ERIC ED443393: Using What Learners Know.

11 Pages·2000·0.45 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
IR 020 104
ED 443 393
AUTHOR Burns, Mary; Adams, Sharon
Using What Learners Know.
TITLE
Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, TX.
INSTITUTION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED),
SPONS AGENCY
Washington, DC.
PUB DATE 2000-00-00
10p.; Theme issue. SEDL's Technology Assistance Program
NOTE
available electronically: http://www.sedl.org/tap.
RJ9600681
CONTRACT
Serials (022)
Collected Works
PUB TYPE
TAP into Learning; v2 n2 Spr 2000
JOURNAL CIT
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Uses in Education;
DESCRIPTORS
Constructivism (Learning); Educational Technology;
Elementary Secondary Education; Internet; Learning
Activities; *Spreadsheets
ABSTRACT
This issue of "TAP into Learning" focuses on
technology-assisted learning activities for students, in particular on those
that use spreadsheets. Articles include: "Using What Learners Know";
"Activity: Grade 7 and 8 Math, Social Studies and Language Arts"; "Managing
Growth: Collaborative Decision-Making in Urban Planning"; "Spreadsheets";
"Getting Started with Spreadsheets"; and "But Aren't Spreadsheets Just for
Math?" A sidebar discusses John Locke's "Essay Concerning Human
Understanding." The following six principles that make up a framework for
constructivism are outlined: "Learners bring unique prior knowledge and
beliefs to a learning situation"; "Knowledge is constructed uniquely and
individually, in multiple ways, through a variety of authentic tools,
resources, experiences and contexts"; "Learning is both an active and a
reflective process"; "Learning is developmental. We make sense of our world
by assimilating, accommodating, or rejecting new information"; "Social
interaction introduces multiple perspectives on learning"; and "Learning is
internally controlled and mediated by the learner." (AEF)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Using What Learners Know
Mary Burns and Sharon Adams
TAP into Learning
Volume 2, Number 2, Spring 2000
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced
as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
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Volume 2
Number 2
Using What Learners Know
John Locke's Essay
Spring 2000
Concerning Human
Understanding (1688)
Every learner has experiences that influence his or her understand-
IN THIS ISSUE
The English
ing of the world. These unique experiences form the building blocks
philosopher
Using Spreadsheets
of learning and the avenues that provide opportunities for personal
and states-
connections with new content.
Using What
man John
Though our own unique experiences influence our understanding
Learners Know.
1
Locke
of the world, to what extent are individual differences reflected in
(1632-
classroom instruction or a school's curriculum? Often in classrooms
Activity: Grade 7 and 8
1704) is the father of one
silentexcept in giving rote answers to
the student's voice is
Math, Social Studies
of the more commonly
formulaic questions. Perhaps many kids "tune out" of school because
and Language Arts .. 2
known educational
teaching and learning do not fit into their range of experience and
Managing Growth:
metaphors: that of the
because their voices are unheard. The challenge for the teacher is to
Collaborative
mind as a tabula rasa.
engage these students from the outset so that they feel their ideas
Decision-Making
Though translated as
and experiences are honored and so they believe that they have a
..
in Urban Planning
4
"blank slate (tablet)," the
stake in their own learning.
metaphor took on a life of
good teacher starts by being a diagnostician. She finds out
A
Spreadsheets
6
its own, thus implying a
what students know about a particular domain or what experiences
Getting Started with
very different theory from
students may have had that will impact their understanding of a
Spreadsheets
7
what Locke had in mind:
certain topic, and builds upon such knowledge. By accessing
Children entered school
the knowledge acquired by
students' "funds of knowledge"
;i1
But aren't spreadsheets
as "blank slates" with
students' culture, socialization patterns, and non-school experiences,
just for math?
7
no prior knowledge
the teacher engages the students and allows them to connect their
or understanding of
own experiences and beliefs to the ideas and knowledge being
the world. Onto these
studied. Let's look at how this prior knowledge is elicited in an
blank slates, teachers
actual classroom activity on page two.
grafted information.
