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Monday, May 27, 2013

GOOGLE SPREADSHEETS

Spreadsheets have been around for a long time now but I have never been in a situation where I needed to use one.  However, with my programming background I have used a concept called an "array" which is basically the same concept without a graphical interface to it.  Because of this understanding of how to manipulate data the functions we needed to do to create a gradebook was not very hard at all.

The easiest thing about spreadsheets is having the freedom to see and set up your static values.  This way all the values needed can be accounted for.  Entering data can be a tedious effort so being able to split a large chunk of data into a smaller section is always helpful.  There are a ton of ways that spreadsheets can be used in everyday life or even in the classroom and their simplicity makes them easy to use for almost anybody.  I do not see anything about spreadsheets that are not clear and even if there was something it would probably be one of the many functions that are available.  However, there are quick resources that can remedy that problem.

The Common Core State Standards work perfectly with spreadsheets in the math standards.  It can be used in other subjects as well but math seems to be the most important and useful subject that spreadsheets work with.  They allow students to solve problems through critical thinking, formulas, and data management.  The main focus desired by using spreadsheets in math is so that students are able to process information with proficiency and accuracy.  This is definitely one of the pieces of software that is overlooked by many but once a student knows how to manipulate it effectively it becomes a go-to tool for anything it can be used with.


Google Spreadsheet Gradebook

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