Blog #8

Each of the readings this week focuses on the use of databases in education. The first article, “The World Wide Web: Interfaces, Databases, and Applications to Education”, offers a more technical view of databases. This article points out that a common interface, such as the Web, allows for a more wide variety of accessible databases. It is explained that there are three different parts involved in entering information into forms on the Web. The three components are: database, interface, and the actual Web form. Information gets from the Web forms to the host’s database through a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script. It is a complicated process but there are prepackaged CGI scripts available. Prepackaged CGI scripts help teachers with the creation of databases without knowledge of the “complicated programming techniques” (p. 41). This article also points out that databases can be used for forums, which can be used to hold online class discussions of pre-determined topics. Also, databases can be used to “hand in” assignments using the computer and conduct online class evaluations.

“The Database: America’s Presidents” talks about how databases can be used to create in class group assignments. This article highlights the shift in fundamental skills from the three Rs to the six Cs. The first four of the six Cs focuses on problem solving and includes: computing, communicating, concluding, and confirming. The final two of the six Cs focuses on information management and includes categorizing and classifying. Managing information found is an important skill needed in relation to the abundance of information that can be accessed through technology. In addition, databases play on the students’ natural tendencies to want to categorize items and information. This article suggests that a database activity be used to introduce the new skills involved in the use of databases. This type of activity is best as a group activity in order to enhance cooperative learning. Databases allow students to “arrange, sort, view, filter, and manipulate data in a variety of ways” (p. 10). The hands on aspect of this type of information based activity helps in the retention aspect of learning.

The final article, “Bells and Whistles: Organizing Data for Whole-Class Use”, also focuses more on the in class uses of databases. It is pointed out that database activities are great for one-computer classrooms. The class is given the task to research a certain topic, enter the found data into the one computer, and then discover relationships between the data. Databases are good for classroom learning for four main reasons. One, it involves working with electronic information, which there is more and more of everyday. Two, creating, defining, and categorizing information involves higher order thinking skills. Three, database use involves such critical thinking skills as: classifying, defining, categorizing, inferring, comparing, and contrasting. Four, the different formats available allows for greater flexibility.