TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH

TECHNOLOGY, 2/E
© 2005

Judy Lever-Duffy
Jean B. McDonald
Al P. Mizell

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CHAPTER dministrative
Software

This chapter addresses these NETS:

Technology operations and concepts
Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts. Teachers
A. demonstrate introductory knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to technology (as
described in the ISTE National Education Technology Standards for Students).
B. demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and
emerging technologies.

Productivity and professional practice.

Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice. Teachers:
A. use technology resources to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.
B. continually evaluate and reflect on professional practice to make informed decisions regarding the use
of technology in support of student learning.
C. apply technology to increase productivity.
D. use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order
to nurture student learning.
 magine that your school district has decided to conduct a districtwide upgrade of
technology in the coming year. As a result of this initiative, you have just been
given five new computer systems for use in your classroom. The computer-
support department tells you that the district will make a variety of administrative
software packages available to you. Will you know how to use them? Will you know
how to apply them to improve the teaching and learning environment in your class-
room?
As you can see, the understanding of computer hardware that you gained from
Chapters 3 and 4 is only half the challenge for a computer-using educator. You
CHAPTER OUTLINE must be just as competent when it comes to understanding and selecting
the software programs that will run on that hardware. This chapter will
Real People, Real Stories lead you through an exploration of administrative software and how
What Do Educators Need to Know its types of programs can assist you in your professional responsi-
about Software? bilities, from managing your classroom to helping your students
Evaluating and Using Productivity Software learn. It will also help you gain the skills you need to effectively
Evaluating and Using School and Classroom evaluate and select the software that will help you do your job
Management Support Software and benefit your students.
In Chapter 5, you will
Software, Teaching, and Learning:
A Practical Approach • Explore the differences between administrative and aca-
Real People, Real Stories demic software

• Identify how various types of administrative software can

help you be more effective and efficient in carrying out your
professional responsibilities

• Examine how the major types of administrative software can be

used to enhance the learning environment
134 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

• Explore key theoretical frameworks relating to the use of software in teaching

and learning
• Investigate and use methods for reviewing and evaluating software so that your
technology acquisitions will meet your needs

Real People
Meet Troy Robinson
In every school, everyone has an important job that contributes to
Real Stories
support of the students who attend the school and to the effective
operation of the school itself. Administrators, like teachers, often In my role as the assistant principal, I worked with teachers in
struggle to find the time and help that enable them to manage their the implementation of the curriculum, maintained the school’s
critical role in school operations. Just as they can in the classroom, master schedule, administered the annual standardized testing
computers and software can lend a helping hand in the school program, and coordinated the inventory and acquisition of instruc-
office. tional materials. I also worked with other members of the admin-
Let’s take a look at how one assistant principal managed his istrative staff, teachers and aides, parents and guardians, bus driv-
challenges through the application of useful productivity software. ers, and lunchroom aides in the supervision of students and the
You will learn much more about this type of software as you read administration of the schoolwide cooperative discipline plan. With
this chapter. You too may find ways in which it will help you address so many responsibilities, I was always on the lookout for technol-
your challenges as a future or current teacher. ogy supports that could help me meet the challenges during our
busy school days. I found that some of the basic productivity tools
I had learned about in college proved to be some of my biggest
MY SET TING helpers.

M y name is Dr. J. Troy Robinson. I have been an educator for

many years and have worked as an elementary school
teacher, a school administrator, and a professor in higher education.
Every day I found that productivity software helped me get the
job done. I used word processing for most aspects of my daily work
as an assistant principal. I used PowerPoint for presentations to the
Of all my experiences, one of my most challenging jobs as an edu- faculty and parent groups. Email was a daily communication link
cator was as an assistant principal in a K–5 elementary school. At my with teachers and support staff. I learned to greatly value the com-
school, I had responsibility for many aspects of the school’s daily puter and related technologies that were available to me in my
business. Some of the more time-consuming undertakings involved school setting.
keeping track of a variety of items and services, such as an inventory One of the most challenging tasks that I performed each year
of textbooks and other instructional materials, records of student involved summer school. In this district, the assistant principal was
behavior-management activities (discipline), and the referrals and responsible for the preparations prior to the end of the regular
intervention strategies for at-risk students. school year and the complete oversight of summer school during its
My school was a public elementary school in west Florida that operation. I accomplished this job during my first two years as an
served approximately 1,000 students. The students at my school assistant principal with only the use of word processing. Form letters
were diverse in many ways. Academically, their test scores fell in were used to notify parents about each student’s eligibility and other
every stanine on standardized tests. important information, such as hours and days of operation, teacher
The teaching staff consisted of thirty-nine classroom teachers, and room assignments, and bus schedules. The rosters of each
five exceptional education teachers (handling emotional handicaps, homeroom were used to manually notate students’ eligibility crite-
varying exceptionalities, specific learning disabilities, gifted needs, ria. Classroom teachers assisted with this process at the end of sec-
and speech), and one bilingual teacher. There were also three bilin- ond and third quarters by providing updates with copies of the stu-
gual aides, six kindergarten aides, six custodial workers, and seven dents’ report cards. A count of eligible students was derived from
lunchroom workers. In the office, there was one principal, one assis- these rosters. Preparing for summer school was a complex and time-
tant principal, one guidance counselor, and one media specialist. We consuming job.
also had an office staff that included three secretaries, one data-pro- I used technology regularly in performing the wide array of daily
cessing clerk, and one secretary for the media center. Together we tasks in my job, including many different kinds of software in addi-
formed the team that made our school successful. tion to word processing, so I thought that some of those same soft-
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 135

ware packages might be useful to help me with summer school. I students expected to attend summer school to increase dramatically.
needed help with keeping track of kids who might need to go to Additionally, my school was designated as the summer school site
summer school, determining eligibility by analyzing established cri- for gifted students from three other schools in the northeast part of
teria, maintaining records of communications with parents, estab- the district. Over 200 additional gifted students would be coming to
lishing the schedule of classes and assignment of teachers, and per- my school.
sonalizing the final notification to students and parents. There were With these changes, continuing a manual tracking process was
many details throughout this five-month process that defied manual no longer an option. It was time to turn to technology to see if there
tracking in such a large school. I wanted to find a way to use tech- was a better way.
nology that would make these tasks easier.
In previous years, the teachers and I had manually kept track of The application of the right software package at the right time can
the at-risk students in each homeroom. We had not seen the need solve pressing challenges for both teachers and administrators. In
for a database, even though I knew the use of a database was a pos- this chapter, you will learn much about the kinds of software that
sibility. At that point, it seemed that learning to use a database would are available to you to help you meet the challenges you will face
have simply slowed the process down. But as I faced the planning for as a teacher. After you know a bit more about software, we will
summer school during my third year as an assistant principal, two check back in with Dr. Robinson at the end of this chapter to see how
significant changes made the task even more complicated. Grade- he managed his summer school challenge.
level expectations were introduced, and specific criteria for demon-
strating mastery of the expectations were established. The school
board and instructional supervisors mandated that all students who
had not demonstrated mastery of the grade-level expectations would SOURCE: Interview with J. Troy Robinson conducted by Al P. Mizell. Reprinted by
be required to attend summer school. This caused the number of permission of J. Troy Robinson.

What Do Educators Need o Know

about Software?
The understanding that you gained from Chapters 3 and 4 relating to the use of com-
puter hardware in teaching and learning is the first step in a two-step process leading
to the computer competencies an educator needs. The second step is to be able to iden-
tify, evaluate, and apply computer software to the direct and indirect tasks associated
with teaching and learning. The use of computer hardware and software is really just
making use of electronic tools to extend our capabilities. Just as a rake or a tractor can
help a farmer produce crops more efficiently, the effective application of electronic
tools can make us more productive educators.
Whether an educator needs to use software as a tool to create a letter to send home
to parents or to turn a computer into a tireless student tutor, being able to select and
use the best software package for the task is a skill every educator needs. The ability to
evaluate software is especially valuable when you are selecting software specifically
designed to assist educators. It is the educator’s expertise in teaching and in learning Being able to select and
that ensures that the programs acquired by a school address the specific, targeted com- use the best software pack-
petencies that have been articulated through the instructional design process. Educa- age is a skill every ducator needs.
tors must be sufficiently software-literate to be able to recommend software that can
help their students learn and then be able to serve as guides through the software
acquisition and implementation process.
136 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

Computer software can be divided into two major categories. The first category is
administrative software, that is, software that assists an educator in accomplishing
the administrative, professional, and management tasks associated with the profes-
sion. The second category is academic software, or software that assists both educa-
tors and learners in the teaching and learning process itself. Both types of software are
important tools for educators in helping them work efficiently and effectively as class-
room managers, educational professionals, and, ultimately, architects of the learning
environment. This chapter focuses on the use of administrative software for teacher
productivity and for classroom application. Chapter 6 more fully explores academic
software.
The critical role of software in education is consistent with the role of software in
many other aspects of contemporary life. Few businesses could do without the use of
software. Word processing has become as critical a skill as typing once was. Spread-
sheets are essential for accounting, budgeting, and other financial tasks. The use of
the Internet and its support software for information, sales, and communication is as
commonplace as the use of a library or telephone. For teachers, the role of software is
no less important for their administrative and academic tasks. Standards, today’s
measure for effectiveness in education, have even been developed to specifically
address the use of software by educators. ISTE’s NETS (Appendix 1) emphasize the
importance of being able to use software appropriately for teaching, learning, and pro-
ductivity.
Given the recognized importance of software in education, it becomes necessary
for every educator to develop sufficient software literacy, that is the ability to effectively
identify and use appropriate software. To do so, an educator must be able to locate and
review software options in order to select the software package that will accomplish
the desired task. Then, you must be able to objectively evaluate the software to see
whether it indeed fills your need. Resources for the acquisition of educational tech-
nology are typically very limited, and careful purchases will make those limited
resources go much further. Once the software has been acquired, you might even need
to install it on the hardware you have available to you. Finally, so that you and your
students can get the most out of the software, you will need to become familiar with
how it works. If this sounds like a somewhat time-consuming process, that is because
software evaluation, acquisition, installation, and training are indeed extensive tasks.
The up-front investment of time and energy in this process, however, will make the dif-
ference between the acquisition of valuable educational tools and the purchase of soft-
ware that looked good on first inspection but ended up gathering dust in a storage
closet.
To begin the exploration of software, we will first examine administrative soft-
ware, the programs you might use in accomplishing tasks associated with your teach-
ing and professional responsibilities as well as classroom management. Administrative
Administrative software software can be divided into two general software types (see Table 5.1). These are pro-
includes productivity and ductivity software and school and/or classroom management support software. Pro-
classroom management support
software. ductivity software is typically generic business-application software that educators
can use and adapt for the administrative and professional tasks they must address.
Word processing, spreadsheet, and database management software are all examples of
productivity software. In contrast, classroom management support software is usu-
ally customized software written for educators to help them manage school and class-
room tasks, including the creation and maintenance of seating charts, class rolls, stu-
dent records, or school budgets.
All these administrative software tools help educators do their jobs more effec-
Freely distributed soft- tively and productively. Because a fairly significant time investment is involved in find-
ware can be either freeware ing, installing, and learning software, you should be cautious in your selections. That
or shareware. is the reason software evaluation skills are so important for computer-using educators.
This chapter includes evaluation rubrics to assist you in this critical process.
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 137