1 Moll, L.. Amanti. C.. Neff. a. and Gonzalez, N. (Spring, 1992). Funds of Knowledge fir Teaching':
umlauted au page 2
Using a Qualitatite Approach to
Homes and Classrooms. In Thew). hao Practice, ,,CXXI, 2.
Co
A Framework for Constructivism
Learners bring unique prior knowledge
Learning is developmental. We make sense
and beliefs to a learning situation.
of our world by assimilating, accommodating,
or rejecting new information.
Knowledge is constructed uniquely and
Social interaction introduces multiple
individually, in multiple ways, through a variety
perspectives on learning.
of authentic tools, resources, experiences
,
To learn more about
Learning is internally controlled and mediated
and contexts.
Learning is both an active and a reflective process.
by the learner.
SEDL's Technology
Assistance Program,
These six principles were distilled by the staff of SEDL's Technology Assistance Program from a
visit our Web site at
variety of sources on constructivism, brain research, and education research as well as staff members'
http://www.sedl.org/tap.
experiences as teachers, learners, and observers in classrooms.
3
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TAP
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2
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,
Grade 7 and 8 Math, Social
Studies and Language Arts
Activity
The teacher begins by asking the
t
John Locke's Essay
continued from page I
students what they know about the
Great Lakes region ("Chicago, Cleveland,
Lake Michigan? Are any of these names
This transmission model
familiar?") from readings, TV programs,
of education governed
stories, or perhaps trips they've taken
Or'
pedagogy for the next
The Bulls play in Chicago," answers one
hundreds of years.
boy. "That's right. How many of you are
In Book 2 of his Essay
Bulls' fans?" A number of hands are raised.
Concerning Human
Before assigning the chapter, the teacher tells the students that
Understanding, Locke
they will be taking a road trip to one of the cities in the region
discusses knowledge
and they should be thinking about where they would like to visit
and history of ideas.
Perhaps you'd
as they read the text. "Several of you are Bulls fans.
Ideas originate in
like to go to Chicago and catch a home game. If so, what time of
individual's sensory
the year would you need to go? What will the weather be like?"
experience of external
The teacher asks the students to think about and share vignettes
objects and are formed
from trips they have taken in the past. "What kind of preparation
into concepts by
is involved?" (The students brainstorm as the teacher notes these
the mind's power of
ideas on the chalk board: food, gas, money.) "How much of
cognition. While the
each?" "How can we obtain information on a certain city?"
mind is initially a tabula
(American Automobile Association (AAA), the Internet,
rasa, it gradually forms
people who have visited the city, almanacs, etc.)
ideas from data gathered
Students choose the city they want to visit and record
by senses, experience,
their reasons for doing so. For some students, it's a grand-
and intuition. From this
parent who lives in Detroit or Gary. For others their destination
"raw data" as it were,
city is influenced by a favorite sports team, TV show or entertainer
knowledge develops
The students then e-mail the various Chambers of Commerce for
from simple to increas-
information on their chosen city; interview people who have been to
ingly complex ideas.
or are from that city; use spreadsheets to calculate their budget for
A careful reading of
gas, food, and lodging; plan the route of the trip using the Internet
Locke reveals a thinker
and AAA maps; and word process daily journal entries about the
who would be more
geography, culture, economy, and people of that city. All informa-
aligned with student-
tion is assembled in a portfolio and shared with others in the class.
centered approaches.
