Adding a Trendline to a Google Sheets Chart

(Note: if you want to skip my story and get straight to the Add On I wrote here is a link Trendline Add On Make a copy and run "on install")

As a science teacher I have always had my students graph data from a lab activity or experiment.  As many of you know, by graphing you can create (or determine) the mathematical model that describes the data.  This is a crucial skill for ALL students to learn!  It is also one way that we science teachers can show the students how what they are doing in math class works in their science class!

Before Google existed (yes I am old....), I would have students use Microsoft Excel to enter their data and create an xy-scatter graph.  They could then "right click" on a data point and add a "trendline" and even have the equation displayed.  This was wonderful!!!

Flash forward to today, using Google Spreadsheets I can have the student enter their data, create an xy-scatter graph BUT they cannot "right click" and add a trendline!!!  So frustrating and I have heard many science teachers NOT use Google Spreadsheets because of this one little (read HUGE) shortcoming of Sheets.....

So, I would go through a quick lesson on how to do a linear regression in Google Sheets (Here is a GDoc that I created for this - Using Google Sheets - Linear Regression)  I would then show them how to create another column of data using the generated linear equation and how to plot it on a graph.... but I am sure some of you have stopped reading by now so you could only imagine what some of my Physical Science students felt about this.....

I knew I needed something better.  There had to be a better way....  As I was looking at some Google Apps developer stuff, I happened across this page: Google Charts - Trendlines.  WHAT?!?!?  You can put a trendline on a graph on a web page!?!?  Why can't this be done in Sheets?!?!  All the pieces are there: the equations, the data, Google apps script.... What?!?! Google apps script??!  How could I use it........

So I am happy to announce the creation of Trendline Add On Version 0.01!!!  Click the link, save a copy, go to "Tools - Script Editor" and run either "On install" or "On open".  This will add a menu command on your "Add ons" menu.  Click "Create Graph" and follow the instruction in the sidebar!  The basic steps are to select your data, make sure it has labels in the first row (these are used for the axes titles), pick your colors, give it a title and click create!

Once the graph is created you have complete editing capabilities, you can even put the graph on it's on tab.

It is EXTREMELY rudimentary BUT it does make generating trendlines EASY.

I tried to comment the code as best as possible so it should be very easy to follow and there is a "Readme.gs" file with links to where I found other information.

Have fun with it!  Use it! Improve it! Let me know what you think!!

Why do I have to post daily objectives?

Why do I have to post daily objectives on a board in my classroom? In another brilliant article by Mr. Grant Wiggins he addresses the, well, absurdity of such practice being made a policy!  In his article, "Mandating the daily posting of objectives, and other dumb ideas" he does a fantastic job of pointing out how this policy really does not help the students.  I have heard other teachers discuss how during a post conference of an observation that the teacher needs to post the daily objectives on the board and refer to them constantly during the lesson.  Not just remind the students but to physically go to the board and tap on it!!!  Really?!?!  I entered into a discussion with this supervisor to ask him why such a practice is nescessary.  His reply, (I am paraphrasing here) "When I taught, the tapping on the board would draw the attention of the auditory learner and my movement to the board would help the kinesthetic learners.  Having the objectives posted would keep us on track....."   Really?!?

So, how does this apply to Educational Technology?  Mr. Wiggins offers the answer:  Use Google Docs to share the objectives with the students!!!  By doing so, the students will always have them, they could actually take notes write on the document so they can keep the information they are learning connected to the objective they are to learn!!!

I post a brief version of my lesson plans on my website.... I am considering sharing them with all my students that way they will have a readily available document with the learning objectives.  Better yet, I could use gClass folders, put a copy of the objectives in their folders.......  (More on how to do this in another post one day!!)

Any way, what do you think?  Should the objectives be posted in the classroom?

Google Apps info

"Widescreen Format & Master Slides Come to Google Presentations" http://feedly.com/k/16YBjJ0

This is great news!

Ed Tech Centric Classroom

Ran across this article: "How To Build a Student and Tech-Centric Classroom"...
We need all ed tech teachers, teachers and administrators to read it.  It is very short but it is what I have been saying needs to be done for the last 10 years, technology just was not ready.  With the state of technology now, we are finally in position to turn this into the "norm" rather than the exception!  Let's make it happen!!

What is "flipped learning"?

I was recently reading some articles that I had "saved to pocket" awhile ago and ran across one about "flipped learning".  In a very brief explanation, "flipped learning" (or "flipped classroom") has the students experiencing the "lecture" part of the subject on their own outside of school.  They then come to school and spend time with the teacher working on enrichment activities.  In other words, the student does what used to be "homework" in class where they can get assistance from the teacher and "watch" the lecture at home for homework.

I know, a little confusing but on the surface this sounds like a wonderful idea.  I would love to be able to work with my physics students and help them tackle sophisticated kinematic problems, help guide them to improve their problem solving skills and no longer do any "whole group direct instruction" (read lecture).


But reality does play a part, and I do not think that I could have 100% of my students watching a video lecture the night before we tackle the problems in class.  Now I know that I don't even get 100% of my students completeing their "normal" homework right now, but for a flipped classroom to work the student must prepare for class by watching the video.

At any rate, here is a link to an article that summarizes a report.  The title of the article is "Report: The 4 Pillars of the Flipped Classroom".  The full report in PDF format can be found here "A Review of Flipped Learning".

So, what do you think?  Is your classroom "flipped"?  If so, how are you dealing with the students who do not come to class prepared?

Get ed tech into classrooms

Oh, will all administrators and principals who are reluctant to accept the fact that technology is here please read this article:

Education Technology: 7 Ways to Bring Apps, Gadgets, Online Services Into School Classrooms

I have heard of principals and administrators stating how teachers "should NOT text or email students.  And if we do email a student to copy the email to a parent."  They then go on to say something like when we were in school teachers communicated with our parents with out cell phones and  facebook......

Ok, they are correct, but my contention is they couldn't communicate that way because the technology  was not even thought of yet! 

Let's get into the 21st century, please.

Google Voice and Video

I am a big fan of almost all things Google!  I use Google Drive everyday, I have several Google Sites that I use with my students, and if it weren't for Gmail I do not know what I would do!

Which brings me to this thing called Google Voice and Video.  Now I have used Windows Messenger before with my web cam back in the day, but it just never seemed to work right.  Windows Live messenger was better but.... still lacking.  Now, using the video and chat features integrated with Gmail, well, it just works.  Period.  No huge setup, no drivers to download, no extra "nothing"! (NOTE: you do have to "install Google Voice and Video" but it takes seconds to download and seconds to install).

Once the installation is complete, go to your Gmail settings then click the "Chat" link.  In the middle you will see something like the picture below:

Make your selections and then click "Verify your settings" and make sure things are working.  Once done you are all set!!  You can make video calls to your contacts, then move that into a Google Hangout and invite others!! (A really good article about using Google Hangouts in education can be found be found at this link Using Google Hangouts for Teacher Development)

If that is not enough, you can now make phone calls using Google Voice..... more on that in a future post!

So, do any of you use Google Voice and Video and if so how are you using it?