TABLE 5.1 ADMINISTRATIVE SOFTWARE FOR EDUCATORS

Administrative Professional Teaching and
Software Type Tasks Tasks Learning Tasks
Productivity
Software
Assists educators in preparing Assists educators in tracking Helps educators create student
memos, letters, reports, and student information, com- activity sheets, transparencies,
budgets puting grades, and preparing grade reports, and parent
lesson plans and IEPs letters

Classroom FOR DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS

Management Assists educators in reporting Assists educators in gathering Assists educators in gathering
Support Software required student information data for student reports data for academic decision
making

FOR CLASSROOM
Helps educators prepare Assists educators in tracking Assists educators in analyzing
required reports and reporting grades; helps grade and student data for
create seating charts, rolls, and better academic decision
other classroom tasks making

Administrative software can be purchased as an off-the-shelf commercial package

or as a custom-made program, or it can be acquired as freeware or shareware. Free-
ware is software that is offered to users without charge; shareware is software that is
offered to users for a small fee or for a limited time, and is sometimes paid for on the
honor system after you have had a chance to try out the software and determine
whether it is useful for you. Freeware and shareware present a great temptation for
educators on a very constricted budget. Even though many fine administrative soft-
ware tools are offered as freeware or shareware, they too must be carefully evaluated.
Low-cost or no-cost software still costs you the time and effort it takes to install and
learn the software. When making software decisions, it is useful to complete a rubric
like those included in this chapter (Tables 5.6 and 5.7) comparing products to deter-
mine the features and value of each program you plan to purchase. Rubrics help you
to objectively determine the effectiveness of the software. Freeware and shareware can
be found on many education sites on the Internet, often along with some annotation
or review of the software’s quality.

Evaluating and Using Productivity Software

Much of an educator’s time is consumed in completing the many administrative tasks
necessary to prepare and maintain an effective learning environment and to meet the On CD!
record-keeping demands of the typical school system. The office productivity software Software Skills Builder
that has facilitated business operations can frequently serve educators equally well for Office Basic Skills
their administrative educational tasks. Such software is typically designed for ease of
138 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

use, with each application performing a unique function for the user. And, although
created for different purposes, productivity software programs are typically created
with a similar look and feel so that it is easy to learn one type of software and then
apply the same skills to learning another software package produced by the same ven-
dor. On your Companion CD, you may want to try the Office Skills Builder activity to
experience the format and skills associated with one of the most common types of pro-
ductivity software groups, Microsoft Office.
The four major types of productivity software found in most business environ-
ments are word processors, electronic spreadsheets, database management systems,
and presentation software. These types of software can be purchased in individual
Most productivity soft- packages or in application suites and are designed to run on either a PC or Macintosh
ware packages include a platforms. Often, a school system will equip the administrative component of its
word processor, electronic spread- operation with productivity software, which teachers can adapt to address educa-
sheet, database management sys- tional tasks. The district will often purchase a site license, that is, a license that allows
tem, and presentation software.
the use of a software package on all machines at locations associated with one organ-
ization. The acquisition by district or school computing departments of a site license
for productivity software for administrative purposes can benefit the educational staff
as well. Although individual educators may have little choice in what productivity
software is available to them, with a bit of creativity, that software can be applied to
myriad teaching and professional tasks. Office productivity software, used in the
classroom or other academic spaces such as the media center or faculty workroom,
can be a great asset to busy educators. The computer-using educator’s job is to learn
to use the software and apply it to the many nonteaching tasks for which he or she is
responsible. Let’s look at the characteristics of the “big four” applications (word pro-
cessing, spreadsheets, database management, and presentation software) that are
included in office software suites and explore how educators can use each of them
(see Table 5.2).

TABLE 5.2 PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE SUMMARY

Application to Application to
Software Type Administrative/Professional Tasks Teaching and Learning Tasks

Prepare letters, memos, reports, flyers, rubrics, Prepare transparencies, activity sheets, posters,
WORD PROCESSING lesson plans, forms, and newsletters study guides, and class notes; help students prepare
stories, essays, and group reports; use in class to
dynamically illustrate writing and outlining skills

Prepare budgets, numeric tables and summaries, Provide students with a method for tracking and
ELECTRONIC grade and attendance rosters, and compute grades; analyzing data and creating charts from it; demon-
SPREADSHEETS prepare visuals (charts) of numeric data strate what-if analyses visually; support student
research such as tracking stock market data

Organize and track student and other professional Organize and provide easy access to lists of
DATABASE data; prepare inventories, mailing lists, and reports academic resources; provide support for students
MANAGEMENT tracking data; extract and report targeted sum-
SYSTEMS maries of content or resources to address
student needs

Create presentations for workshops, conferences, Create class lecture support that features text,
PRESENTATION and meetings audio, and visual elements with special effects;
SOFTWARE produce transparency masters; create student
worksheets to accompany class lectures
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 139

❙ Word Processors
Word-processing software is the most commonly used computer application. Com-
puters loaded with word-processing software have all but replaced typewriters for text-
oriented tasks, although the typewriter still has a niche in the completion of noncom-
puterized forms. Today’s word processors, however, are capable of doing far more than
even the most advanced electronic typewriter. In addition to creating, editing, and
printing documents, these software packages are capable of desktop publishing, creat-
ing and editing graphics, and developing web pages. Combined with a relatively inex-
pensive color ink-jet printer, word-processing software packages are also powerful
tools for creating full-color transparencies, classroom signs and posters, customized
certificates and awards, and even personalized stickers and buttons (see Figure 5.1). Of
course, they are also essential tools for creating tests, student worksheets, and memos.
Unlike most typewriters, word-processing programs maintain large amounts of
data in an electronic format until it is ready to print out. This allows educators to store
and easily update or modify the many documents they use in the daily administrative
tasks that are a part of every educator’s job. Word processing offers educators a way
to easily file and access electronic documents and then to modify and update them
with little effort. Furthermore, word processors typically include a built-in capacity to
check grammar and spelling and an interactive thesaurus, which make this software
application a valuable tool for every educator.
Most word-processing packages share several significant and useful features.
These can be broadly grouped in terms of the word-processing functions they
enhance. These functions include document preparation and editing, desktop publish-
ing, and archiving and printing.
On your Companion CD, each of these functions is explored. As you try each of the
word-processing exercises, you will experience and practice the unique and powerful
functions built into one of today’s most popular word processors, Microsoft Word.

Figure 5.1
Word Processing in the
Classroom
Word processors can create
flyers and transparency mas-
ters in addition to text docu-
ments.

Microsoft Word® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

140 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

• Document Preparation and Editing

Document preparation is the most common use of word-processing software. This
function enables the user to type data into the software and then edit the data while it
is still in the electronic format. Error correction, adjustments to the document’s text,
and experimentation with different fonts and formats can be completed before the doc-
ument is printed on paper (i.e., in a hard copy). Editing features may vary with the
complexity of the word-processing software, but all word processors include the fol-
lowing key features. You will practice using many of them when you try the Bake Sale
Flyer Word Skills Building activity on your Companion CD.

• Insertion and Deletion of Text. The cursor, or insertion point, that is displayed on
the word-processing screen indicates the point at which text will be entered. As a
document is created, the cursor typically stays at the end of the data and moves
along as additional text is entered. By using the computer’s mouse or arrow keys,
the user can move the cursor back or forward to any point in the body of the doc-
ument. By positioning the cursor at a targeted spot in the document, you can
either insert additional text by typing it in at the cursor position or remove
unwanted text by pressing the Backspace or Delete key on the computer key-
board.

On CD!
• Text Selection and Enhancement. Once a document has been entered, specific let-
ters, words, paragraphs, lines, or whole pages can be selected. Text selection is
Software Skills Builder accomplished by using the mouse to point to the desired text and then dragging
Word Skills—Bake Sale Flyer
the cursor across it. The selected material will be highlighted in reverse color.
Once text is selected, the word processor is ready to apply subsequent commands
to that portion of the text only. Enhancement commands include changing the
type size or font used or adding visual augmentation, such as changing normal
text to bold, italics, or underlined text. After selecting text, enhancing it is typically
a matter of pointing and clicking on the software button representing the
enhancement desired or using a keyboard command.
• Word Wrap and Formatting. When you type on a traditional typewriter, it is neces-
sary to move the paper carriage back to its start position and down one line after
completing each line of type. Word processors eliminate this step with their word
wrap feature. With word wrap, when the text reaches the end of the line, the soft-
ware automatically moves down to the beginning of the next line in preparation
for additional input. If a word does not quite fit on a line, the software will recog-
nize this and move it down to become the first word on the next line. This feature
is especially useful when you decide to insert additional text. The software makes
room for the inserted text by wrapping all subsequent lines down the page. Page
formatting features allow you to change the look of the page, such as changing
margins, adding headers and footers, or altering line spacing on all or part of the
document. Such page changes may cause the text in any given line to move. The
word wrap feature will once again automatically adjust the text and line length to
accommodate such formatting changes.
• Spelling and Grammar Tools. The most popular of the common word-processing
features include built-in spell checker, grammar checker, and thesaurus. The
spell-checker will check spelling word by word against a built-in dictionary of
thousands of words and suggest alternatives to words it does not recognize. This
same dictionary can be used as a thesaurus to provide both synonyms and
antonyms of selected words. Finally, the software is created with recognition of
proper grammar and sentence construction. The software can check a document
and find sentences that are questionable grammatically and make suggestions for
alternative sentence construction.
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 141

• Copy, Cut, Paste, Drag, and Undo. Editing functions in word processors provide the
user with the ability to select letters, words, or blocks of text and then remove
them from the document or move them to a different location within the docu-
ment. The copy feature creates a duplicate version of the selected text, which can
be pasted elsewhere. The cut feature removes a block of text from its original loca-
ON THE WEB! 5.1
tion permanently. The material can then be pasted into another location. Some
Word Processing Practice
word processors have combined a cut-and-paste function into a single feature
called drag and drop. This feature allows you to select text anywhere in the docu-
ment and, using the mouse, drag and drop it anywhere else in the document.
Finally, the undo feature provides a safety net against mistakes. It allows the user
to back up and undo the last several actions.

• Desktop Publishing
Most word processors include the ability to manipulate the look of a page. By using this
feature, an attractive arrangement of graphics and text on a page can be created and
manipulated with a few clicks of the mouse button. Although word processors can per-
form some desktop publishing tasks, they cannot perform the extensive adjustments to
page displays that dedicated desktop publishing software can make. The basic desktop
publishing capabilities included in most word processors are summarized here:

• WYSIWYG Displays. Word processors are able to display a document on the

screen in a “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) format. This feature
allows the user to preview a document and see exactly what it will look like before
it is printed out.
• Graphics and Clip Art. Most word processors today include rudimentary graphics
capabilities that allow you to add and position a drawing on a document page. The
creation of a complex or custom graphic is typically done with dedicated graphics On CD!
programs, but most word processors include a library of clip art (ready-made art- Software Skills Builder
work) that can be inserted into a document. Additional clip art can usually be Word Skills—Behavior Tracker
added to the word-processing clip art library. The size and position of this artwork
can then be changed, thus adding interest to an all-text document.
• Tables and Columns. Text data can easily be arranged into multiple columns of
data per page or into a table or grid. These word-processing features give the user
the ability to organize data, with just a few clicks of the mouse, into something
other than a narrative. Once the data is in table or column form, all of the typical
text enhancements can be applied.
• Autoformats. Tables, columns, and documents can be formatted in many different
ways. Borders can be added, titles can be enhanced, and graphics can be placed in
any type of document. For users who do not have the time or experience to exper-
iment with formats, many word processors include an autoformat feature. This Today’s word-processing
feature lets you preview the look of various styles that can be applied to a docu- packages can create and edit
documents, complete desktop pub-
ment and then select the one you like best to use with your document. Once lishing tasks, and develop web
selected, the format is automatically applied to the entire document under con- pages.
struction.
• Word Art. A fairly recent addition to word processors’ publishing features is the
ability to create fancy, colorful titles. This word art feature offers you the ability to
add color, shapes, and styles to a document’s title or to make sections of your doc-
ument stand out.