The portfolio includes such information as the travel budget, the
He criticized schools
length of time to drive from the student's home to the city, photos,
"where education
descriptions of noteworthy people and places and history, and the
fits us rather for the
city is similar to and different from the student's hometown.
ways
the
university than the
In this example, the teacher still presents a curriculum-based
world." He believed
lesson but students have choices in determining the focus of the
that education should
activity. The teacher initially hooks the students by finding out
be varied according to
what they know about a locale in particular and travel in general,
the individual and that
and by assessing their general interests. While adhering to the
children learn best by
curriculum, the teacher encourages students to make choices based
doing. Finally, Locke
knowledge
on their interests and experiences and builds upon that
advocated that teachers
and interest in creating a learning experience for students.
note and encourage a
Activity modified from a unit developed by Michelle Garza, Irish Leal,
child's aptitudes.
Jane Kennesson, Sharon Roy and John Schwertner of
4
Kea ling Junior High School, Austin, TX.
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
TAP into Learning
3
great lecture or a workbook exercise?
This activity
Student-centered activities, particularly
Possibly, but probably not. Or did it most
those involving technology, certainly require
is too time
likely involve a projectan activity in which
more time than the traditional lecture/
consuming.
you were engaged, excited, and got a
worksheet types of activities. All teachers
chance to show off some of your talents,
face major time constraints (time to plan,
Why should
knowledge and experiences? Do you still
to grade, to cover the curriculum and to
I spend all this
remember much of what you learned?
prepare students for tests), hence the
time eliciting
By tapping into their knowledge about a
temptation to forego the time-intensiveness
particular topic we allow students to make
of such activities for the efficiency of the
their prior
connections between ideas, facts and
lecture/worksheet models.
knowledge?
concepts. These connections may provide
But is the transmission model of lecture
the hook to get students interested in a
It is far more
and short answer format really more efficient?
subject or topic ("Hey, I didn't know that I
Webster's Dictionary defines "efficiency" as
efficient to
knew that!") and allow them to shine in
the maximum output with the minimum
present them
front of the teacher and their peers. By
amount of expense or waste. Do students
providing students with a rich, complex unit
really retain the information presented in
with the
of study, we may increase the likelihood of
the lecture/short answer model? Are they
information.
student engagement about a topic. When
more engaged, attentive and interested?
engagement is increased, the tendency for
Educational research and common sense tell
students to tune out decreases and the
us that we learn best when we are engaged
added enthusiasm may he evident in student
with the material and when we see the
performance. Less efficient in terms of time,
material as meaningful. Think back to a
but more effective in terms of results.
wonderful learning experience you had as
a student. Did the experience center on a
are often surprised how technologically savvy
How can
may not. Your 6th grade
It's true. They
their students are. This appears to be one area
students may not know about the structure
I elicit
in which students are encouraged to share
of DNA molecules, but do they know about
their prior
prior knowledge and experiences. Perhaps
forensics in court cases? Do they watch
there's some connection between this and
court TV shows where DNA testing is
knowledge
students' general enthusiasm about technology?
mentioned? Why do we inherit certain
when they
Why spend so much time on prior
characteristics from our parents? What
know nothing
knowledge? Because it provides the teacher
does deoxyribonucleic acid sound like
and students with a foundation from
to you? (Go ahead, brainstorm.) Does any
about this
which to begin. Teaching is about listening
part of this word sound or look familiar?
topic?
and learning is about talking. By building
If we were to draw it what do you think it
upon students' personal experiences,
would look like? The diagnostician probes
we allow students to actively construct
until she ascertains the students' level
increasingly complex pieces of knowledge.
of understanding.
Allowing students to connect their
Or your students may surprise you by
personal experiences with new knowledge
what and how much they know and how
makes that knowledge more relevant
they've learned it. Teachers most often find
and meaningful.
this is true around the area of technology and
relationship with students and may be very
a diagnostician. Find out what your
Be
How can I
surprised by what they know.
students know. Tap into their experiences
incorporate
A thematic, interdisciplinary curriculum
and beliefs. Challenge their ideas. Allow
this prior
that presents a larger picture is more
for those uncomfortable seconds of silence
recognizable and more meaningful than
so that a student can think through an
knowledge
are isolated facts. A complex, overarching
unarticulated response. Encourage students
into my lesson
theme (such as growth, revolution, native
to teach one another. Ask them to write
people, or community) offers a scaffold to
and/ or talk about experiences or beliefs
content?
