Are spreadsheets really that valuable in an elementary level?

When I first read the syllabus and when I first came across the mindtool of spreadsheets in both our class discussions and the text, I was curious as to how teachers can use spreadsheets and Microsoft Excel in an elementary classroom? To me, spreadsheets have always been used by accountants and people sitting in cubicles just plugging in data. In fact, the only time I ever even opened Microsoft Excel was in college when my friend (who was going for accounting) claimed he developed a spreadsheet/formula/program that would predict NBA basketball winners (for the record it didn't work that well and my full proofed plan of becoming rich over night was shattered). So with my little knowledge on spreadsheets and an empty bank account because of spreadsheets and poor decisions, I was very interested in how we could use Excel as elementary teachers.



I think the coolest and greatest activities we can use with Excel is graphing data. With organizing, plotting, and interpreting data as one of Pennsylvania State Standards, that is a question the students will undoubtedly see on the WONDERFUL PSSA Test in March. With most children out there as visual learners, a couple activities using excel and graphs and collecting the data could be a great way for that standard to be reinforced with the students. I used the template that we created on Thursday night and did a mini lesson using smarties and gathering that information and getting the totals of each color. Like I said, it was a mini lesson mainly because I only had about 10 minutes to plan for it and really I just wanted to experiment with such a lesson. All in all it was a success. The students responded well to the program and I literally heard a "Wooooow" from one student when I plugged in all the numbers and the sum of that column automatically changed. So that was proof that a spreadsheet can be an effective tool inside an elementary classroom, and just imagine how effective my next lesson will be when I actually have more time to plan and prepare!

My "bad" side of my brain, the side with all my doubts, insecurities, and questioning, is racing right now though. I can't help but wonder, is this technology making it too easy for the students. This same lesson when I was a kid would consist of me with a blank piece of paper and literally drawing in the lines, the graphs, and calculating the sums. That might have been more time consuming but it forced me to do a couple things like organize my thoughts, organize my paper so it wasn't messy or else the lady dressed in black with the thing on her head would yell at me, and it made me understand what I was creating. Now I know that the 2009 students are creating this graph too, but it's with less chance of error, and I am a believer that students learn from mistakes. Is it so wrong to ask our children to learn to calculate the sums on their own and then plug in the numbers on the computer; that way they know how to get a sum in an event that there is no computer or calculator around.

Those are just some thoughts about my initial experiences with spreadsheets. The following website is one that I stumbled upon and it is great for elementary teachers looking to use spreadsheets in their classroom. Even though I am new to spreadsheets, I feel that they could be valuable tools in a classroom of any ages.

Mindtools "power tools for the brain"

When I first started this class I was very unclear of what a Mindtool was. I remember asking the question to Professor Fritz "What is a Mindtool?" thinking that it was a certain website or actual brand name corporation product that I was not current with the times with (considering I didn't know what twitter was until a week ago). However after two weeks of EDTEC 566 and after a couple chapters of the book titled "Modeling with Technology-Mindtools for Conceptual Change" I soon realized, but not perfected, what a mindtool really is.

"When a mindtool is being used, knowledge is constructed by the learner not provided by the teacher. Mindtools are just that: tools for engaging the mind" (Jonassen, pg. 21). I thought that quote really sums what a mindtool is with the final 5 words, tools for engaging the mind. That quote in particular got me thinking of my own class and mindtools that I use without even possibly knowing it in the past. I am equipped with a Promethean Smartboard which I use daily. A couple nights ago I wasn't so sure it could be considered a mindtool since I was using it in a direct instruction fashion. Now I realize how it is effective on another level when it comes to engagement. Not only are my students visually engaged but can actively participate as well. "When learners use computers as partners, they off-load some of the unproductive memorizing tasks to the computers, thereby allowing themselves to think more productively" (Jonassen, pg. 21). I feel like my students are using my smartboard to "unload" some unproductive memorizing tasks like maybe drawing a perfect circle or triangle and can focus more on the problem at hand.

The discussion came up earlier in class that which classroom style would be more effective:the mindtool, computer, and online learning room or the old fashioned, routine, and paper room? According to this New York Times blog from a study started in 1996, the online learners are the victors. I personally feel that the most effective teachers are the ones who can use both styles of teaching not only to reach all learners but also to show the students the many different ways to learn and use their minds.

Mindtools seem like such great tools for the classroom and for these lucky young students who have all this at their feet to use. So much can be used with a computer and that's why I believe mindtools are power tools for the brain. They are better and faster with efficiency just like a power tool would be faster and more efficient than a hammer.

Goals for myself

My true number one goal for this class is to become a 21st century, state of the art, professional teacher who has more ideas with technology use in the classroom then he knows what to do with. I want to have more mindtools than the next teacher. I want these things not for my benefit but for my students who are deprived of so much in life. I want their third grade experience to be memorable and something to be proud of. I want them to use these tools with computers and technology in their future and maybe even find something they can take with them for the rest of their life. I guess my goal is a selfish one since I want to become an outstanding teacher, but ultimately I want to become a better teacher so my students can thrive.