• Archiving and Printing

Once a document is completed, word processors provide the ability to save the docu-
ment in numerous formats and to print it out in black and white or color, depending
on the available printers. Archiving or storing a document to a floppy or hard disk
142 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

IN THE CLASSROOM
The Business of Writing

W ord processing has proved to be a valuable tool for grammar

instruction, given that students of all ages enjoy working on
computers. Philip Dodge, who teaches at Elaine Wynn Elementary
names in parentheses. The children decide on a title for their
story, and their version is saved on a disk. Ms. Renner-Smith then
reads the actual text of the book to the children so that they can
School in Las Vegas, Nevada, teaches grammar by showing children compare their story to the original. She says, “By simply chang-
how to recognize grammatical errors and fix them using a word ing the color and increasing the font size of the words they use,
processor. Working in pairs, children are given a short story pre- I am increasing my first-graders’ sight vocabulary and helping
pared by Mr. Dodge. The story contains typographical, semantic, and them to connect with a story before reading.”
editorial mistakes of the kind studied in language arts class. Using Not only teaching but also testing can be varied by using
Cut, Copy, and Paste, the children revise the incorrect copy. They word-processing software. Stephanie Moore, a former instruc-
then insert a relevant image from the File menu or Clip Art button tional technologist for the Jennings, Missouri, schools, tells how
into the revised text. interactive tests can be created with Microsoft Word. The advan-
Big books and word processing form a winning combination tages that result from word-processing quizzes and tests are
for Susan Renner-Smith’s first graders as they learn vocabulary. time-saving templates that can be reused, accessibility to the
“I use my classroom computer monitor as a visual aid!” she tests on computers, printouts for grading, and, if desired, hard
writes. The children gather around the computer where Ms. Ren- copies of the tests to be given in the traditional way.
ner-Smith first shows them the pictures in a big book. She covers
the words with blank sentence strips. Then, turning to the com-
puter and a word-processing program with a font large enough SOURCES: P. Dodge. 2002. Fixing grammar with technology. Retrieved February 13,
to be visible to all, she lets each child in a round-robin dictate a 2003, from http://www.teachers.net/lessons/posts/2584.html; S. Renner-Smith.
sentence to tell the story as they see it by looking only at the pic- 2002. “Fontastic” idea! Creative Classroom (March/April), 26; S. Moore. 2002. Cre-
tures. As they talk, she types the sentences and places their ating tests with Microsoft Word. Instructor (September), 112 (3), 16.

stores the text you typed, along with all of its related formatting commands, in a sin-
gle word-processor file. The formatting commands are called word-processing codes.
These codes vary with the type of word processor used. Because there are many types
of word processors, you may find that a file you create with your word processor is dif-
ferent in appearance or even unreadable when you open it in another type of word
processor. This problem of readability or compatibility may be overcome if a word
processor contains a document conversion program as a part of its program code.
Even if it does not, almost every word processor provides “Save As” choices. To save a
document in other formats, after selecting Save As from the File menu, you will see a
dialog box that typically provides you with a choice of formats. This feature, some-
times referred to as exporting a document, lets you save the same document in multi-
ple formats depending on the other types of word processors that read it.
The final feature shared by all word processors is the ability to print documents.
One of the sets of word-processing codes saved with every document is information
about the type of printer to be used to print the document out. Because a number of
types of printers are available, the printer that is set up as the default printer for the
word processor will be used automatically unless you instruct the program to do oth-
erwise. Some formatting features may change when printer defaults change, thus
unexpectedly changing the way your document looks. It is therefore important to save
your document with the appropriate printer settings to avoid such conflicts. Of course,
as you learned in Chapter 3, printers can just as easily output crisp laser copies as they
can colorful transparencies, depending on the specific capabilities of the hardware.

• Ready-Made Word-Processing Tools

Because word processors are such commonly used tools in education, educators have
developed many documents, templates, and macros. Templates are documents that
are preformatted for a specific use but contain no data. An example of a template
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 143

might be a meeting announcement flyer. To use it, you would open the template with
your word processor to find a fully laid-out flyer. With this premade document open,
you would only need to type in your organization’s name and the date and time of On CD!
your meeting. You can also create templates for your own future use. When you com- Software Skills Builder
plete Word Skills Builder, Rubric Template (on your Companion CD), you will be creat- Word Skills—Rubric Template
ing a template you can use __________ in your classroom.
You can also modify a template further if you want to. A word-processing macro
is a prerecorded set of commands for your word processor that automates a complex
task such as formatting output to fit on labels. Macros are stored in files that can be
retrieved and activated with a few keystrokes. An example of a macro might be a file
that automatically sets up the official school letterhead using the school’s logo and
name. Very often, such predesigned templates and macros are freely shared among
educators across the Internet.

issues in
teac hing Why Can’t I Use the Word Processor
and I Already Know?
technology
S oftware oftware is a medium of communication. To com-
municate easily and with accuracy within a designated
environment, such as a school or school district, a decision must
be made as to how to establish a consistent and unified system
equipment found at a typical work site. Multiple word processors
also affect the effectiveness of network management. Maximizing
the power of networking makes more software available to more
people in the most cost-effective way. Time and effort can be
of software. Potential incompatibility exists across platforms, for saved by centrally managing common software rather than
example, between Apple computers and IBM-compatible PCs or installing and supporting networked versions of a variety of word
between different software vendors. In fact, unless programs are processors.
designed to be totally cross-platform and totally capable of con- A final issue involved in installing multiple, platform-specific
version between software vendors, users of one type of soft- types of software is the training issue. Teachers who are new to
ware will not be able to translate and/or use software created by a system must be offered adequate training opportunities to
other users within the organization. It is as if you were in a rural, ensure that they can use the software available to them. Too
isolated Chinese village and tried to communicate in English or great a variety of software taxes training resources beyond their
as if you were fluent in only one of the many Chinese dialects capacity. Common software decisions allow training to be tar-
and were able to pick out only a few words or phrases. So it is geted, frequent, and at the depth the user needs.
with software. All communicants need to be using the same For the classroom teacher, when software is consistent, com-
“language.” munications and sharing are maximized. Newsletters, calendars,
From an economic perspective, there are additional reasons grade reports, and classwork can be presented and shared in a
for an organization to use common software. It is clear that tech- format that is consistent in content and design. For administra-
nology resources are scarce, so their wise use becomes an tors, alignment of administrative and teaching tasks can be
imperative. Arguments for commonality involve cost, accessibil- achieved only with software that is consistent. If many different
ity, time, support, and training. The cost of duplicating programs programs are in use, there is not enough common ground on
and their support to cater to individual preference is prohibitive. which to ascertain performance.
Site licenses for basic programs represent considerable savings Consistency makes pragmatic sense in the quality and relia-
over single-license purchases or even purchases for small groups bility of the services the software delivers and the ease with
of users. which these services can be rendered to the greatest number of
Support issues for multiple types of software are many. If users at the lowest cost. So although you may have learned a dif-
multiple types of word processors are implemented, for example, ferent word processor before coming to work at a school, it is
the support staff must know how to install, use, and troubleshoot important to be open to alternatives. As in many aspects of
each type to support its users. They must also ensure that all the teaching, flexibility is an important characteristic for any teacher.
types of word processors are fully compatible with the range of This is no less true in dealing with technology.
144 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

A final tool built into most word processors is a wizard. A wizard is a miniprogram
that creates a customized template for you. It asks a series of questions about the for-
Templates, macros, and
mat you desire for your document and then creates a custom template as you respond
wizards can facilitate com- to each question. Wizards will help you create sophisticated documents without hav-
plex word-processing tasks. ing to know how to issue complex formatting commands.

• Word Processors in the Classroom

Word processors offer great promise as a teaching tool as well as a productivity tool for
busy educators. The same features that facilitate the creation of memos and tests can
be creatively applied to teaching and learning. The application of these features to
teaching and learning is summarized in Table 5.3. There are numerous examples of
the creative ways in which teachers have applied the same word processing software
they use for productivity tasks to teaching and learning as well. Teachers use word
processors to make calendars, publish class books of poetry, create newsletters, pre-
ON THE WEB! 5.2 pare flyers, make class stationery, and even author classroom web sites. The In the
How Can Teachers Use Classroom feature on page 000 features just a few innovative teacher-developed appli-
Word Processing for
Teaching and Learning? cations of this common productivity software. Many more can be found in an explo-
ration of the web and through On the Web! Activity 5.2.

❙ Electronic Spreadsheets
Electronic spreadsheet software is to numeric data what word-processing software is to
text. With an electronic spreadsheet software package, you can organize, input, edit
and chart data, and produce accurate professional reports for any administrative task
that deals extensively with numbers. Spreadsheet software not only allows you to
organize numeric information, but also has built-in mathematical and statistical for-
mulas that can be applied to the data with just a few clicks of the mouse button.
Whether adding long columns of data or computing a complex weighted-averaging
formula, electronic spreadsheets complete your mathematical tasks at lightning speed
and with total accuracy. With a spreadsheet, budgets can be easily developed and mod-
ified, grades can be tracked and averaged, and class statistical information can be
extracted. Furthermore, most spreadsheets include built-in graphing capabilities that
can turn numeric data into colorful, three-dimensional pie, bar, or line charts that will
visually illustrate numeric relationships.
One of the key advantages of electronic spreadsheets over their manual counter-
parts is in their accuracy. Given accurate data, a spreadsheet will always produce
accurate results. A second advantage is the fact that spreadsheets can be modified eas-
Spreadsheets manipulate ily. Consider as an example the grade-level media budget pictured in Figure 5.2. If it
numeric data and display it had been done manually and the cost of printer cartridges turned out to be $10
in tables and charts. instead of the budgeted $8, you would have to erase and recalculate a number of dif-
ferent entries on the spreadsheet. With an electronic spreadsheet, however, you would
only need to type in the new value, and all the other entries associated with that value
would be automatically recalculated. This time-saving feature makes electronic
spreadsheets easier to use, less time-consuming, and far more accurate than doing the
calculations manually.
Several software vendors produce electronic spreadsheet programs. Some of
these, such as Microsoft Excel or Lotus, are powerful, business-oriented software pack-
ages that have numerous features. Others are for home or general consumer use, such
as the spreadsheet component of AppleWorks, ClarisWorks, or Microsoft Works.
Regardless of the capabilities of any given spreadsheet package, they all have a full
range of common features.
Your Companion CD demonstrates and provides you practice with Excel, one of
the most common of all electronic spreadsheets. When you try the Excel Skills
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 145

