Results of GAME Plan – Piecing it Together

After an exhaustive search, I am now ready to recommend the best tools for my students to help complete their data analysis for their journal questions if they do not have Excel at home. It requires piecing together two tools. This is meant to be a step by step tutorial to create and print graphs for my student; please click on each image to enlarge.


The first tool, Google Docs: docs.google.com

I selected Google Docs because it does not require any downloads to the student’s home computer; all you need is a Google Account.





To analyze data: Go to Create New Spreadsheet

X   Y
1    5
2    9
3   13
4   17

Steps
1) Enter data and select the data (it will turn blue)
2) On toolbar, select Insert Chart
3) In CHARTS - Choose Scatter AND click on the graph image
4) Select INSERT button on the lower right.



5) But this will embed the graph in your data. Use the pull down menu to move it to its own sheet



6) Go to Edit Chart to add titles and labels
7) Add a title
8) Add a label for the Vertical Axis and Change Min and Max if necessary
9) Switch to the Horizontal Axis and repeat
10) Choose Update when complete



PRINTING
Now it would seem that printing would be easy….but
11) Using FILE print produces a blank page
12) Publishing gives you a URL to embed on a web page
13) Save Image is a Quick Time File



14) Instead right click in the graph area and SELECT ALL



15) Right click again when all is blue and Select Print Preview



16) At this point, you will be in the browsers’ menu. Set the orientation to Landscape if necessary
17) Select the print icon



Your Graph:



TRENDLINEAt this point you have a beautiful graph printed on its own page complete with title and labels. But you have not been able to find the equation of the line.

The second tool: A Simple Regression Utility at

http://people.hofstra.edu/Stefan_Waner/RealWorld/newgraph/regressionframes.html

by Stefan Waner and Steven Costenoble from Hofstra University.

18) Re-enter the data




19) Select the appropriate type of regression

20) Find the Trendline here



There you have it, in 20 easy steps!

I have learned that there is no single free online tool to accomplish the task we can in the computer lab. My goal now will be to continue to research until I can find a more streamline free approach.

My new learning goals will be explore the web site:

http://nets-implementation.iste.wikispaces.net/

to have a more systematic approach to linking all the NETS in my curriculum and to try and find a free online course management systems like Moodle to use with my spring semester computer programming course. I plan on using the GAME plan again and have already started my KWL chart.