C HAPTER 3 Word Processors, Databases, Spreadsheets and Data Probes

W ORD P ROCESSORS, D ATABASES, S PREADSHEETS, AND D ATA P ROBES These applications are among the most common computer tools currently in educational use today.

W ORD P ROCESSORS Word Processing is the most widely used computer application in the work and home environments. Writing is one of the fundamental skills taught in schools ; word processing programs may help students write more effectively and develop quicker writing skills. Writing is a skill that may contribute to the generation and integration of personal knowledge in nearly all content areas; writing forces students to externalize what they know.

C HARACTERISTICS OF W ORD P ROCESSING Text Input Word Wrap Storage & Retrieval Formatting

W ORD P ROCESSING F UNCTIONS Editing  Copy & Paste  Delete  Select specific text  Spell checking & Thesaurus  Outlining

W ORD P ROCESSING D ESIGN C APABILITIES Word Processors typically allow the integration of text and graphics, such as pictures, diagrams, and charts in flexible configurations. The user can: Add graphics Edit the size and color Re-position the graphic Push the picture/ chart to the back of the text and use it as a background Plus many other functions

S PREADSHEETS A common computer application and an important reason for the rapid growth and popularity in the microcomputer. A spreadsheet allows an accountant or a small business to organize numerical information, perform calculations, and display the calculations in informative ways (charts/ graphs)

E XAMPLES OF HOW TO USE S PREADSHEETS IN YOUR C LASSROOM Take surveys (hobbies, favorite food etc) and graph the results Keep track of money earned through projects Keeping personal grade records Keeping records of calorie intake vs. energy output Planning a budget Calculating household expenditure Making conversion tables (measurements etc) Planning a trip - calculating distances between each place

D ATABASES Database programs are used to organize, store and search for information. All Databases are organized into three hierarchical Levels: Fields Records Files

F IELDS Individual elements of information are stored in fields; each field holds a user – designated category of information: Last names Phone numbers Dates of Birth Etc When creating a field, the user must establish a field name and indicate the type of information that will appear in the field (numbers, text graphics etc)

R ECORDS A record is a meaningful collection of fields and is the defining feature of a database. It is the total stored information about one thing (automotive part, one customer one student, one Country)

F ILES The total collection of records making up one of these databases is called a file. The file contains the entire collection of information about the subject.

D ATA C OLLECTION D EVICES Data Collection Devices allow students to measure various characteristics of their physical environment in the same way a scientist would There are many different ways to measure physical environment: Use sensors PDA’s