TABLE 5.3 WORD PROCESSING IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Word-Processing Application to Administrative/ Application to Teaching
Feature Professional Tasks and Learning Tasks

Provides capabilities to Allows students to

• Enter documents • Create organized documents
DOCUMENT • Edit documents • Edit errors easily
PREPARATION • Format documents • Add graphics and enhanced text elements
• Correct grammar and spelling • Print draft copies for review and proofreading
• Enhance with graphics • Finalize, correct, and print final copies
• Print color and black and white
Provides or lets you create formats for Provides students with a tool for preparing
DESKTOP
• Forms • Creative presentation of text
PUBLISHING
• Flyers • Alternative report formats (newsletter, comics, minibooks)
• Invitations • Supports for oral reports
• Newsletters
Lets you adjust documents for Students can
• Professional appearance • Experiment with formats for best presentation
FORMATTING • Emphasis on key points Teachers can
• Consistency of appearance • Create appealing documents for their students
• Letterhead and memo styles • Alter documents to meet specific learning needs
Helps to ensure that documents are grammatically correct. Assists students in
• Proofreading and correcting their work
GRAMMAR • Practicing the application of grammatical rules
CHECKING Assists teachers in
• Demonstrating grammar corrections in real time
• Helping students find and correct grammatical errors
Helps to ensure that documents are free from spelling errors. Assists students in
• Proofreading and correcting their work
SPELL- • Practicing correct spelling
CHECKING Assists teachers in
• Demonstrating spelling corrections in real time
• Helping students find and correct spelling errors
Provides an easy way to make form letters personal. Can be used by teachers to individualize reports to stu-
MAIL MERGE
dents and letters to parents.

Provides tools to present information professionally, concisely, Assists students in

and clearly in an organized format. • Organizing data
• Presenting data clearly
• Summarizing key data
TABLES
Assists teachers in
• Creating clear summaries for study guides
• Displaying organized data in support of presentation
• Teaching interpretation of data
Converts files from documents to web format so that they can Allows students and teachers to create documents and
WEB FORMAT be easily added to web sites. save them in web format for display on a class web site
without knowing any HTML.

Provides an inexpensive and easy-to-access archive system for • Saved teacher data files are easy to access and update to
documents. keep lessons current and available.
ARCHIVING • Students can save files for later work or find and reprint
lost hard copies.
• Archived files can easily be added to electronic portfolios.
146 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

Figure 5.2
Electronic Spreadsheet
Application
Spreadsheet software is a use-
ful tool in maintaining school
budgets.

Microsoft Excel® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Builders, you will have an opportunity to see firsthand how the features of this useful
tool can be applied in your classroom for both administrative and academic tasks.

• Spreadsheet Organization
Electronic spreadsheets, like their paper counterparts, organize data into vertical
columns and horizontal rows. The user then types in alphabetic or numeric data in the
appropriate locations. This organizational structure provides the framework for lining
up and clearly labeling numeric information.
The intersections of spreadsheet rows and columns are called cells. It is in the
nature and use of these cells that electronic spreadsheets have great advantage over
their manual counterparts. Each cell of a spreadsheet can contain text, values, or a
formula. This variety of cell content can be seen in Figure 5.2. The cells in column A
all contain labels, and the cells in column B all contain data representing budget
amounts. The cells in columns C–E contain labels, values, subtotals, or totals. Column
D’s cells do not contain totals calculated by hand and then typed in. Instead, they con-
tain instructions to the spreadsheet software directing it to perform a mathematical
calculation—in this case, multiplying the data entered in columns B and C.
This unique and independent data-handling capability of each spreadsheet cell
makes it a quick and easy task to alter or correct the data entered. Furthermore, once
a single cell’s data has been changed, that change will be reflected in all cells that use
that data for a calculation. Thus, if the budget amount for lined paper in Figure 5.2 is
changed, the print media subtotal will also be changed, as will all other related totals.
This automatic recalculation feature is one of the key reasons why spreadsheets have
become as popular a tool for handling numbers as word-processing software has
become for handling text.

• Formulas and Functions

As in all math, formulas are used in a spreadsheet to indicate the types of calculations
that should be performed to achieve a specific outcome. The cells that contain instruc-
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 147

tions that tell the software to perform specific mathematical activities may, in fact, con-
tain detailed formulas that the user has typed in. In addition to user-entered formulas,
most spreadsheets contain hundreds of stored, premade formulas that the user can On CD!
easily place into a cell. These range from formulas appropriate to finance and statistics Software Skills Builder
to those necessary for trigonometry. These built-in formulas make it particularly easy Excel Skills—Club Budget
to direct the spreadsheet software to perform complex mathematical tasks without the
user having to remember the specific syntax of mathematical expressions. You will
practice using formulas and functions in The Excel Skills Builder activity, Club Budget
on your Companion CD. Once you are comfortable with the fomat, you will find elec-
tronic spreadsheets to be powerful and useful tools.

• What-If Analysis
Perhaps the most intriguing feature of an electronic spreadsheet is its ability to per-
form what-if analysis. Because some cells contain outcomes that are the product of
the data in other cells, changes to that data can be immediately reflected in the prod- Spreadsheets offer a
uct. For example, if a teacher is using a spreadsheet to compute grades, the teacher what-if feature for decision
will have entered not only student grade data, but also the formula needed to reflect making.
how those grades will be averaged or weighted. So if a student wanted to know what
his or her average would be if the score on the next test were 100 percent, the teacher
could enter the hypothetical 100 percent into the spreadsheet, and the student could
see the result in terms of a final grade computation. This is a what-if analysis; that is,
what if the student gets a grade of 100 percent—how will that affect the outcome?
This is a valuable tool for both business and education. Some educators have students
keep a spreadsheet of their own grades to motivate their achievement and to keep in
constant touch with their grade in a course.

• Charts and Graphs Spreadsheet graphing

Another useful feature of almost all spreadsheet software is the ability to turn the data makes it easy to visualize
data.
that has been entered into rows and columns into its graphic counterpart. The graph-
ing (also called charting) function allows the user to select specific cells, and the soft-
ware will automatically turn the data in those cells into an accurate graph in any
number of formats from line, to bar, to pie charts. Some spreadsheet software even
On CD!
adds the ability to graph in color and three-dimensional shapes. For professional-look-
Software Skills Builder
ing displays and to assist visual learners, this spreadsheet tool is extremely useful. The
Excel Skills—Student Measurement
Student Measurement Skills Builder activity on your Companion CD will demonstrate Activity
the instructional power of this feature.

• Templates and Macros

Like word-processing software, spreadsheet software makes use of templates and
macros, allowing the user to create and reuse useful spreadsheet formats and com-
mands. Spreadsheet templates and macros can also be found as shareware or freeware On CD!
at numerous educational web sites. You can also create your own spreadsheet tem- Software Skills Builder
plates. Try the Excel Skills Builder activity Grade Keeper, on the Companion CD, to Excel Skills—Grade Keeper
experience this feature.

• Electronic Spreadsheets in the Classroom

Table 5.4 shows how many of a spreadsheet’s key features can be used both adminis- ON THE WEB! 5.3
tratively and in teaching and learning. Just as word-processing software can be repur- Spreadsheet Practice Skills
posed for academic projects, so too can spreadsheet software. Whether a teacher uses Builder
a spreadsheet to track grades or a student uses a spreadsheet to collect and record data
from an experiment, this software provides a wealth of possibilities to the creative
teacher. See the In the Classroom feature on page 000 for just a few of the many cre- ON THE WEB! 5.4
ative activities that educators around the country have developed for using this soft- How Can Spreadsheets
ware. Many more ideas are shared on the web. Try On the Web! Activity 5.4 to discover Enhance Teaching and
Learning?
even more creative adaptations of spreadsheet software.
148 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

IN THE CLASSROOM
Excel-lent Teaching with Spreadsheets

S preadsheets for teaching math to students with special needs

have become an indispensable part of the repertoire for many
teachers. Cindy Bush teaches math to students with a number of
monthly. They are expected to make the spreadsheets have eye
appeal as well by inserting graphics or clip art. Using the hypo-
thetical information M. Heimdal has give them, students track
learning problems, and she uses spreadsheets to reach them. She annual and monthly income, occupation, spouse’s occupation
starts by teaching how to use spreadsheets and follows up with (if married), child support (if divorced), cost of living quarters
problems suitable for spreadsheet application, particularly problems (an apartment), service expenses not included in the rent, and
that call for “multiple steps . . . because they typically require stu- the costs of renter’s insurance, telephone, cable, automobile,
dents to manipulate complex data-something which computers do entertainment, clothing (for entire family, with breakdown for
well and with which students with disabilities have difficulty.” To each person), food, child care (including after-school care for
begin, she has the students use grid paper that she has labeled to school-aged children), household items, personal care, and hol-
approximate a spreadsheet. Showing the students on an LCD panel iday and birthday gifts; the remaining amount is to be deposited
and overhead projector and using the classroom computer, she in a savings account. Students graph and print their spread-
walks them through the process of setting up a spreadsheet while sheets to create visual presentations showing how they spend
they follow along on the grid paper. Moving on to formula input, she their income.
uses a similar procedure but with a transparency and provides prac-
tice time to try out the step.
In her Business Computers and Information class, Jodie
SOURCES: Accessing challenging math curriculum. 2003. Retrieved June 22, 2003,
Heimdal has eighth graders learn to set up and work with a per-
from http://wwwldonline.org/ld_indepthtechnology/opening_the_door_mike.
sonal budget using spreadsheet software. The students create a html; J. Heimdal. 2001. Rates on your life insurance go up last month? Retrieved
spreadsheet with personal information given them and use for- January 10, 2002, from http://www.lessonplanspage.com/printables/
mulas to change numbers as expenses and income fluctuate PCIOMDDevFamilyBudgetOnSpreadsheet812.html.

❙ Database Management Software

Every educator’s job includes the cumbersome tasks of organizing, maintaining, and
retrieving many types of data. Whether it is a student’s home phone number or a
school district’s targeted language arts objectives for the sixth grade, educators must
be able to easily and quickly access and extract the information they need. The pro-
ductivity software that accomplishes this type of task electronically is called a data-
base management system.
Database management software offers educators an easy-to-use system for cre-
ating customized records to contain data, retrieving targeted records, updating and
editing the information in those records, and then organizing clear and accurate
reports from the data (see Figure 5.3). Furthermore, database software allows you to
Database management sort all your data automatically at the touch of a key or to query the database for a
software can organize, sort, match to any single word or phrase. Considering the amount of information an edu-
retrieve, and report data.
cator must deal with, database management software offers many advantages over
manual filing systems.
An electronic card catalog in a media center library is one example of the advan-
tage of database management systems over manual systems. Consider for a moment
the complexity of cataloging or locating a book using a manual system. In manual
cataloging, a book must be cross-referenced on at least three different index cards
under title, author, and subject. All of these must be typed out and manually sorted
and filed. To find the book, the card catalog user must look through drawers full of
cards until just the right card is located. For both the media specialist and the library
patron, the process can be laborious. With an electronic card catalog that is a dedi-
cated database management system of the library collections, the process is much
simplified.
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 149

TABLE 5.4 ELECTRONIC SPREADSHEETS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Spreadsheet Application to Administrative/ Application to Teaching
Feature Professional Tasks and Learning Tasks

Allows for the preparation and display of clearly organized Assists students in
numerical data on individual spreadsheets and in workbooks or • Organizing numerical data
related spreadsheets.
• Creating and testing formulas
• Formatting data to produce clear and concise reports
SPREADSHEETS
AND Assists teachers in
WORKBOOKS • Organizing and reporting numerical data
• Creating customized gradebooks
• Tracking student data
• Presenting clear reports

AUTO- Provides premade formats to give a spreadsheet a distinct pro- Teachers and students can create appealing, professional-
FORMATTING fessional appearance. looking spreadsheet reports.

