With the digitization and computerization of the world today, the education field has not been left unaffected. Education and the internet have combined significantly over the last decade to provide people with skills and many learning institutions have adopted remote learning in the form of eLearning.
Among the computer programs you will find in just about every computer, Microsoft Excel is one of the most significant due to the functionalities the software provides. It is definitely the most utilized spreadsheet program around the world and is used for business, educational, and personal purposes.
So how do students interact with Microsoft Excel and how important is it to them? Let’s break it down.
How Microsoft Excel is Used in Online Learning
The formulas, formatting functionalities, as well as other data management tools available on Microsoft Excel can help students perform complex mathematical data formulas with ease and accuracy. The software has tools that allow for quick multiplication, addition, and subtraction of numerical data in the means of analyzing data on graphs and tables.
You’ll find that the software is very important to online students in the field of accounting. Accounting educators consider computers as a very important tool that can improve their teaching experience making it easier for the students as well to understand the curriculum in instruction. It also has the potential to save online students a lot of time as well as it spares them from having to conduct mathematical formulas manually.
Microsoft Excel also helps online students build analytical thinking skills. By critically studying data, students can learn how calculations are performed and they can pick up and predict trends by simply studying data. These skills are especially important for online students learning finance or economics
Another use of Microsoft Excel is the visualization of data through graphs, charts, and table sets. The software has many data visualization options for students to choose from. For instance, they can use bar and line graphs, pie charts, or simple tables composed of rows and columns to present the data they are studying. Alternatively, the software allows for a combination of either form of data visualization.
Online teachers can also make good use of the software as they can use input data into Excel and allow the students access to the document. They can also use Excel to create grade books for students thus helping them track the progress of the students.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft Excel is perceived by many as the industry leader for data study due to its ability to visualize information into graphs, charts, and tables. It comes as no surprise that educators across the world are making efforts to include software such as Excel in educational programs for students.
Perhaps more specifically, Excel is used to conduct formula-based calculations and other arithmetic functions that require the use of mathematical formulas. Because of its arithmetic capacities, excel is a very useful tool for students as they can use the software to transform raw data into information that can be easily read and understood.
The sooner students interact with Excel the better it will be for them as they develop and progress through their professional careers. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is a highly marketable skill for employers. Microsoft has a suite of tools that help teachers with the eLearning experience as well.