What is Spreadsheet

In the current standards-driven academic environment, success is most often measured by student achievement on state and national assessments with the end goal of preparing our students to be able to communicate effectively and to be critical thinkers. Technology is not addressed in many state standards (including Pennsylvania’s), but as our society continues to develop and place more emphasis on the uses of technology, schools must learn how to incorporate technology into the classroom. Hundreds of software applications exist for use in the mathematics classroom. Many of these packages were developed with academic standards in mind, but several other applications exist that are useful in both academic and non-academic settings. Considerable research has been conducted examining not only the effectiveness of technology as an instructional tool but also regarding the various learning styles of our students. I feel that it is imperative for all educators to explore the possibilities presented through the use of technology because, if implemented properly, technology can be a powerful aid in not only meeting academic standards but also in helping to prepare students for the technical climate of the “real world”.