Week 4 - Excel at Excel

The M&Ms activity in this week's workshop could be used as a fun introduction to chance and data and, perhaps more importantly, as a means of introducing students to one of the most common workplace applications. Having struggled to use Excel to its full potential throughout my publishing career I can see real benefits in teaching students how to use this software from an early age and reinforcing that learning throughout their schooling. After all, of all the different software programs we have been introduced to in the Technology workshops, Excel is the one that students are most likely to encounter when they leave school.

Using Excel also encourages students to develop their data analysis skills. Rather than spending time plotting graphs or creating pie charts students can focus on interpreting the data which, based on my practicum experiences, is what students find most difficult. Being able to organise and create graphical representations of data also helps students understand the relationship between numbers and how different charts can be used to represent the same data. Excel can also be integrated across the curriculum, for example, it can be used to record the results of science experiments, to create historical timelines, to alphabetise word lists, etc.

What's more once you get beyond the basics Excel can do some really exciting things such as creating macros and games. Given that Excel is a standard application on most school computers; it would be invaluable to be able to use it to create activities for use in the classroom. There are some great examples of Excel activities at http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/mathsA4.htm.