Databases

In the first article, “The World Wide Web: Interfaces, Databases, and Applications for Education” by Richard Repp, there are several pros and cons listed to using databases in the classroom. The first pro listed was that databases can help streamline information and be quickly and easily accessed on the internet. Repp also suggests using File Maker to create pre- and post-tests to evaluate student progress with subject material. There are some simple formats for databases, but there are also fancier ones, too. Repp suggests using “more complicated procedures for web gateways when: A teacher is maintaining web pages that change frequently, such as calendars and schedules, when two or more people need to update databases or webpages, and when a teacher has information that is better presented in a nonlinear or searchable manner.” Databases can be problematic in some cases, though. Sometimes storage space is an issue, as well as student privacy. Repp closes by suggesting that educators who are serious about using databases in their classrooms invest in either File Maker Pro or Claris Home Page 3.0.

The second article, “The Database: America’s Presidents” by Beth Holmes details how databases are a unique technological tool to implement in the classroom. Holmes states that databases are valuable because they play into children’s natural curiosity and desire to collect and classify things. If children are eager to collect baseball cards and Barbies, she argues, why not have them collect information? Holmes continues her case by adding that while students used to be able to get away with just reading, writing, and arithmetic, students now need the “Six C’s: Compute, communicate, conclude, confirm, categorize, and classify.” Students need to understand how to synthesize information in an increasingly tech-driven world. Databases “make sense of collections” and help students “arrange, sort, filter, and manipulate data.” Indeed, databases seem to be a unique way to gather data that would be interesting to implement in the classroom.

The last article, “Bells and Whistles: Organizing Data for Whole-Class Use” by Jessica Kahn offered a few more tidbits of info on databases. One reason to use databases, Kahn asserts, is that you can even use them in one computer classrooms. What you need to do is organize the class so that they can all contribute information. Then you design the database form, and ask database questions about relationships among bits of information. This encourages higher order thinking, as students must consider relationships between types of information and also consider how to organize the information: in a pop-up menu, value-list, check-box, field-as-text, number, date-time, or yes-no format. With so many options to choose from, it is guaranteed that you will involve the entire class and also encourage critical thinking.

Until I completed this assignment, I had no idea that databases had such a wide range of uses. They are unique in their ability to synthesize data and to get a group of individuals involved in the gathering and processing of information. I think databases would be a good way to get students involved in the class, and I will consider using them in my future classroom.