3 minute read
Mysterious spreadsheets and how they can help
120 mins All
How can a spreadsheet help in a meeting?
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Objective / Aims
Obtaining basic understanding and potential of using spreadsheets. Learning basic functions that can be useful in everyday life. After the workshop participants: • Will be able to formulate own needs and goals of using spreadsheets. • Will be able to structure information in a way suitable for using a spreadsheet. • Will be able to evaluate own skills and formulate needs for further skill development.
Materials/Apps
• Big sheets of paper and markers. • Apps, Software, platforms used: Any spreadsheet software
Space
Space should be prepared for group and individual work. Personal computer with internet connection and installed spreadsheet software. Big screen for projecting in front of the group.
ANALOGICAL PART. STEP BY STEP. 1st part (15min)
1. The first activity in this part of the workshop is to get to know participants and their experiences. 2. Sharing spreadsheet use experiences. Discuss and write down on paper, whiteboard or display on screen. Speak with the group about personal good/bad experiences from using spreadsheets. Display examples from participants, if possible, discuss them.
Possible questions:
ALTERNATIVELY. You can prepare an on-line space, generate a QR code and ask participants to use/test their digital world skills of using QR code. Small survey could be made e.g. http://padlet.com You can use presentation material with comments for a trainer that is provided in addition to this document. See documents spreadsheet-how-its-made.key.pdf , spreadsheet-how-itsmade.key , spreadsheet-how-its-made.pptx , as well as working material template mysteriosspreadsheets.xlsx
ANALOGICAL PART. STEP BY STEP. 2nd part (15 min)
Organise a “Battle ship” game. Use as much terminology linked to spreadsheet as possible. Make it fun. Goal - to emphasise that every cell in a spreadsheet has its own address - co-ordinates like in a “Battle ship” game.
1. Participants must be split into two groups and draw a 11x11 cell square on a big sheet of paper. 2. On the table team that represents a sea, team draws 4 “ships” by colouring 1, 2, 3 and 4 cells not showing it to opponent team. “ships” may not touch each other. 3. In turns teams announce a coordinates (launches missiles) targeting opponent’s “ships”.
Opponent responds with “hit” or “missed”. 4. Winner is a team who sinks all opponent’s “ships”.
DIGITAL PART. STEP BY STEP. 1ST PART (10 min)
Linking “Battle ship” experience to “shooting” cells in a spreadsheet
Show a spreadsheet on screen and make analogy with the “Battle ship” game. Talk about cells, their coordinates - addresses on a sheet. Show that there are many sheets and address of a cell includes sheet name. Show Formula bar where it is possible to see the address of a cell. Talk about formatting a cell; number, text, currency, date, … Demonstrate that what we visually see in a cell might not be all what it contains. Demonstrate formulas, date and currency formats, number of digits after a comma, colours, etc.
DIGITAL PART. STEP BY STEP. 2nd PART (20 min)
Spreadsheets are handy for both calculating and organising data Ask for examples from participants or alternatively show your’s. Speak about how make them work well - data should be well organised in columns and rows, cell can be pre-formated for different kind of data; number, date, currency, text…, number of decimal digits can be pre-set, too.
Speak about need to present data in a way it can be easier perceived. Show possibility of sorting, filtering and creating a Pivot table. Apply automatic filter. Insert a Pivot table.
Step-by-step instructions about how to create a Pivot table can vary from spreadsheet software one uses and can be found in Help sections of respective software. Key word for search: Pivot table.
Evaluation of the activity / Result
Saving your Document and summary of the workshop.
Discuss what have participants learned, what will they use in their everyday work.