Provides easy-to-use tools for visual displays of numeric data. Provides students with
• A tool for visual presentation in student reports
• A tool to view saved data visually for better understanding
• A way to visually explore alterations of the numeric data
CHARTING stored in the spreadsheet
Provides teachers with
• A tool for preparing visual reports of abstract mathemati-
cal relationships
• A presentation tool to demonstrate numeric data visually

Assists in preparing accurate calculations that will automatically Helps students

adjust to changes in data. • Create and test formulas
• See changes in mathematical relationships as data
FORMULAS changes
AND
FUNCTIONS Helps teachers
• Demonstrate mathematical concepts in action
• Test and utilize appropriate grading formulas
• Demonstrate to students how final grades are calculated

Allows for the real-time demonstration of the impact of changes Assists students in
in data; e.g., budgeted amounts can be tested for different • Seeing how data changes impact outcomes in mathe-
results. matical scenarios
• Testing relationships and outcomes by manipulating data
WHAT-IF
ANALYSIS Assists teachers in
• Demonstrating changes and the impact of changes on
variable values
• Explaining how different test grades will affect a student’s
final grade

Provides an inexpensive and easy way to store and access Saved data files are easy to access and update to keep
ARCHIVING worksheets for budgets and other numeric files. records current; students using spreadsheets for math prac-
tice can retrieve as needed.
150 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

Figure 5.3
Using a Database Manage-
ment System for Student
Data
Database management soft-
ware helps teachers organize
student information.

Microsoft Access® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

All database management software contains key features to make the organiza-
tion and manipulation of data easy. These key features are summarized in Table 5.5.
Of course database management software packages vary significantly in the extent to
which they can perform these functions, and powerful business database systems offer
many additional features.
On your Companion CD, you will find activities that demonstrate and provide you
practice with Access, Microsoft’s popular and powerful database management soft-
ware. When you try the Access Skills Builders, you will have an opportunity to expe-
rience how the features of this powerful business tool can also be creatively applied in
your classroom to your administrative and academic tasks.

• Database Organization
In database management systems, a field is the electronic storage location in which a
specific type of data is stored. In our library example, a field might contain an author’s
last name in a Last Name field. A record is a collection of all related fields, such as a
record that contains all the information about a specific book. A file is a collection of
all related records, such as a file containing records representing all the books in a
library. This organizational structure provides the facility to organize and manipulate
data at both the macro and micro levels and to easily update and accurately maintain
information.
In our library example, the media specialist can simply type in the data repre-
senting a new acquisition in a new record in the media center’s database file. The
On CD!
database software automatically stores the new record. From that point on, the user
Software Skills Builder
can access that new record according to the data stored in any of the information
Access Skills—ESE Department
Inventory
fields on the record. By typing in a key word or phrase, the user can retrieve the
desired record from the database. This electronic process is a fast and accurate data
input and retrieval system.
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 151

TABLE 5.5 DATABASE SOFTWARE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Database Application to Administrative/ Application to Teaching
Feature Professional Tesks and Learning Tasks

• Allows for the definition of customized database formats. Assists students in

• Provides for inputting and storing large amounts of com- • Thinking through and creating logical data organizations
plex and/or cumbersome data. • Easily entering data for subsequent organization and report-
ing
DATABASES
Assists teachers in
• Creating customized data organization that suits their
specific needs
• Managing student and content data
Provides a format for support staff and aides to input data. Teachers can create easy-to-use and familiar input screens for
FORMS
students to use.

Tools and wizards create professional-looking output. Assists students in

• Presenting project data in a variety of attractive formats
REPORTS
Assists teachers in
• Customizing output for each student, class, or lesson
Provide multiple levels of sorts to make data easy to Assists students in
comprehend. • Practicing alphabetizing skills
• Thinking abstractly to determine appropriate sorts
• Presenting data clearly
SORTING
Assists teachers in
• Presenting data to students in an easy-to-use format
• Demonstrating critical-thinking and alphabetizing skills
• Preparing logical reports
Provides for customized output through the selection of spe- Assists students in
cific records based on predefined criteria. • Practicing logical and critical-thinking skills
• Finding and reporting targeted data
• Identifying key criteria to look for
QUERIES Assists teachers in
• Finding and working with only those records needed
• Demonstrating concepts in equality and Boolean logic
• Presenting real-time demonstrations of critical thinking
Provides an inexpensive and easy way to store and access Saved database files are easy means to use to
data. • Query data
• Access data
ARCHIVING • Update information
• Sort data
• Make reports

• Sorting
Once entered, records can be sorted according to the data in any one or in multiple
fields. Sorting arranges all records in a database into ascending or descending order
based on the alphabetic or numeric characters stored in any field. In our library
example, with this sort function, no matter how many additions or deletions to the
library’s collection of books may occur, the database of holdings is always in alpha-
152 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

betical order and ready to use. And because all the data are stored electronically and
automatically sorted, a record cannot be as easily removed or misfiled as is possible in
a manual system.

• Querying
The query feature selects One of the most significant features of database management is the ability to find one
and displays data that single item of data from the potentially thousands of items in a database. When query-
matches specific criteria. ing a database, the user instructs the software to look for and match targeted criteria.
In our library example, to find a specific author’s name, you would, in a query opera-
tion, instruct the software to look in the Last Name fields of all records to find that tar-
On CD! geted last name. Once it is found, the software returns the record in which the match-
Software Skills Builder ing name resides. Despite the size of the database, any single item of information can
Access Skills—PTA Membership be quickly and easily accessed. The PTA Membership Skills Builder on your Compaion
CD will demonstrate an Access query and give you practice using this feature.

• Reports
Whether you need to print a written summary of all of the records in the database or
only those resulting from a query, most database management software packages con-
tain report formats that ensure a professional and polished look. Reports are essen-
tially templates built into the software to create output that is attractive and easy to
read. Although it is possible to print the entire database, including all fields of all
records, if the database is large, this can result in an overwhelming and difficult-to-
read quantity of data. Using a report instead allows you to use the results of a data-
base query to report only those records you want and then to identify and display only
the desired fields within the records. In our library example, we can easily query the
On CD! database to find any new additions to the library and then create a New Acquisitions
Software Skills Builder Report that includes only the most pertinent information about each book. Your Sci-
Access Skills—Science Database ence Database Skills Builder activity on your Companion CD will help you master
effective reports as well as the other essential features of this ____________________.

• Database Management in the Classroom

ON THE WEB! 5.5 Like word-processing and spreadsheet software, database management software,
Online Skills Builder when creatively applied by educators, can be more than a productivity tool. It can
Database Management become a creative teaching and learning tool when used to categorize, store, access,
and retrieve large amounts of data or to demonstrate logic when creating a query. The
In the Classroom feature gives several examples of such innovation. More ideas are
ON THE WEB! 5.6 available in On the Web! Activity 5.6.
Using Database Manage-
ment Software to Enhance
Teaching and Learning
❙ Presentation Software
Whether for teacher-led presentations or student-led class reports, presentation soft-
ware can help to organize and enhance the delivery of content. Presentation software
includes programs that are designed to create digital support materials for oral pre-
sentations. From a software perspective, presentations are a prearranged group of
electronic slides that present one idea or theme after another. Completed presentations
sequence and display these slides on a computer monitor, large-screen video monitor,
or projection screen (see Figure 5.4). Presentations typically proceed through all slides
in a linear sequence but the software has the capabilities needed for nonlinear, hyper-
link-driven sequencing. These programs, originally designed for use in business as a
Presentation software lets sales and presentation tool, have been adapted by educators to assist the communica-
you create and show elec- tion process by providing electronic visual displays that enhance verbal delivery.
tronic slides to enhance a presenta-
tion. Presentation software includes a wide range of capabilities in one typically very
easy-to-use package. The presentation software Skills Builders on your Companion CD
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 153

IN THE CLASSROOM
Databases in Action

W ith Database management software enables students to col-

lect, organize, and query information. Sara Clark, a student
at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, created a lesson using these
personal likes and dislikes. They also provide a description of the
community in which they live to guide investigators to check out
key locations before assuming the students have been kid-
database features that combines the power of the software and stu- napped. In answering the questions, students input specific
dents love of cars. Students create a database of five popular cars, addresses of these places. The students “publish” all the data in
based on criteria supplied by the teacher. Model, color, price, year, personal database booklets and cover them with construction
and whether a car is used or new are some of the fields for which paper appropriately labeled and attractively designed. A whole-
they have to find information. The students record the information class discussion ends the project by encouraging the students to
as records and save the records in a database file. The teacher then talk about how personal databases such as theirs might prove
selects a fact for one of the cars in the database. Students must valuable in the case of missing persons and, if a personal data-
search the database to match the target criterion for the right car. base were a part of a national database, how parents could be
A New York Times Lesson Plan written by Clayton DeKorne persuaded to submit their children’s information for it, why some
and Tanya Yasmin Chin, shows secondary school students how parents might oppose the plan, and how else technology could
databases support the efforts of law-enforcement agencies to help efforts to find those who are missing.
find missing persons. The students “create a database of infor-
mation about themselves and detailed maps of their local com- SOURCES: S. Clark. 2002. #2556. Cars. Retrieved May 20, 2003, from
munity” as part of the project. Into their personal database they http://www.teachers.net/lessons/posts/2566.html; C. DeKorne, & T. Y. Chin. 2002.
enter pertinent information about themselves such as full name, Links to the missing: Exploring how technology is used in locating missing persons.
birth date, color and type of hair, eye color, distinguishing fea- Retrieved May 4, 2002, from http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/
tures, favorite clothes, food and entertainment preferences, and lessons/20020425thursday_print.html.

provide both demonstration and practice in the use of these features. The most com-
mon features of presentation software are summarized here.
On CD!
• Multimedia Elements Software Skills Builder
PowerPoint Skills—Class Rules
The individual slides in a presentation slide show can contain a number of multime-
dia elements including text, graphics, animation, sound, and video clips. The software
can thus create a presentation appealing to the variety of learning modalities found in
a typical audience of learners. The slide show as a whole may also contain multime-
dia elements that tie the slides together, adding interest and excitement to the presen-
tation. Each multimedia element included in a presentation can be constructed from
scratch or copied from other sources and easily pasted into slides.

• Wizards and Templates

Although multimedia presentations of this complexity may seem difficult to create
most presentation software programs include built-in wizards that help even a novice
computer user to create very professional and attractive presentations. In addition, the On CD!
software includes a variety of slide templates with designer formats already created Software Skills Builder
and ready to fill in. For busy teachers who use these templates, the design tasks are PowerPoint Skills—Creating an
Outline
already done and only the content needs to be added.