support student contributions. If students
that impact the content area under study.
are encouraged to construct relationships
You'll begin to create a more personal
continued on page 8
5
TAP
4
into Learning
Managing Growth
Collaborative Decisior
The teacher presented the students
V Ve need to preserve our drinking
with their task: "You have been appointed
water. We can't let people live in the
to a citizen's action committee to
recharge zone!"
develop a desirable growth scenario
"But then they'll build houses on the
farm land and I think we need to keep
for your community in the year 2010.
To do this you will calculate population
open spaces for the kids."
demand and land supply in order
High school seniors in this Central Texas
to determine how and where urban
school were wrestling with an issue that
growth will occur. Your findings will
confronts urban planners, city officials,
be presented as a final suitability map
service providers and residents on a daily
and accompanying report to a team
basis: How to maintain and promote the
of community members including a
positive effects of urban growth (more
planner, developer and architect."
jobs, infrastructure, and amenities) while
Students broke into teams and began
mitigating the negative implications of
discussing what kind of future community
growth (compromised air and water quality,
they envisioned and desired, and how
increased traffic congestion, and urban-
growth could help or hinder the attainment
sprawl 2, and the loss of the "small town"
of this vision. Within their various teams,
ambience of the community)? This very real
they divided again into two groups.
dilemma is faced by countless communities
The first, a population projection group,
all over the United States, particularly in the
used historical US Census data and
burgeoning southern and western parts of
spreadsheet software to project the
the nation.
community's population for the year
This interdisciplinary math, environ-
2010. Using the various functions of a
mental science and geography unit
spreadsheet, students generated their
attempted to address the problem of urban
population projection data in the form
growth management. The teacher began
of trend lines (showing whether growth
asking students to talk about towns and
was linear or exponential), a table and
cities they had visited or lived in and liked.
line chart.
"What did you like about Boston?" Answers
ranged from increased amenities like sports
teams to a city's livability and architectural
uniqueness: "They have sidewalks...All the
houses are different. They're not all the
same like here." The teacher then asked
students to think about their community
over time and how it differed from when
they were children. What changes had they
seen? What were the positive and negative
changes? Since these students live in
Central Texas, one of the fastest growing
regions in the U.S. and home to a number
of newly formed high tech companies, they
could quite easily note the changes they
had seen: more malls, restaurants and
movie theaters; more traffic; less familiarity
Teachers at Carencro Middle School in Carencro, LA
with neighbors; and greater reliance
also participated in the Managing Growth activity.
on cars.
Here, they present their community growth scenario
6
to colleagues.
TAP into Learning
5
An example of a base
map, in this case
indicating land use.
The dark shaded area
Making in Urban Planning
to the right is agricul-
tural land. The lighter
shaded area to the
The second group, a land supply group,
left is the Edwards
used a series of base maps (showing such
Aquifer Recharge
features as land use, municipal boundaries,
Zone.
and the aquifer recharge zone 3), large
transparencies and markers to color in
to compromise in the face of increasing
those areas that should be exempt from
population demands.
development. Dark areas signified areas of
Student presentations to community
existing development. Clear areas delineated
members were animated and insightful,
land available for development. Students
reflecting the students' knowledge, values
then overlaid this series of constraint maps
and interest in their community. Planning
to come up with a map that would show
members took notes as students suggested
where development could occur in 2010.
increased lot sizes for new homes on the
Once finished with their respective tasks,
recharge zone, the conversion of farmland
the population projection and land supply
into an agricultural living history park
group met again to set about allocating
and the creation of an incentive system
predicted population growth to the avail-
to encourage greater use of mass
able land supply and examining the results
Using gridded
transportation.
of their decisions and assumptions. Students
vellum to calculate
This activity is illustrative of the way
placed a vellum grid over all constraint
population density
prior knowledge can be used as the
maps. Each team then attempted to "fit"
(4 cells = 1 mile2).
foundation of a unit of study and how
their additional population into the land
drawing upon student knowledge can
available for development. Students again
galvanize student engagement with the
used spreadsheets to calculate the number
topic at hand. The teacher began by focus-
of new houses that would have to be built,
ing on a topic about which students had a
persons per household, and houses per
great deal of knowledge and which held
square mile.
real meaning for studentstheir community.
