Spreadsheets & Databases in the Classroom

I never really though about using spreadsheets and databases in the classroom, but this weeks assignment really made me away of the possibilities. Spreadsheets and databases are so easy to use, and with a bit of playing around you can find some really cool features It's a great way to organize information you want students to be aware of, or insert themselves. For example, the president assignment for this week. Having 10 presidents up there (with little pieces of information)  at a time can help the students visualize the information being taught. Spreadsheets can also be used for the teacher to calculate grades and other information. Playing around with the Interactive Spreadsheets was so cool! I really loved how the answers were corrected and graded then and there (either with a 'correct' or 'incorrect', or a 'try again' message). I also really think students will be more inclined to do their work. It's fun, interactive, and motivational. I would love to find a way to have every student have the opportunity to use an Interactive Spreadsheet in my classroom, but will have to split them and create a list/line based on how many computers I have. I definitely want to learn how to create my own Interactive Spreadsheets for my future classrooms!

Nowadays, everything is online. It used to be that we would go to the library to borrow books for research. Now, all the information we need are just a few key strokes away! I think using the web is essential, especially for up to date information. Databases and Spreadsheets facilitate the learning and allow the teachers and students to easily spot and organize information.