• Resource Libraries
Although art, photos, and animation can be created or scanned for inclusion in a cus-
tomized presentation, presentation software also offers useful libraries of multimedia
from which to choose. Electronic clip art, animation, sound, and video libraries are
typically included on the presentation software CD-ROM. These resources and built-in
help features assist any user in creating professional-looking slides. With minimal
training, educators and students alike can create and display complex and high-qual-
ity slide show presentations using just the software’s library resources.
154 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

Microsoft PowerPoint® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Figure 5.4
Using Presentation
Software
With presentation software, • Hyperlinks
you can construct slides and Many presentation software programs include hypermedia features that make them
view the results in a slide seem more like multimedia authoring software than presentation tools adapted from
show presentation. business. Such programs include hyperlink capability via buttons to hyperjump (move
directly to a target slide) to out-of-sequence slides, other slide shows, or even other
software. Adding a hyperlink to a word, image, or button is as simple as clicking on a
toolbar button and typing in the slide number or Internet address you wish to jump to.

• Animation
Many presentation software packages also come with built-in options for dramatic
special effects that can be applied to the moment of transition between slides or to the
way bulleted items appear on a slide. Such animation schemes add visual interest and
excitement to the concepts presented in text on the screen. Sound effects may also be
included with animation to add auditory interest as well.

• Printing
In addition to displaying the presentation itself, presentation software typically
includes a variety of printing options for the presenter. Once the presentation is cre-
ated, a hard copy can be printed and copied for distribution to the viewers. A presen-
tation can be printed out as an outline, as a speaker’s note pages, or as customized
audience handouts displaying anywhere from one to six slides per page. In addition,
with a color printer and transparency film, each slide of the presentation can be
printed out as a transparency for use on an overhead projector.

• Display Options
In addition to a presenter-controlled display, presentation software provides alterna-
tive display options. A presentation can be set to display itself as a timed, self-playing
slide show that will run without assistance by either the presenter or the viewer. This
is a particularly useful feature to use for a self-guided display in a classroom center or
in a library to guide students as they begin a group or individual task.

• Presentation Software in the Classroom

One of the most successful applications of presentation software takes presentation
preparation beyond helping an educator prepare an effective lecture. Presentation
software is especially valuable when used by students to create support materials for
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 155

their own presentations. The software can help students organize their thoughts into
manageable and logical chunks as a result of the automatic limitation of information
displayable on any given slide. Further, discrimination and critical thinking are applied
as the students review the quantity of material they have found in their research and
then pare it down and identify key elements. Finally, as a by-product of using presen-
tation software in this way, students gain valuable experience with multimedia-type
software and with basic computer and software skills. Students enjoy and can be
highly motivated by the software component of their report project, which in turn
leads to improved retention and learning.
With the inclusion of the multimedia elements of text, sound, graphics, anima- On CD!
tion, special effects, and audio and video clips, these high-end presentation programs Software Skills Builder
become essentially hybrid authoring systems. You will find that these packages are PowerPoint Skills—Math Flash Cards
useful for anything from creating a transparency to developing multimedia tutorials.

TABLE 5.6 PRESENTATION SOFTWARE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Presentation Application to Application to
Software Feature Professional Tasks and Learning Tasks

• Allows for the creation of a sequence of screens that pres- Assists students in
ent content and information • Thinking through and organizing logical reports
• Individual screens can be printed on transparency film for • Preparing support materials for oral reports
use with an overhead projector
SLIDES Assists teachers in
• Creating customized presentation of content
• Creating transparencies
• Presenting professional reports to colleagues
Allows for the addition of graphics, charts, and photos to Assist teachers and students in presenting visually rich content
GRAPHICS
illustrate content

Provides tools to include audio and video files as a compo- Assists students in
nent of individual slides • Adding multimedia to the presentation of content
MULTIMEDIA
Assists teachers in
• Adding elements to presentations to address diverse learn-
ing styles
Provide tools for non-sequential linking of individual slides Assists students in
to allow for individualized exploration of content • Critical thinking, organizing, and planning content
• Creating individualized study tools and reports
HYPERLINKS • Presenting data clearly
Assists teachers in
• Preparing tutorials and electronic flash cards
• Individualizing instruction
Provides for customized output options Assists students in
• Preparing class handouts to support oral reports
Assists teachers in
PRINTING
OPTIONS
• Creating speaker’s notes to assist in presentation
• Preparing class handouts and activity worksheets
• Preparing content outlines
LAYOUTS AND Provides easy-to-use tools to add professional looking lay- Assists teachers and students in presenting professional looking
SPECIAL outs and exciting special effects to slide presentations and stimulating presentations and reports
EFFECTS
156 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

IN THE CLASSROOM
Pointing the Way: Presentation Technology
W ith Heather Tietz found a way to use PowerPoint to stimulate
the interest of her fifth-grade students in the expository writing
assignment given annually. The assignment was to research and
to show their parents.
In Astoria, Oregon, the students in Mike Baker’s accelerated
biology class at Astoria High School pursue studies of their envi-
write a report consisting of multiple paragraphs on a United States ronment near Ft. Clatsop, the site of Lewis and Clark’s head-
state. The time devoted to this project spanned three months, quarters during the winter of 1805–1806. Mr. Baker is involved in
December to March. Ms. Tietz saw a way to transform the assign- the Lewis and Clark Rediscovery Program, which encourages
ment from being boring to bieng fun by havnig her students use the combining teaching history and science in a technology-enriched
computer lab and prepare PowerPoint presentations. curriculum. His students collect data on the water quality of the
In their initial research, the students found material from dif- Young’s River Estuary and share their findings with other stu-
ferent sources, in this case, books, web sites, and online refer- dents who are part of the GLOBE international environmental
ence sites. They used phrases in their notes—no sentences, to program (http://www.globe.gov) and with adults in the Lower
prevent plagiarism—which were written on index cards they Columbia Estuary Group. In collaboration with the latter group,
would use to prepare their PowerPoint slides. The students then students create electronic presentations to enhance the oral
took the cards to the computer lab, where, after half an hour of reports they deliver. Mr. Baker says his “tech-savvy kids” enjoy
instruction, they were ready to begin creating their presenta- “making a contribution through science” to both groups.
tions. The note phrases served as a starting point for the creation
of the slides. With the outline created via PowerPoint, students
could add visuals such as clip art and word art to make the slides SOURCES: H. Tietz. 2002. Savoring expository writing through PowerPoint.
attractive. The slides were then used as the basis for their written Retrieved June 10, 2003, from http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/
research papers. For Open House, Ms. Tietz placed the Power- WCE/archives/htietz.html; Ocean in view. 2002. Retrieved May 12, 2003, from
Point presentations on the classroom computer for the students http://www97.intel.com/education/odyssey/day_289/day_289.htm.

On your Companion CD, you will be able to see and try activities that utilize the many
ON THE WEB! 5.7
features of presentation software. These activities feature Microsoft PowerPoint, one of
Online Practice Skills
Builder the leading presentation software packages available today.
Presentation Software If “a picture is worth a thousand words,” as the saying goes, the popularity of
presentation software integrated into the curriculum is well justified. A cursory look
at a few actual classroom projects in the In the Classroom feature reveals a wide range
ON THE WEB! 5.8 of possibilities for taking presentation software beyond its role as a productivity tool
How Can Teaching and and using it as the means to an invigorating revitalization of instruction. Many more
Learning Be Enhanced with ideas can be found by completing On the Web! Activity 5.8.
Electronic Presentations?

❙ Integrated Productivity Packages

As you have learned, productivity software is often packaged in application suites of
programs that share a similar look and feel. Office productivity software bundles, such
as Microsoft Office, are examples of this distribution format. Occasionally, however,
software vendors integrate three distinct software applications (word processing,
spreadsheets, and database management) into a single comprehensive blended appli-
cation. These combined programs are called integrated productivity packages. Indi-
vidual software components of integrated packages include many but not all of the
capabilities of the stand-alone application packages. Typically, an integrated package
contains the most popular and widely used components of each major type of pro-
ductivity tool (see Figure 5.5). These are combined together in a single easy-to-use
software program. Many schools opt for an integrated package for classroom use
because many of the advanced features of office software are used only occasionally
by educators, and combined packages are easier to learn and use than separate pro-
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 157

Figure 5.5
Integrating Productivity
Software
Several productivity applica-
tions may be merged together
to form an integrated pack-
age.

Microsoft Works® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

grams. Typically, integrated productivity software is a more economical purchase for

a school. Its reduced cost is reflected not only in the initial price of the software, but
also in the time it takes to train people to use it. One of the chief advantages of an inte-
grated productivity package is that you have to learn only one comprehensive software
package rather than having to learn three individual packages. Furthermore, little of
the functionality that the average educator needs is sacrificed in these streamlined
applications.
Whether using a productivivity suite or an integrated package, it is important to
carefully review and evaluate software before purchasing it. The Productivity Software ON THE WEB! 5.9
Using Productivity Soft-
Evaluation Rubric (Table 5.7) will help you make a considered decision before select-
ware
ing productivity software.

Evaluating and Using School and Classroom

Management Support Software
The second major category of administrative software is school and classroom man-
agement support software. This type of software assists educators in accomplishing
the many tasks associated with the day-to-day management of their classrooms or
their schools. Whether the task is keeping an alphabetized grade roll, taking atten-
dance, or creating an up-to-date seating chart, management support software is avail-
able to make the task easier. Management support
software helps to manage
Management support software is written for use at the district and school levels
class rolls, student information, and
and by the individual classroom teacher (see Figure 5.6). Implemented at the district class reporting.
level, management software can offer many advantages. Software implemented by the
district and offered to all schools and classrooms via networks can provide a standard-
ized platform for entering and tracking student data. Furthermore, such software
158 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

TABLE 5.7 PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE EVALUATION RUBRIC

SOFTWARE:
DESCRIPTION:
VENDOR: COST:
NOTES ON USE:
Please rate the features below for each piece of software. Next to each of the items in the rubric, check the box that best reflects
your opinion.