This process required making some
In setting up the unit of study she elicited
difficult choices and tradeoffs and was
students' opinions about the positive and
informed by the students' knowledge of
negative effects of growth on their commu-
and values about their community. Students
nity and their observations about the
struggled with targeting new development
admirable characteristics of other
toward the aquifer recharge zone to the
communities they had lived in or visited.
west of town or on farmland to the east.
She then created an academically rich
Should some of the lands categorized as
interdisciplinary activity in which students
unavailable be made available for develop-
were encouraged to infuse their own
ment? Students' positions on such issues
values and aspirations for their community.
number of beliefs and
were shaped by
a
These goals formed the basis of their
values. Though many were able to find
desired growth scenario for the year 2010.
evidence to support their beliefs, others had
For more information
2 Sprawl is defined as -low-density, automobile-dependent development beyond the edge of service and
on this activity, see
employment areas of the city." <Sierra Club: http://www.sierraclub.org/transportation/sprawl/>
www.sedl.org/
3 Much of Central Texas sits atop the Edwards Aquifer, one of the most productive artesian aquifers in the United States.
-mburns/resources/
Aquifers are geologic formations that hold significant amounts of groundwater from which water can be pumped for
residential and commercial uses. The Edwards Aquifer is the sole source of drinking water for San Antonio, America's
eighth largest city, and residents in the Austin-San Antonio corridor. The Recharge Zone is the surface area of the
aquifer where faulting and fracturing of limestone and karst allow rain to seep in and replenish the aquifer.
<http://www.edwardsaquifernet/>
TAP into Learning
6
Spreadsheets
balancing checkbooks, calculating grades,
Spreadsheets are often likened to
electronic ledger books, but are in fact
creating charts, automating calculations,
sorting data, and performing statistical
more powerful. Computerized spreadsheets
functions. When new information is insert-
can calculate large quantities of data
ed into an existing spreadsheet, revised
easily, accurately, and efficiently, and
are consequently a wonderful tool for
calculations are performed automatically.
Spreadsheet Structure
Perhaps a more helpful metaphor for
Spreadsheets are organized into rows and
how spreadsheets are organized is that
columns. Rows are horizontal lines of val-
of a theater or concert hall. The theater
ues (data) labeled by numbers (1,2,3 etc.).
shares an organization similar to that of
Columns are vertical lines of data labeled
a spreadsheet: seats are arranged both
by letters (A, B, C etc.). Cells are where
horizontally (like the rows of a spreadsheet)
the intersections of rows and columns meet
and numbered as such: 1,2, 3 etc., and
and are Libeled by both their letter and
vertically (like the columns of a spread-
number (Al, B2, C3 etc.). A formula is a
sheet) and organized with letters: A, B, C
mathematical statement used to calculate
etc. Your seat, for example, A26, similar to
the values stored in cells. Figure 1 provides
the spreadsheet cell, is the junction of the
a visual representation of this.
row and column.
