Saturday, May 29, 2010

Journal of Course Experiences- I'm Done!

I've completed all the requirements for the course! I'm just reviewing the syllabus and checking it three times to be thorough. I learned some great things about Access and look forward to working through the rest of the text on my own time- hopefully it won't be a year from now. Hooray!

Microsoft Access Lesson Plan- Teachers

AS: How do you currently keep track of information for a class trip?

Objectives: Teachers will use Microsoft Access to create a database to track payments, permission slips and chaperones for a grade level class trip

Subject: Technology, Databases

Activities:

Your Grade Level/Subject Area Team is planning a field trip to culminate a unit of study. The planning will involve collecting multiple payments, permission slips, and securing chaperones for the trip. Typically you would keep handwritten records of the progress, but this time you will make the leap and use the technology available on your district-issued laptop.

Creating the database:
Teachers will launch Microsoft Access from the Start Menu
Teachers will name their database so it can be easily identified
Teachers will protect their database by assigning it a password
Teachers will start by creating a table for the students that will be going on the field trip
Teachers will define fields, then create and save a table from the Design View
First Name, Last Name, Address, HomePhone, StudentCell, Parent1, ParentCell1, Parent2, Parent Cell2, Emergency Contact, EmergencyPhone
Teachers will enter student data into the table

Adding a new table:
Teachers will also create the following tables:
Class/Section (for individual classes)
Payment
Permission Slip
Chaperone
Group
Teachers will enter the appropriate data into each table

Updating the database:
Teachers will open the field trip database to update data as necessary

Querying the database:
Teachers will create a query to view the payments made by students in each class or section
Teachers will create a query to view the students that have not yet returned a permission slip
Teachers will run a parameter query on the database to view information for a specific student
Teachers will use calculations to determine the total paid by each student
Teachers will use the Totals row to determine the total paid by all students

Creating a report:
Teachers will create a report of the students that still need to return a permission slip or payment for the trip

Closure:

Vocabulary: Database, record, field, table, query, report, calculation, totals, aggregate function

Materials: Microsoft Access, collected permission slips and payments

Evaluation: Teacher Observation

NETS Standards:
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:
a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.
b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others.
d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.

Microsoft Access Lesson Plan- Students

AS: How can we track your Type to Learn 3 progress?

Objectives: Students will use Microsoft Access to create a database to track their weekly keyboarding progress

Subject: Technology, Databases

Activities:

Creating the database:
Students will launch Microsoft Access from the Start Menu
Students will name their database so it can be easily identified as their own
Students will protect their database by assigning it a password
Students will define Date, Lesson, Homework, Accuracy, and WPM fields, then create and save a table from the Design View
Students will enter their current keyboarding data into their progress table

Adding a new table:
After the first Type to Learn Assessment, students will create a new database called TTL-A Results
Students will include the following fields in TTL-A Results:
Date
Accuracy
WPM
Students will enter their current assessment results into this table

Updating the database:
Students will open their Keyboarding Progress database to update their weekly progress table
Students will update their assessment results monthly

Closure:

Differentiation: Analyzing the database:
Students will export the data from the progress table and/or their assessment results table into Excel
Students will create a graph of their keyboarding lesson progress, homework completion and assessment results over time

Vocabulary: Database, record, field, query

Materials: Microsoft Access, handwritten keyboarding progress, assessment results

Evaluation: Teacher Observation

Standards:

TEC.K-4.8.1 - All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems.
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 A - Basic Computer Tools and Skills
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 A.1 - Use basic technology vocabulary.
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 A.3 - Input and access text and data, using appropriate keyboarding techniques or other input devices.
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 A.5 - Produce and interpret a simple graph or chart by entering and editing data on a prepared spreadsheet template.
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 A.7 - Create and maintain files and folders.
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 A.9 - Use basic computer icons.
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 B - Application of Productivity Tools
TEC.K-4. - Social Aspects
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 B.2.d - Personal security and safety issues
TEC.K-4. - Information Access and Research
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 B.7 - Locate specific information by searching a database.
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 B.8 - Recognize accuracy and/or bias of information.
TEC.K-4. - Problem Solving
TEC.K-4.8.1.4 B.9 - Solve problems individually and/or collaboratively using computer applications.

Journal of Course Experiences- Database Project

I intend to use Access to manage my cheerleading program. We collect a TON of paperwork each season for each participant. We need to keep track of the paperwork collected, plus be able to access the contact information, plus other information gathered at any given time. I have been tracking all this information with Excel, while effective, I know in the back of my mind, is not most efficient.

The hardest part of creating a database is deciding how it should be structured. What tables do you need to hold information? How can or will the tables be related?

Of course, I am discovering that I am my greatest distraction in getting this assignment done. It was challenging to come up with a third table for the assignment, and now that I have, I'm making queries, and attempting calculations.

I am quickly realizing that a database is a work in progress and constantly evolving.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Journal of Course Experiences- Project 2

I'm working like crazy to complete this course by my district's deadline for reimbursement. Back to work, with hopefully no distractions. Must...finish...this...weekend...

Omitting Duplicates
Display the query's property sheet to omit duplicates. With no fields selected, click the Properties button in the toolbar. Choose Yes from the Unique Values property.

Parameter Query
A parameter query prompts the user for input whenever it is run, rather than specifying a criterion within the query design.

- Clear all criteria from the query design
- Type a value within brackets in the Criteria field, making sure that it does not match the name fields in the table. Using the same name as another field in the table will not prompt the user for input.

Top-Values Query
Allows the user the show only a specified number of records rather than all records in a query.

- Click Top Values box on toolbar
- Specify number or percentage of records to show

Calculations
Calculations are not just for Excel! They can be performed in Access queries as well. A calculated field is used to calculate values from other fields.

- Enter a name for the calculated field followed by a colon, then the expression in one of the columns in the Field row
- Use the Zoom... command to view the entire expression
- Use brackets around each field name

Calculating Statistics
Statistics in Access are functions like COUNT, SUM, AVG, MAX, MIN, STDEV, VAR, FIRST, and LAST. They are considered aggregate functions, a function that performs some mathematical function against a group of records.

- Include the Total row in the design grid by clicking the Totals button (Sigma) on the toolbar
- Choose the desired statistic from the drop down menu

Crosstab Queries
Crosstab queries are used for summarizing data by calculating a statistic for data that is grouped by two different types of information.

- Choose Crosstab Query Wizard from New Query dialog box
- Select field for row headings
- Select field for column headings
- Select Statistic for calculations
- Run the

Joining tables is used to find records in two tables that have identical values in matching fields. With one of the tables you'd like to include in the query, click the new object button and choose query. Open the new query in design view. Add another table to the query by clicking the show table button, and choose another table from the dialog box. Expand all the fields to view everything. When both tables are in the work space, you can see the line joining the tables at the matching fields.

Drag the desired fields into the grid. Run the query. Results will show records in which the matching field appears in both tables. Records that do not match the query do not show up.

The join property are properties that indicate which records appear in a join; right click the join line and choose properties to change.

If you don't want to include all the possible records in a query, include criteria.

Calculations can be performed in queries. Simple calculations can be made, plus there is an expression builder available.