EVALUATION CRITERIA
1 2 3 4 5
Software Below Above
Feature Poor Average Average Average Excellent

Documentation Documentation is Documentation is Documentation is Clear documentation Very clear, user-friendly

excessively technical generally understand- user-friendly and that is logical and documentation that
and/or difficult to able but not very reasonably easy to easy to follow leaves no questions
follow user-friendly follow
Technical No local or toll-free No local support; Local support and Local tech help avail- Local help and toll free
suppport telephone support phone support avail- phone support avail- able for modest fee; support readily avail-
available able for an hourly fee able for modest fees no charge phone able at no charge
support
Multiple users Cannot be used by Usable by multiple Payment of a rela- No additional fee but Comes with permission
more than one user users if per-user tively small fee allows allows addition of up for multiple users
licensing is purchased some users to 10 users
Help features Few or no help Help limited to a Help Clicking a Help Help button is Highlighting and click-
features available or Read-Me file on button provides on- content-sensitive and ing area of difficulty
installation CD screen assistance with provides clear help brings up a related help
common problems feature
Tutorials No tutorials provided Tutorials may be Limited tutorial Tutorials offered as Extensive online and
ordered for a fee provided on CD or an online option or CD based tutorials
may be requested on CD provided
without charge

often has the option of interfacing with the web. Web-enhanced districtwide manage-
ment software can make student grades stored in a teacher’s electronic gradebook
accessible to the students’ parents by means of a password. District-level software can
also track attendance for school, districtwide, and state reporting purposes. When
implemented district, management software expands the capabilities of similar soft-
ware used in individual classrooms.
School-level management support software typically includes customized soft-
ware that helps the district track district-wide enrollment, manage finances and budg-
ets, and report on its operations both internally and externally. For example, schools
designed with a computerized attendance system may have the teacher workstation in
the classroom configured so that the teacher can report attendance by entering it into
the school management software on the networked computer. The attendance data is
then collected with that from other schools across a district and tallied daily. This type
of districtwide application allows every school to maintain and access up-to-date and
accurate information on enrollment, expenditures, and attendance.
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 159

EVALUATION CRITERIA
1 2 3 4 5
Software Below Above
Feature Poor Average Average Average Excellent

Administrative Lacks some of the Only basic features Basic features and Includes most of the Comprehensive fea-
features commonly included are included additional features features desired tures included
basic features are included
Multiple platforms Works on only one Although purchased Program will run on May be used on multi- May be used on multi-
operating system for one platform, multiple operating ple platforms; features ple platforms with con-
versions for other systems; features may similar although not sistent features across
platforms may be vary with platform identical platforms
purchased
Conversion/ No provision for con- Cannot be imported Can be converted, im- Easily converted into Fully compatible via
import/export version between or exported into other ported, or exported common formats; conversion, import, and
features software programs but can be into programs by maintains most of export with all vendors
converted into a few major vendors format features
of the more popular
formats
All needed Missing many appli- Some needed appli- Most of the expected All basic applications Includes applications
applications (if cations that are cations missing from applications are included and fully beyond those needed;
a suite or inte- needed package included and com- integrated full integration within
grated software) patible with each suite and compatible
other with other vendor
software
Hardware Requires upgrades Requires limited up- Will work on most Works acceptably on Maximum performance
compatibility for some hardware grades to some machines without all machines without with no hardware up-
to work on all machines upgrades upgrades grades required on any
machines machines
Cost Expensive when Cost is relatively Average cost Reasonably priced; Special pricing for
compared to high when compared includes some educational users
other vendors to other vendors discounts
Total the score for each piece of software. Compare the scores. The piece of software with the highest score is
your best choice.

At the classroom level, management support software makes managing class

rolls, student information, and class reporting easier. Such software often includes a
variety of tools packaged together that have the same look and feel. It is also often able
to transfer data seamlessly between components. These packages contain programs
that help the teacher create student rolls (often with a wide range of built-in grading
functions), assist in making and maintaining seating charts, help in attendance track-
ing and reporting, and provide a statistical and graphing component for assessment
feedback (see Figure 5.7). Teachers using one of these software tools might begin the
term by entering their students’ names into the class roll component of the program
and then generating an alphabetical class seating chart, a daily attendance report,
and summary reports of both grades and attendance whenever interim reporting is
necessary. Some packages even interface with district computers so that teachers can
simply download their student rolls directly from the district computers rather than
having to enter the initial data by hand. Management support packages are also often
customizable so that all teachers using these tools can work with a format that is com-
fortable for them.
160 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

District network provides

school-level management
support software
to all district schools

Classroom management support software

may include software provided through
the district network, the school network,
or may be software installed on the hard
drive of an individual workstation.

Figure 5.6
School and Classroom Management Systems

❙ Portfolio Assessment Software

For teachers who regularly use portfolio assessment, an alternative type of assessment
for tracking student progress, classroom management support tools provide useful
assistance in the many and sometimes complex tracking tasks required. Portfolio
assessment is a type of performance assessment that enables the teacher to assess
competencies on the basis of a collection of student work rather than by using test
scores. Portfolio assessment software provides the teacher with the tools necessary to
document student achievement. Typically, these tools include portfolio formats and
On CD!
checklists and the ability to add comments and create custom reports. Some portfolio
Software Skills Builder
software tools also offer the teacher and student the option of maintaining portfolios
Using Word to Create an Electronic
in an electronic format with the capacity to electronically “snapshot,” view, and col-
Portfolio
lect student work to share with parents. For special education teachers, alternative
assessment software tools include those that generate, track, and produce reports for
required individual education plans (IEPs) for special needs students.
Whether portfolio software is designed for hard copy or digital output, the power-
ful features of this type of management software offer support for the authentic assess-
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 161

GradeQuick and associated images are registered trademarks of Jackson Software,

Inc. Reprinted by permission.

Figure 5.7
Sample GradeQuick Screens
Classroom management software helps teachers maintain class grades, seating charts, and attendance.

ment of student achievement. Although each vendor adds some unique options, elec-
tronic portfolio software will typically include the following key features:

• Organization by Standards and Competencies

The goal of a portfolio is to create a collection of student work, teacher commentary,
and other files that evidence student progress and achievement. Portfolio assessment
software packages offer a variety of ways to organize and store examples of student
work as well as your assessment of it. The software usually offers teachers a way to
define specific content areas or other academic categories and then identify related
standards and competencies. Copies of student work and its evaluation can then be
organized according to the competencies it evidences. Over time, organizing and
162 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

SOURCE: From http://www.oswego.org/staff/ccarroll/portfolio

SOURCE: From http://www.oswego.org/staff/ jburger/portfolio

Electronic portfolios provide an easy-to-use and effi-

cient way to digitally record, store, organize, and dis-
play ___________________
SOURCE: From http://www.chalkandwire.com/eportfolio/overview/Makespreso.html

storing longitudinal records in this manner offers a cumulative view of student

achievement over the course of an academic year or from year to year.

• Observations
Portfolio assessment software often includes a way to record observations of student
behaviors and notations on academic progress. Using either standard or teacher-
defined commentary, observation entries offer teachers an opportunity to record stu-
dent evaluations and comments related to them.

• Multimedia Samples
Many portfolio assessment software packages include the ability to record images and
audio and video samplings of student works. Audio-clip recordings of students read-
ing standard passages or a sample of a student-created PowerPoint presentation offer
multimedia evidence of current student progress.
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 163

• Customization
Since every school district has its own unique standards and assessment guidelines,
most portfolio assessment software is customizable to address specific standards and to
assess student work using the district’s criteria. Legends identifying standards and
assessment methods are often definable by teachers so that their unique grading and
assessment notes match the requirements of their school or district.

• Hyperlinks
Some portfolio assessment software provides the capability of creating links that can
be used to navigate the electronic portfolio of a student’s work. Often related to stan-
dards, benchmarks, or competencies, these links offer an accurate and holistic picture
of a student’s achievement relative to target achievement. Hyperlinks also offer an
intuitive and easy-to-use method for examining a portfolio’s contents.
Electronic portfolio assessment software may be dedicated software designed ON THE WEB! 5.10
specifically to create e-portfolios, or it may be multipurpose software adapted to creat- Electronic Portfolios
ing portfolios. Several popular multimedia and authoring software packages can eas-
ily be adapted to portfolio generation. For more precise and complete e-portfolios, such
as those directly related to targeted standards or those that conform to district guide-
lines (such as IEPs), dedicated portfolio software may be required.

❙ Evaluating and Selecting Support Software

School or districtwide management support software may be custom-tailored to meet
the needs of the district. Educators’ interaction with this type of districtwide software
may be limited to attending the necessary training sessions to ensure that they know
how to use the software effectively. Classroom management software, however, requires
careful review and evaluation on the part of the teachers who will be using it. Some
classroom management systems are offered via freeware or shareware from the Inter-
net or other software sources. Others may be inexpensive packages available to educa-
tors who are using a vendor’s other software titles. Still others may be substantial but
expensive comprehensive classroom management solutions. Although it is tempting to
decide quickly to select freeware or shareware rather than the expensive software, there
is a longer-term investment that must be considered. Whichever software is selected,
educators must spend precious time learning to use it and entering data into it. In addi-
tion to this initial time investment, once student records are stored in a particular soft-
ware format, the format may be difficult to change. If, after the initial selection of man-
agement software, an educator decides that the program does not have all of the desired
components, changing to another software package may require reentering a great
deal of data. Thus, even more time is invested. As with all software acquisitions, it is
important to make a careful and thoughtful selection at the onset. The Manage Class- ON THE WEB! 5.11
room Management Software Evaluation Rubric (Table 5.8) will help you evaluate and Management Software
choose the most appropriate classroom management software.

Software, Teaching, and Learning:

A Practical Approach
To end this discussion of administrative software, let us return to the hypothetical sit-
uation presented in the chapter preview. Imagine that your school district has decided
to make a major technology initiative for the twenty-first century. As a result, you have
just been given five new computer systems for use in your classroom. The computer-
support department tells you that you have a software budget with which you can
164 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

TABLE 5.8 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE EVALUATION RUBRIC

SOFTWARE:
DESCRIPTION:
VENDOR: COST:
NOTES ON USE:
To help you determine the value of a piece of classroom management software that you want to evaluate, please rate the
features listed below. Next to each of the items in the rubric, check the box that best reflects your opinion.

EVALUATION CRITERIA
1 2 3 4 5
Software Below Above
Feature Poor Average Average Average Excellent

Installation Minimal or missing Instructions poorly Instructions fairly Clear and user- Step-by-step installation
insructions installation instruc- written and some- clear and complete friendly written instructions appear
tions what difficult to instructions when the CD is
follow inserted
Site licensing No licensing available Somewhat expensive Site licensing available Low licensing rates Multiple educators may
provisions and/or limited site at reasonable cost for educators use without paying a
licensing fee
Technical No local or toll-free No local support; Local support and Local tech help avail- Local help and toll-free
support telephone support phone support avail- phone support avail- able for modest fee; support readily avail-
available able for an hourly fee able for modest fees no-charge phone able at no charge
support
Ease of updates No provisions for Must purchase new Updates for less than Minimal fee for up- Free updates available
updates versions; most data cost of new versions; dates; data fully onine; seamless trans-
will transfer to new data transferrable compatible fer of data
version
Tutorials No tutorials provided Tutorials may be Limited tutorial Tutorials offered as Extensive online and
ordered for a fee Provided on CD or an online option or CD-based tutorials
may be requested on CD provided
without charge

augment the collection of district productivity software from which you can choose.
Will you know what to do? Will you know which types of software will best accomplish
the tasks you need to do? Will you know what to select to improve your productivity
and make the administrative tasks associated with your job easier? Perhaps now you
are better able to tackle these questions.
Still, even armed with an understanding of the role of administrative software in
teaching and learning, with so many types of software packages available, a busy edu-
cator is faced with a significant demand of time and energy just to explore and decide
on software for his or her classroom. Indeed, the tasks of researching, evaluating, and
mastering the features of even the most appropriate software packages might seem
daunting, but they are entirely necessary. Technology resources are limited in most
school districts. Wise use of these limited funds is a skill every computer-using educa-
tor must master. This problem is no different from many others faced by educators ded-
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 165

EVALUATION CRITERIA
1 2 3 4 5
Software Below Above
Feature Poor Average Average Average Excellent

