Herman Wood

Analysis using Excel

We have lots of data about our students available to us. INFORM is one source that can easily be exported to Excel where we can really begin to analyze it!

Once you locate the information you like in INFORM by running the report, click the button at the top labeled "Export". It will take you to a screen where you'll be able to either view, download, or have the data emailed to you. I chose the tab delimited text version and then downloaded.

Once it was on my computer, I opened Excel and used File>Open to open the data. Excel took me through a wizard consisting of a 3 windows. I took the default each time and was rewarded with the requested data in Excel.

You can use the handout I provided to you in our session to help you with Excel. It began as a document created by the state department of education, though heavily modified by me to fit this purpose. Here it is as a PDF. Download Excel_for_Analysis.pdf

Finally- please help me with another project! I'm working on a tool for surveys. Take a minute to complete the survey below and expect me to tell you how you can create your own in another session:

Using a Camera

The final product is only as good as the video or pictures you shoot! It's worth taking a little bit of time to learn how to shoot good pictures and how to use the camera. Here's the specific link to a guide on our site: http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/instructionaltechnology/mac/resource_files/iMovie/Art_of_Movies.pdf

I also have a guide to using a basic DV camera: http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/instructionaltechnology/mac/resource_files/DV_Camera_Guide.pdf

Your task between now & next time is to shoot a short 15 second introduction to you and your classroom. Have it ready for next time!

Projects with Images

In recent posts, I've talked about creating slideshows and other products in iPhoto. One question that always comes up is where to find images. Don't forget the databases already available to you that have been purchased with county funds!

http://cvl.cobbk12.org/ There are amazing resources here!
There is a link to Nettrekker in there, but here's a direct link: http://www.nettrekker.com
From school, just click login, choose the school you're located at & start searching! (Students can create their own account and use it from home with their login.)

There are some great resources for images that don't require you to go Googling:
http://www.gigapxl.org/
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photogalleries
http://www.loc.gov/index.html

But what if you want to unleash Google on those sites? Well, you can with a custom search engine I built with Google's help: http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=000201137543463009160:t8ddzopkqte

You can also build your own set to search sites of your choosing:
http://www.google.com/coop/cse/

Put a link to it in your blog, take your students to it in class or for homework and have a go at it!