1. CAST Workshop 2006
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 June 2006
academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex/excelets

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 CAST Workshop 2006
academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex/excelets

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. 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
Model Simulation
science
excelets

15. Resource list for mathematics and science
The “How to” resources...
Developer's Guide to Excelets: Dynamic and Interactive Visualization with "Javaless" Applets or Interactive Excel Spreadsheets
<
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
Webpages embedded in PowerPoint –
get LiveWeb (