Multiple Works on only one Although purchased Program will run on May be used on multi- May be used on multi-
platforms operating system for one platform, multiple operating ple platforms; features ple platforms with con-
versions for other systems; features may similar although not sistent features across
platforms may be vary with platform identical platforms
purchased

Student report Can record and report Reports can be modi- Using templates, Customizable reports Data may be reported
capabilities out data only in form fied so only the data reports can be gene- and forms can be out in any format
it was entered is reported out rated; minor modifi- easily created and desired
cations can be made printed

Notation No provision for Can attach brief notes Notes can be entered Data entry forms in- Call up record by name;
capabilities notations on problems but can’t and added to later clude provision for click on problem type;
add action taken at a unlimited comments appropriate report
later time on the problem and form appears auto-
the actions taken matically

Special needs No capability for Notes limited to 10 Notes may be made Limit of 100 words; Unlimited notes may be
report notes or reports words; may be re- up to 50 words and both templates and made, and desired re-
capabilities ported out on tem- printed out; supplied instructor-designed ports can be designed
plates provided templates may be forms may be used and printed out
modified by user for reports

Nonacademic Cannot record or Limited provision to Numerical and text Numerical and text Unlimited data entry
information report any non- record and report data, up to 50 char- may be entered; capabilities; customiz-
capabiities academic data nonacademic data acters, can be multiple field sizes able reports can be
in the same form it entered and then available; various printed as desired
was entered selectively reported templates for
out reporting

Total the score for each piece of software. Compare the scores. The piece of software with the highest score is
your best choice.

icated to executing their professional responsibilities effectively and efficiently and to

making the learning experiences of their students as complete and exciting as possible.
From the discussion of software on the preceding pages, it is clear that administrative
software can facilitate a wide variety of teaching tasks in the classroom, in your school,
and across the district. It is up to you to become adequately familiar with this type of
software to make the time you devote to administrative tasks as productive as possible.
In the next chapter, you will explore the other major category of software used by
educators: academic software. There you will learn about the wide variety of academic
software possibilities that you can integrate into teaching and into learning. For com-
puter-using educators, knowledge of administrative and academic software packages
and the hardware necessary to run them is the foundation for the effective use of com-
puters in teaching and learning. You are well on your way toward establishing the firm
foundation you will need when you teach.
166 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

KEY TERMS
academic software 000 productivity software 000
administrative software 000 school and classroom management support
classroom management support soft- software 000
ware 000 shareware 000
database management 000 templates 000
electronic spreadsheet 000 what-if analysis 000
freeware 000 wizard 000
integrated productivity packages 000 word-processing software 000
macro 000 WYSIWYG 000
presentation software 000

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER REVIEW
1. How do academic and administrative software differ?
2. What is productivity software? How can it be adapted to benefit teaching and learning? Give
specific examples.
3. Name three types of software that might be included in classroom management support soft-
ware. Describe an application for each.
4. What is desktop publishing? How does it differ from word processing? How is it the same?
5. What are the key features of word-processing software? How might you use each in complet-
ing administrative tasks?
6. What are the advantages and features of electronic spreadsheets? How do you see them as a
benefit in an educational environment?
7. Define database management software and describe how you might use it to help you in your
teaching responsibilities. How might you construct a learning assignment for your students that
uses this productivity tool?
8. What is presentation software?
9. Describe the difference between an integrated productivity package and a productivity suite.
10. Why is it important to take the time to fully evaluate administrative software before buying it?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1. List the top ten things you think you need to know about administrative software to be an
effective computer-using educator. Why is each of these things critical in your technology deci-
sion making?
2. For most productivity software, many see the ability to save data in electronic format as a sig-
nificant advantage over hard copy. Do you agree that this characteristic of productivity software
is of value in education? Explain why or why not.
3. There is some concern over the use of database software for private student records. How might
using a database management system make it easier to violate the privacy of student informa-
tion? Do you think the benefits of such systems outweigh the risks? Explain your position.
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 167

4. Some educators think that it is too much trouble to learn the administrative software packages
that might assist them in completing their required paperwork. Others believe that the benefits
in productivity and editability of records outweigh the effort it takes to master the programs.
What do you think?

LEARNING TOGETHER!
The following activities are designed for learning groups of three to five students.
1. Assume that you and your learning group make up the technology committee for your school.
The committee has been assigned the task of deciding whether to upgrade or change the pro-
ductivity software application suite your school has used over the past two years. Create a list
of all of the issues that must be considered before making this decision. Then itemize the list
and weigh each item in terms of its priority in importance to teaching and learning. Finally,
describe the process you would go through to use the list and make your software decision.
2. Have each member of your learning group interview a teacher who uses any of the four major
types of productivity software. Ask the teacher how he or she uses the software to help per-
form teacher management tasks and how he or she uses it to help children learn. Compare
the interview responses with those of the other members of your group. Be prepared to share
what you have learned with your peers.
3. You and your group members are team-teaching a science unit on climate to the grade level of
your choice. Describe how you might integrate each of the four main types of productivity soft-
ware into your unit. Create an instructional design, using the dynamic instructional design
model you learned in Chapter 2, that articulates your unit.

HANDS-ON!
1. Examine the features of a productivity software suite or classroom management application.
Using the evaluation rubric for the type of software you select, determine its potential for your
use. Word-process a description of how you might use this type of software in teaching and
learning. Be sure to add graphics and word art, if available, to help communicate your ideas.
Need more practice? For word-processing Skill Builders, check the text web site: http://www.
ablongman.com/lever-duffy, or your Companion CD.
2. Electronic portfolios enable you to capture and present student work for a more authentic and
holistic assessment of progress and achievement. Visit three different electronic portfolio web
sites, including an e-portfolio software vendor web site, a publication about electronic portfo-
lios in the classroom, and a web site presenting samples of student portfolios. After visiting the
sites and becoming more familiar with the use of electronic portfolios, create an e-portfolio
template of your own for the presentation of your future students’ work using the software of
your choice. Share the portfolio template with your peers.
3. Using the productivity software of your choice, create lesson support materials that explain the
steps you should take to make effective hardware or software buying decisions. You may create
one of the following: a rubric or publication with a word processor; a technology budget using
an electronic spreadsheet that offers what-if analysis; or a presentation that guides potential
purchasers through technology decision making. Share your materials with your peers.
168 PART II Applying Technologies for Effective Instruction www.ablongman.com/lever-duffy

Real People
Return to Troy Robinson
Real Stories
A s I pondered the mammoth summer school task before me, I
realized that it was time to try out a type of productivity soft-
ware I had learned about in college and used once before: database enter the school that each student attended and the first, second,
management. I decided to use my Macintosh LC II computer and and third choices for the two enrichment classes that each student
Microsoft Works 3.0. Works includes several integrated programs wanted.
that work together for ease of use. These programs included a word I made sure that the database template for the summer school
processor, a spreadsheet program, and the database program I programs was provided to each classroom teacher. A miniworkshop
needed. was provided to the teachers, so they would know how to enter their
About ten years earlier, I had used AppleWorks to track students students’ data. At the end of the second quarter, the teachers were
in Chapter 1, a federally funded remedial program. The database able to print a full report from the database. Using that report, I was
enabled me to keep alphabetical lists of the students and their crite- able to generate a notification letter to parents with the report cards,
ria and to easily sort the students by grade level and/or classroom and the date of the letter was entered in the database. The teachers
teacher. While this was a simpler type of database, I thought I might were proud of themselves for being able to use this tool, and I was
be able to use the more powerful Works software to handle the happy to see how much easier the summer school preparation
more complicated and extensive data that I now needed to maintain process was going than in previous years.
and manipulate. As the third quarter came to a close, district administrators
There were approximately 700 potential summer school students requested summer school projections from the schools. This infor-
in the school population, including the additional gifted students mation was required to plan for bus drivers and other budget-
from my school and the three neighboring schools. I had to plan for related items such as teachers’ salaries, clerical support, and lunch-
the number of classes, classroom space, instructional materials, and room facilities. After teachers had updated the records based on
teachers that I would need during the summer. I needed to make the third-quarter information, I asked them to send their databases to
children and their parents aware of the summer school requirement me as an email attachment. From these emails I was able to copy
for those who had not met grade-level expectations. I also needed to and paste the records from the databases into one master database
publicize the various enrichment classes that were available to the file. With just a little more manipulation of the data, I was able to
gifted students, and I had to keep track of the two classes that each print the reports requested by the district administrators. As the end
student selected. of the year approached, class lists were formed, names were merged
Staying aware of each at-risk student’s status was an additional into form letters, and parents were sent the final official notification
monumental problem because the checklist of indicators for mastery about summer school.
of the expectations was reviewed regularly throughout the period I used the same process for the summer school gifted program.
from January to May. Preparing regular reports to reveal the number The assistant principals of the other schools sent their students’ data
of students and the required instructional area (reading, writing, in typed lists. I entered the data in the database and generated per-
and/or math) that they would need to take was just too time-con- sonalized letters to the students letting them know the classes from
suming to do by hand. Technology had to play a role in the imple- which they could choose for the summer program. As the students’
mentation of this year’s summer school planning. responses were returned, I entered their choices in the database and
After digging out the Microsoft Works documentation and began the process of identifying the most requested classes. When
reviewing the chapter on the database application, I decided that it this was completed, I added two final fields in which I could enter
would be necessary to create two database files—one for the stu- each student’s two classes. The students’ names and classes were
dents who would be required to attend summer school to master the merged into form letters. These letters were sent to the students’
grade-level expectations and one for the gifted students. The types of schools for distribution.
data and the way that the data would be manipulated were totally Adapting database management software to the summer school
different for the two groups of students. planning process proved to be one of my best ideas yet. The process
In database management, one of the most important steps is was smooth and easily managed. The data was at everyone’s finger-
defining the type of information (fields) that needs to be included. In tips just when they needed it. Reports, letters, and schedules were
addition to the usual fields for first and last names, teacher, and easily generated. This one component of Works saved countless
grade, I decided I would need fields for the indicators for mastery of hours of work for me and for our teachers. It was the easiest sum-
the expectations and the various dates that had to be maintained mer school planning experience I ever had, and all thanks to the
throughout the identification process. For the gifted summer school application of a piece of software I already had on my office com-
program, I could omit the fields for eligibility criteria; but I needed to puter.
 Chapter 5 Administrative Software 169

As I continued in the role of assistant principal, I often marveled a little knowledge or particular technology skill picked up in college
that many of my colleagues were not using this fabulous tool to that ends up providing some of the most useful and incredible solu-
expedite their routine tasks. I shared my success in using this tool to tions to the many challenges faced on the job.
maintain massive amounts of important data, produce required
reports for districtwide planning, and provide timely information to
parents. In successive years, my basic database was adapted and Contact Information: J. Troy Robinson, assistant principal, Cannella
shared with the assistant principals in the 100+ elementary schools Elementary School, Tampa, Florida. Email: robint@nova.edu. Web
across the district. site: http://www.nova.edu/~robint.
This experience taught me to always look for technology solu-
tions, especially for those time-consuming tasks that all educators
must face. Sufficient time to do all that we need to do is one of the SOURCE: Interview with J. Troy Robinson conducted by Al P. Mizell. Reprinted by
most pressing everyday concerns for educators. Sometimes it is just permission of J. Troy Robinson.