The Relative Advantage for Using Spreadsheets and Databases in the Classroom

Roblyer and Doering (2013) cite relative advantages for spreadsheet use in the classroom because they support productivity and teaching strategies. Their list of supports include making possible visual teaching demonstrations, supporting student products, supporting mathematical problem solving, storing and allowing analysis of data, and projecting grades (pp. 125-126). All of these supports can be beneficial in a middle school science classroom, however, the opportunity to store and analyze data can be particularly useful in this discipline.

As technology affords students access to more content than ever before, the ability to independently analyze data is a skill that will be necessary in the world they will inherit. A middle school science classroom is an environment that lends itself well to the application of concepts students have learned in their math classes. They can be given the chance to connect that learning to real world use in science.

When students have developed data analysis skills they are empowered to probe questions on a deeper level. Boss (2014) recommends starting with curiosity, leveraging tools and techniques (such as publicly available data sets), and connecting data to student interests. By connecting students to problems that impact them and by giving them tools to better understand those problems teachers can provide students with a rich learning experience and skills they can leverage into the future.

References

Boss, S. (2014, May 20). How to help your students develop data literacy. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/helping-students-develop-digital-literacy-suzie-boss

Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching. Upper River Saddle, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.