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COURSE INTRO
COURSE INTRO
Welcome to the course! If you are relatively new to Sheets, this course will get you up to speed quickly. For those of you who already have fundamental spreadsheet skills, you'll see how to take your spreadsheets to the next level. No matter what your skill level is, you will come away with many ideas on how spreadsheets can be used, whether your purpose is collecting and analyzing data or creating activities.
A little about me ... I was a Social Studies teacher for 15 years and then transitioned into the role of Instructional Technology Specialist. As a part of that, I became a Google Certified Trainer. To get certified, I had to pass multiple exams which were comprised of multiple choice and tasks. Guess which app I always dreaded on these exams? Yup, Sheets! I was totally intimidated by spreadsheets. While I knew some basics and was pretty tech savvy in general, I had a preconceived notion that spreadsheets were for data geeks and accountants. I never made the connection on how spreadsheets could be used in the classroom setting or for personal tasks. Preparing for the various Google Exams forced me to step out of my comfort zone and I am glad that I did.
Flash forward and now Sheets is a "go to" app for me. I started out with the basics and then gradually learned how to increase efficiency with formulas, add-ons and other features. Currently, I use Sheets for many purposes:
For every Google Form I have created, there's a spreadsheet tied to it
Logging my work hours and activities
Project management
Keeping a daily food journal and exercise log
Managing course rosters and course progress
Building resource databases
Running reports from spreadsheet data
Automating calculations and processes
Merging confirmation emails when someone responds to a Google Form
Mail merging certificates when someone completes a training course quiz in Forms
Mail merging documents based on spreadsheet data
I hope to pass on some of what I have picked up over the years on to you. How did I select which content to teach for this course? Mainly based on what I've used frequently and have found valuable as well as what other educators have asked me about. If you feel the course is missing something, let me know. I am always open to suggestions and updating the course so it is more relevant.
Some things to keep in mind in regards to spreadsheets as you proceed through the course and after the course ends:
1. You don't need to be an expert. You don't need to know every formula by heart. If you are wondering how to do something within a spreadsheet or what formula you should use, you can do a quick Google or YouTube Search and find an answer, a demonstration of how to employ a formula, and examples you can tweak.
2. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. To this day, I still make errors when inputting formulas. Trial and error is your friend. It's almost like coding. You type your code and it works or it doesn't. If it doesn't, you make adjustments until you get the desired result. Google Sheets, like Docs and other Google apps, has Version History. If you make a mistake, you can undo it or revert to a previous version of your spreadsheet.
3. Practice your skills on tasks that are meaningful to you. Practice makes perfect and learning is more motivating when it can be applied to a meaningful task. This is as true for adults as it is for the students we teach. As I took training modules and watched video tutorials on Sheets, things didn't really click until I started applying what I learned to solve problems that were of interest to me. At the time, I was running volleyball tournaments. Running a tournament is hard work. Among many other tasks, you have to communicate with participants, prepare registration documents, etc. Once I started learning about Sheets, the cogs began to turn. I realized that I could automate some of those processes using Sheets. Teams were already registering through a Google Form and the registration data was already feeding into a Google Sheet so I started out by using a query formula that would automatically create check in sheets to use the day of the event. Then I learned how to send registration confirmations and event announcements that would be automatically emailed to all registrants. I was even able to program one spreadsheet to talk to another sheet in order to cross reference if a player had a liability waiver on file eliminating the need for me to check each player. Out of necessity, my skills gradually grew. I was personally curious and motivated. Practicing and honing skills on personal pursuits, will allow you to transfer those skills with ease to work related purposes.
4. There's no single right way. There are multiple ways to perform the same skill or solve a problem in a Google Sheet, beyond what may be shown in this course. Just because all possible ways aren't shown, doesn't mean they don't exist. Keep an open mind and if you find a way you like better use what works for you!
As for this course, we are going to start slow and then work our way up, in a manageable way, to some pretty advanced stuff. You are going to learn quite a bit about Sheets. While you won't leave knowing absolutely everything there is to know about Sheets, you'll come away with the comfort to start using Sheets, ideas on how to use spreadsheets, and the resources to support you if you choose to delve even deeper. (I am still learning about Sheets, even as I teach this course!) It is my hope that as you learn about the various features and functions of Sheets, you will start seeing even more creative possibilities on how to use spreadsheets in the classroom and beyond. Good luck, have fun, be patient, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Enjoy the course! When you're ready to get started, click the "Continue" button at the bottom of the screen.
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