Formula
X s/
Figure 1:
Overview of
Spreadsheet
8
Structure
;,.! Lafayette population 1940-1998
1
2 j Includes City of Lafayette and Carencro Louisiana
Total
Lafayette
Carencro
1940
914
:4314+C4Q
19210
Rows
1950
35128
1587
33541
41915
1960
40400
1519
1970
73275
2302
70973
1980
3712
81961
eon i
4 neketire
04 4 4 AA
MICIROL
Cell
Columns
8
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
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TAP into Learning
7
Getting Started with Spreadsheets
atnerallhfirmitfontimaiiiiiighee
There are a number of books and websites
that can help you get started using spread-
Top 50 Spreadsheet Books
sheets. Most tutorials are very heavily
http:/ / www Alcson.com/
URL:
weighted toward the most commonly found
All Publishers' Outlet
Source:
"brands," such as Microsoft Excel. If you're
using QuattroPro, for example, the pickings
2: Microsoft Excel (PCSONifidowsi..95/98)*4:-'-..:
are slim. However, most of the spreadsheet
http://is.rice.eclu/-consult/cross/excel/inclex.html
skills you learn are transferable to all other
URL:
Rice University
types of spreadsheet software. Many of the
Source:
sites listed are tutorials with very clear step-
by-step instructions and pictures that make
Hands-on Exercises Using Windows 98
spreadsheet creation and analysis fun and
www
microsoft.com/eclucation/tutorial/
URL:
easy to follow. A better way, perhaps, to
classroom/o98/hoview.asp
learn to use spreadsheets is to come up with
Microsoft in Education
Source:
a project for yourself (creating a gradebook,
setting up a vacation fund) and diving in.
Microsoft Personal Online Help
littp://search.su pport. inicrosoft.com/Kb/z. asp
URL:
Microsoft Corporation
But aren't spreadsheets
Source:
t
just for math?
3. Microsoft Excel 98 (Macintosh)
It is true that spreadsheets most easily
URL:
lend themselves to quantitative analysis,
http://www.secll.org/staff/selfpace/exce198/exce198guide.html
and for that reason are often used in more
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Source:
analytical types of subjects such as math
and science. However, spreadsheets can
add rigor to other subject areas that are
4. Lotus 1-2-3
not often thought of as quantitative.
1-2-3 Basics
URL http://w3.aces.uiuc.eclu/AIM/CCSOcourses/
Language Arts: The Outsiders
new-lotushasics95_final.html
The Outsiders is a short novel about a
Computing and Communications Services Office,
Source:
young teen named Johnny who is orphaned
Urbana, Illinois
and who hangs out with a streetwise gang.
Though basically a good kid, Johnny kills
another teen and must go into hiding.
Lotus Technical Support
The novel follows his time in hiding and
httpl /wvvw .lotus. corn
URL:
(search for "Lotus 1-2-3'9
examines the world of his gang.
Lotus Development Corporation
Source:
In this 8th grade Language Arts class,
students were asked to imagine that the
I
gang members had been arrested and were
Introduction to ClarisWorks
awaiting trial. The class divided itself among
URL http://ripsaw.cac.psti.eclu/-sdp2/htmis/claris/
prosecutors and defendants and had to
hclarisworksss.html
create a personality profile of a character
in The Outside's to be presented at the
Stephen Peterson Center for Academic Computing
Source:
upcoming court case. For example, in
PennState University
analyzing Johnny, the main character,
the students used spreadsheet software
1.1
I
I
to construct a table that would quantify
Corel Product Support
Johnny's personality traits. Column headings
p://www.corel.com/prockictsiworclperfect/cqp8/
URL:
contained the character's main attributes or
suppon.htm
qualities (e.g. Columns A-C contained such
Corel Products
descriptors as "kindness," "loyalty," "anger").
Source:
continued on page 8
TAP into Learning
8
the natural world if their interest is captured
How can I incorporate this prior knowledge into
To contact the Technology
by video games? Begin with your students'
continue(' from page 3
my lesson content?,
Assistance Program, please
interests and build upon them. The social
call us at 1-800-476-6861 or
write to us at Technology
studies teacher in the previous example
and create metaphors for their understand-
Assistance Program. SEDL,
let the students choose a city for their trip.
ing, they are more likely to make personal
211 East Seventh Street.
Austin, TX 78701. You may
There is no assurance that all the students
connections to the content. Challenging
also send us e-mail by writing
will want to plan a trip, but offering them
them to use higher order thinking skills
to Vicki Dimock. Program
Manager ([email protected]).
an option gives them a start toward making
asking them to analyze, create, or
TAP into Learning is a
the activity their own. If a current event has
synthesize ideashelps to broaden
collaborative effort by the
captured the class mind for the moment,
their view of the content.
staff of the Technology
the teacher may consider altering the clay's
Assistance Program.
