DECE 1063
ICT & Multimedia
Topic 5
Spreadsheets: Excel
Facilitator:
Dr. Soon Seng Thah
10
Introduction
As teachers, there may a be a need to manage financial resources in
kindergartens, record children’s demographic profile, create portfolios,
compute test scores, generate graphs and manage databases.
Electronic spreadsheet provides the teacher with an avenue to manage
all those tasks above in a systematic manner via an electronic
calculator with advanced computational functions.
Can a teacher use spreadsheet for teaching and learning?
For management purposes, including classroom management –
yes.
For classroom teaching and learning – the possibility is there such
as learning accounting principles and teaching learners certain
mathematical concepts.
The use of ledger to create simple to complex accounts is a good
example of spreadsheet application.
Spreadsheet allows one to perform simulation exercise with numbers.
A change in one cell will result in a re-computation of other cells
related to this one cell.
Functions of spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are arranged in rows and columns.
The rows and columns can be edited, deleted, and displayed using
number and text information.
The intersection of a row and column creates a cell.
Formulas can be built into each cell and relationship between and
among cells can be created through computational logic.
Once computation is done, the results of these computations
can be graphically generated.
This includes pie chart, bar graph, line graph, etc.
Tables can be created and different formatting of numbers and
cells (decimals, numeric representation, etc.) can be formatted
into those cells to show good looking tables.
The output of electronic spreadsheet can be printed for
hardcopy reproduction as references for future use.
Functions of spreadsheet
Spreadsheet application allows the teacher to:
Keep a record;
Delete a record;
Edit a record;
Arrange and fill up a record;
Undertake projections and “What if” analysis;
Automate macros;
Create databases;
Access the internet via hyperlinks;
Perform mathematical computations, generate statistics,
financial statements, graphic representations of numbers;
and
Display information in the form of tables and charts.
Basic components of a spreadsheet
The Excel file is called an Excel Workbook with file
extension .xlsm for the current version.
The earlier version has .xls as the extension.
An Excel Workbook can comprise several Excel worksheets.
An Excel worksheet serves as an electronic worksheet.
The following screen capture shows the various components of
a spreadsheet.
Basic components of a spreadsheet
The Excel Spreadsheet Graphical User Interface
Main menu
Column
Toolbar
Formula bar
Active cell
Row
Types of data and mathematical operations
Each cell can be in the form of blank or possesses an input or a
constant or formula.
Formula must begin with the symbol =.
Basic mathematical operations are:
+ addition
- subtraction
* multiplication
/ division
Mathematical functions:
Function Purpose Formula
SUM Summation - Adding =SUM (A1+A2)
up to form total
MEAN Averaging (calculate =MEAN (C1:C5)
the average of a
series of number)
Generating graphs
Charts are used to represent graphics.
One can use a template to generate charts.
File – New – Office – Select the appropriate template
Amend the data input worksheet in a template and the
graphical representations will change accordingly.
Using Excel data file with SPSS
As teachers, there may be a need to record marks of students using
Excel.
When this is undertaken, the teacher will have to prepare an Excel
spreadsheet to do the computation tasks such as averaging scores,
calculating descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, standard
deviations, and plotting graphs.
Although Excel can do all these tasks, it would be easier to use a
statistical software such as SPSS Statistics as the software has built-in
formula and generate nice-looking tables and charts for presentation.
Using Excel data file with SPSS
[Cont.]
But the starting point in recording data from students can be via Excel.
When conducting assessment via Google Form, the data file of
students will be created in Excel format.
You can then use SPSS Statistics to generate various statistics.
Watch how computation of descriptive test statistics is undertaken
using a data file created via SPSS Statistics.
The SPSS Statistics data editor graphical user interface is similar to
Excel with rows and columns.
However, one will have to define each variable before analysis can
be undertaken via SPSS Statistics.
What’s next?
Topic 6: Development of Instructional Media