Thoughts on using 2.0 tools to organize data

After completing task 5-2, Data Assessment: Organizing Data, address the following through a blog entry: Which tool did you use? What do you see as its strengths and weaknesses? Did adding color to the tool help identify any potential problem areas? How could you apply Web 2.0 tool functionality to authentic classroom or school-wide scenarios? Compare and contrast your post with your classmates’ posts. 

I used the Google Docs Spreadsheet which was really new to me.  I haven't had a need to create a spreadsheet and many years ago now I did try using the Microsoft Excel and I found the cells difficult to work within.  Usually when I need a table of some sort I will create one within Microsoft Word.  Of course, this can also be done within Google Drive which I have been using more and more.  I find it to be similar to Microsoft.  It does take me some additional time sometimes because I cannot find a tool I am looking for.  I haven't used a spreadsheet to sort so I did seek some help from a faculty member.  I also consulted our intervention specialist on the task as a whole.  

The strength of the tool is that it will sort the data in any range you choose, but I still feel as if it has limitations and I found myself typing within the cells instead of possibly typing the data once and then automatically copying it in a variety of different ways. I felt like it would be helpful if there were a variety of ways that you could automatically sort the data....alphabetically, by score, by question, etc.  

The color tool was helpful and I think it makes the spreadsheet easier to look at and understand. This was a bit time-consuming though as again you are highlighting small cells and then selecting the color that you would like to use.

Web 2.0 tools can be used throughout the school building by different faculty and staff and then shared among everyone.  The spreadsheet can be viewed by whomever you specify and the same would apply to people that you wanted to add or edit information that is there as well.  This would be helpful since the technology teacher created the document, but was not really sure what needed to be done with it.  If it was shared everyone that had a stake in it could look at, organize, and edit the information.  At my school the intervention specialist and the classroom teacher would use it as a tool, in addition, to tutors that work with our students, as well.

Debrief and report on any observations or trends that you discovered that could help the student and teacher in three to four complete paragraphs. Offer some thoughts to help the instructor with how to help best serve her students.

I liked thinking about different ways I could arrange the data and how it might be most helpful.  In Question 6, 11/12 students did not answer the question correctly.  This might be where the teacher would want to begin to reteach.  I would recommend presenting this standard in a different way since most students did not understand. "Accurately solves problems involving single or multiple operations on fractions (proper, improper, and mixed), or decimals; and addition or subtraction of integers; percent of a whole; or problems involving greatest common factor or least common multiple." (Question 6)  This area needs retaught and then practiced with formative assessment given throughout so that errors can be corrected immediately.  There may be minor computation errors that are causing the student not to do well.
Question 3&5 can be handled in a similar way since there are many students that did not understand how to solve these problems.  The other students can be given intervention by the intervention specialist or tutors that can work with small groups.  For example, with questions 1,2,7,10 since there were so few students that did not do well you could provide them with additional practice after new instruction either for homework or during classwork.