Linking that broad view to direct student
This issue was written
lesson to follow that avenue of exploration.
experience, however, can be difficult. How
by Mary Burns and
can a teacher lure student imaginations to
Sharon Adams.
Mary Burns. Editor.
To learn more about SEDL's
Technology Assistance
Program, visit our Web site
a spreadsheet simulation game in which
at http://www.sedl.org/tap.
But Aren't Spreadsheets Just For Math?,
students chose a particular European nation
continued from page 7
Design. Jane Thurmond. Austin, TX
(e.g., the Hapsburg Empire, Prussia, France,
Each row (1,2,3 etc.) contained the page
etc.), assumed the role of its leader and
number that showed the incidence of that
4.alwww, Memos. ft...Immo Won.,
directed that nation's policy through the
quality. Each incidence (of anger, loyalty
course of the 19th century. Each column of
etc.) was recorded, totaled and students
© Southwest Educational
the spreadsheet contained a critical event in
Development Laboratory.
created a chart graphically representing
This publication was pro-
the nation's history while rows contained
the character's personality profile. The
duced in whole or in part
choices of potential decisions. By utilizing
chart was copied into a word-processed
with funds from the Office of
the spreadsheet's "what-if' function, students
Educational Research and
report advocating the character's guilt or
could choose one of the options presented
Improvement, U.S. Depart-
innocence. The spreadsheet table itself
ment of Education, under
or enter their own decision variable and
was attached as an appendix to the report.
contract #RJ9600681.
examine the result of such decisions. Thus,
The content herein does not
the introduction of the spreadsheet tool
necessarily reflect the views
Home Economics: Nutrition Spreadsheet
of the Department of
personalized and vivified what might
In order to create a nutrition profile,
Education, any other agency
have been otherwise rather meaningless
these 9th grade Home Economics students
of the U.S. Government,
historical events. Though first piloted in
analyzed their weekly diet. Using serving
or any other source. SEDL
is an Equal Employment
a university setting, this activity has been
sizes found on food packages, as well as
Opportunity/Affirmative
conducted in high school history classes.
data gathered from the Internet, the students
Action Employer
created a spreadsheet showing the type of
and is committed to
For more information on this activity, contact
affording equal employ-
food consumed, the number of calories per
Dr. James S. Brown at James.S.Brown@samfordeclu.
ment opportunities to all
serving, total calories, proteins, fats, sodium,
individuals in all employment
Art: What Are the Ten Greatest Manmade
and carbohydrates. Students then created
matters. Available in
Creations in the World?
a second spreadsheet that calculated their
alternative formats.
Students in this 10th grade art class
average weekly amount of physical activity.
set about answering this question. They
From these two spreadsheets students were
narrowed the categories for entry (art and
able to compare food intake versus the
architecture), devised criteria for judging
amount of energy burned and subsequently
"the greatest." then compiled their list
devise a personal nutrition and exercise
of examples in each category (e.g.
plan for themselves.
Michaelangelo's David, the Sears Tower).
Using spreadsheets, students then entered
History: Spreadsheet Nationalism Simulation
the year the structure was created,
Spreadsheets in history? Yes. Professor
its dimensions (height, width, weight,
James Brown wanted his freshman history
circumference etc.), photos of each
students to go beyond memorization
structure and the time it took to construct.
and recitation of dates and events in
Using pre-determined criteria, students then
Europe and understand the
century
19th
sorted their data in order to determine their
motivations and decisions that prompted
"Top Ten" greatest manmade structures.
major political events. He thus constructed
10