applications.
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