9) Microsoft Excel

What you need to know about Microsoft Excel:

It provides a visual representation of data that makes it easier to analyze.

Excel reduces the difficulty of plotting data and allows students a means for interpreting the data.

Excel can easily convert any chart or data set into a web page, making it very easy to share information among groups.

Excel's ability to dynamically generate charts and graphs in seconds makes it easy to quickly demonstrate relationships between numbers

As a teaching tool, students can see how different types of graphs and charts can be used to represent the same series of data.

One of the best things is that you can use Excel to create timelines and seating charts.  It is not just a tool for numbers.

 

However, many students have little prior Excel experience and for that matter, any application similar to Excel.  It is one of the more difficult Microsoft tools to use and it would be beneficial to include Excel into a K-12 program in such a way that no one grade level/subject area is solely responsible for introducing students to Excel.  It would be good to start using the basic functions of this program with students.

 

The bottom line is there is no doubt that, used proactively and effectively, applications like Microsoft Excel can enhance a learning environment.  It can help students look past crunching numbers and really start to interpret data and organize thier materials.  But just like any other program, once you start using these types of applications in your teaching, don't forget to look back and ask yourself if this is making your teaching better.  Technology is a lot of things, but it shouldn't take the place of well-polished, traditional methods of teaching and learning.  It is meant to enhance teaching and learning, not replace it.