Ok. Now keep in mind, I'm still using Microsoft Excel 2003, but I am thoroughly impressed with Google Docs: Spreadsheet. I've been using spreadsheets for...well...I don't remember the =DATE(). Perhaps the newer versions of excel include some of these features. I don't know and probably will never know because I'm hooked on the price of Google Docs.
I was first struck by the number of functions. I can't be sure but I'm convinced there are at least twice as many functions in Spreadsheet as in Excel. Granted I probably won't be using the ERF() or other Engineering functions any time soon, but any calculation you need to make, Google spreadsheet has the function for it.
When considering the Gadgets and Scripts, there is just way too much for me to process. I can honestly say, I'll be playing with this application for a long time.
I looked at the lesson plan for the middle school consumer product testing. Perhaps it is just my inexperience as a teacher, but I feel like the main purpose of the lesson, understanding consumer product testing, is lost in among the technology. I would think that the time involved in teaching the kids to use all of the Google Doc applications would swallow the consumer product testing. I think a simple survey conducted in class by hand would be more likely to help students grasp the concepts set forth in the standards.
Glad you liked Spreadsheets.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the time it would take to teach your students Spreadsheet technology - if they had not already learned it or if this was the only time they would use it.
Of course, the point, though, is that your students would have Google Docs apps use already a part of their skill set. Many lessons would tap Google Docs Spreadsheets and other Google apps on a daily basis as a tool for school.
Thanks! :-)