SPREADSHEETS AS TOOLS TO MODEL CONCEPTS

Erich Neuwirth, University of Vienna, Center for Didactics of Computer Science

Povzetek
Delavnica predstavlja primere iz različnih področij (glasba, umetnost, matematika, demografija), ki prikazujejo, da lahko preglednice uporabljamo tudi tako, da zmerno kompleksne modele naredimo dosegljive širšemu občinstvu. Filozofija oblikovanja sloni na dejstvu, da računalniški program ni uporaben le, ko je model že razvit, pač pa igra ključno vlogo v samem procesu oblikovanja modela. Razpravljamo tudi o spretnostih in nivoju znanja, ki je potrebno za izdelavo takih modelov s preglednicami. Poleg tega lahko vidimo, da programi za izdelavo preglednic omogočajo tehnike, povezane z zelo pomembnimi didaktičnimi prvinami. Animirana grafika se izdeluje na enostaven način, nadalje pa uporaba animacije dovoljuje popolnoma nove pristope do mnogih problemov. Dodatna prednost preglednic je neformalen način, na katerega opisujemo formalne strukture. Uporaba tehnike direktne manipulacije namesto bolj formalnih opisov, nam v mnogih primerih dovoljuje, da se osredotočimo na problem sam in ne, da nas od tega odvrnejo težave z razumevanjem formalnega zapisa.

Ključne besede
Modeliranje, preglednice, didaktika programske opreme, grafični programi

Abstract
The workshop presents examples from different fields (music, arts, mathematics, demography) to demonstrate that spreadsheets can be used to make moderately complex models accessible to a wide audience. The modelling philosophy is that the computer program is not used only after the model has been developed, but plays an essential role in the model building process itself. We also discuss the skills and knowledge levels needed to be able to build such models with spreadsheets. Furthermore, we can see that spreadsheet programs allow techniques with very important didactical implications. Animated graphics can be produced easily and using animation allows completely new approaches to many different problems. An additional advantage of spreadsheets is the informal way of describing formal structure. Using direct manipulation techniques instead of more formal descriptions in many cases allows concentration on the problem at hand without being distracted by difficulties with formal notation.

Keywords
Modelling, Spreadsheets, Didactics of software use, graphics software

Spletni naslov projekta
http://sunsite.univie.ac.at/Spreadsite