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Interactive Excel Spreadsheets: A Computational and Conceptual Learning Tool for Mathematics and Science

Interactive Excel Spreadsheets: A Computational and Conceptual Learning Tool for Mathematics and Science. Scott A. Sinex Department of Physical Sciences and Engineering Prince George’s Community College.

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Interactive Excel Spreadsheets: A Computational and Conceptual Learning Tool for Mathematics and Science

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  1. Interactive Excel Spreadsheets:A Computational and Conceptual Learning Tool for Mathematics and Science Scott A. Sinex Department of Physical Sciences and Engineering Prince George’s Community College Presented at the Computation and Science for Teachers Workshop held at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Pittsburgh, PA on 19-23 June 2006

  2. Why Excel? • Ready off-the-shelf software • Found in the work-place • Found on home computers too • Easy to use by students • Can it be an interactive learning tool? (no marcos or VBA programming, just computation via formulas)

  3. ...as a tool in math and science • Great for handling, graphing, and analyzing data • Easy transforming of data such as taking the log • Regression and goodness-of-fit • So a great tool for mathematical modeling of data and presenting graphs Pre-set calculations & graphs – just add data Using Excel for... Scientific Data

  4. … a mathematical model Cookies stack

  5. The modeling process…

  6. ...so now to Excelets! • Excelets are interactive Excel spreadsheets • A “Javaless” applet! • A simulation of a mathematical model or an illustration of a simple concept • A tool for higher-order thinking and illustrating science process • and a tool that is easy to construct!!!!!

  7. So let’s take a tour of the interactive features available in Excel Start tour ! Click on links at the bottom of the next five slides to get the interactive spreadsheets

  8. Interactive features

  9. tails heads Flipping pennies

  10. Find it in Regression

  11. Derivative

  12. Created by Charlotte Trout Circuits

  13. Now let’s construct a simple Excelet! We will explore the equation of a straight line, y = mx +b. So let’s go into Excel Tutorial for a quadratic equation – click here

  14. science Model Simulation excelets As a learning tool... • Active engagement of students • Numerical experimentation • Derive the ideal mathematical model • “What if” scenarios • Science processes • predictions • graphical interpretation • conclusions • random and systematic error (ideal to real) See Investigating Types of Errors

  15. The “How to” resources... Developer's Guide to Excelets: Dynamic and Interactive Visualization with "Javaless" Applets or Interactive Excel Spreadsheets <http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex/excelets> Tutorial, instructions, and a variety of interactive Excel spreadsheet examples Resource list for mathematics and science

  16. More info... • Scott Sinex – ssinex@pgcc.edu • See course webpages and publications http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex • Webpages embedded in PowerPoint – get LiveWeb (http://skp.mvps.org/liveweb.htm)

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