Research Overview

The first part of this assignment is to download the data analysis tool pack.  This seemed like a simple task however I ran into a little trouble.  The instructions for installing the tool pack say to go to the tools tab and I could not locate it.  I used the help tab in Excel to search for the add-ins tab.  This was simple and I easily located the Add-Ins tab.  It was located under file, options, and then add-ins.  Once I found the add-ins I checked the boxes for Analysis Toolpak and Analysis Toolpak VBA.  The data analysis command was added and the assignment was finished.

The second part of this assignment was reading “The Rant.”  The rant is about teachers actively taking a part in their classroom by being an example of “education is a research-based enterprise.”  Teachers should be actively partaking in action research and evaluating their performance and the students.  In order to do this, the teacher needs to stay focused, use data to improve performance, and raise the standard of professional practice in their setting.  In order to do this a teacher needs to constantly be developing and testing hypothesizes in the laboratory known as their classroom. 

Using Microsoft Excel follows NETS T standard #3 because it is digital-age work.  The use of Microsoft Excel is becoming more popular.  Being able to create spreadsheets makes certain things easier such as balancing a checkbook or crunching numbers.  The use of research in a classroom to improve teaching and student learning follows NETS T standards #4 and #5.  By using the research to improve yourself and your classroom promotes responsibility and engages in personal growth and leadership.