Mastering Google Sheets Charts for Teachers

Mastering Google Sheets for Teachers: Creating Charts

In today's data-driven classrooms, teachers regularly collect and analyze student performance data to guide instruction and improve outcomes. However, manually organizing and interpreting this data can be time-consuming and prone to errors.This training is designed to equip teachers with the essential skills needed to use Google Sheets to simplify the process. By the end of this training, you will be able to use the data provided to create and format charts within Google Sheets, helping you to interpret and visualize student data. Through clear, step-by-step instructions and hands-on practice, you'll learn how to turn raw data into visual insights that can inform your teaching decisions and save you time.Let's get started with streamlining your classroom data analysis!

Mastering Google Sheets for Teachers: Creating Charts

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Below is the order of modules throughout the instruction. The modules must be completed in order.

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Performance Task

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Analyze the Charts

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Creating & Formatting the Chart

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Choosing Charts

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Structure of Data Sets

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The Basics

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Flow of Instruction

The Basics

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Before you jump into the instruction and dive into Google Sheets, you need to make sure you are able to do the basics.Whether you're creating a simple list or analyzing large sets of numbers, mastering the basics of Google Sheets will significantly enhance your ability to work efficiently and effectively with data. In this section, we'll provide a job-aid on the foundational skills you need to get started, including navigating the interface, entering and formatting data, and using basic formulas.

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Use this tool to orient and review skills on Google Sheet

A basic job-aid:

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Performance Task

Analyze the Charts

Creating & Formatting the Chart

Choosing Charts

Structure of Data Sets

The Basics

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Index

Structure of Data Sets

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By the end of this section, you will be able to classify data types as either numerical or categorical.

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Understanding the types of data is a critical step in effectively analyzing and visualizing information. Data can generally be categorized as numerical or categorical, and recognizing these distinctions will guide you in selecting the appropriate methods for data analysis and representation. In this section, you will learn how to identify and classify data into its correct type. This foundational knowledge will not only help in creating accurate visual representations but also in interpreting and making informed decisions based on the data.

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Types of Data

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In the classroom, we often deal with information that can be grouped into categories, such as student demographics, learning styles, or participation in different activities. Unlike numerical data, categorical data groups information into distinct labels or categories, helping us identify patterns, track student diversity, and tailor our instruction to meet the needs of different groups.

Categorical Data

As educators, we regularly work with numerical data—whether it's tracking student grades, monitoring attendance, or analyzing assessment results. Numerical data sets provide us with concrete, measurable values that can be analyzed to inform our teaching practices and decisions. Understanding how to work with this type of data is essential for interpreting trends, assessing student progress, and making data-driven adjustments to instruction.

Numerical Data

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Can you identify numerical data vs categorical data?

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Can you identify numerical data vs categorical data?

Performance Task

Analyze the Charts

Creating & Formatting the Chart

Choosing Charts

Structure of Data Sets

The Basics

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Index

Choosing the Charts

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By the end of this section, you will be able to correctly identify the correct type of chart according to the situation given.

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Displays vertical bars to represent data values. Its useful for comparing student performance across different categories (e.g., subjects or assessment types), making it easy to see how students are performing in comparison to one another.

Bar Chart

A circular chart divided into slices to illustrate proportions.Great for showing the proportion of students in different categories (e.g., grade distribution or the percentage of students achieving certain marks). It helps teachers see at a glance how many students are meeting expectations.

Pie Chart

A line chart connects individual data points with a line to show trends over time.This can be used to track student progress, attendance, or trends in grades across multiple test dates or assignments.

Line Chart

Effectively visualizing student data is a powerful tool for teachers to better understand performance trends, identify areas for improvement, and communicate results. With a variety of chart types available in Google Sheets, it's important to know which one best suits the data at hand. In this section, you will explore common chart types—bar charts, line charts, and pie charts —and learn how to select the most appropriate one for different kinds of data. By mastering this skill, you'll be able to present data in a clear, meaningful way that supports decision-making and enhances student outcomes.

Chart Types in Google Sheets

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Check your understanding

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Let's see if we can determine what types of charts should be created with the scenarios given.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

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Let's see if we can determine what types of charts should be created with the scenarios given.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

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Let's see if we can determine what types of charts should be created with the scenarios given.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

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Performance Task

Analyze the Charts

Creating & Formatting the Chart

Choosing Charts

Structure of Data Sets

The Basics

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Index

Creating & Formatting the Charts

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By the end of this section, you will be able to generate and format a chart by following the required steps.

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Link

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Categorical Data Set

Below are the links to the data sets provided for this training. You must make a copy to be able to edit and create charts on your own.

Numerical Data Set

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Data Sets

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Creating a Bar Chart with Numerical Data

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Create a Line Chart with Numerical Data

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Creating a Bar Chart with Categorical Data

Create a Pie Chart with Categorical Data

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Performance Task

Analyze the Charts

Creating & Formatting the Chart

Choosing Charts

Structure of Data Sets

The Basics

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Index

Analyze the Charts

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By the end of this section, you will be able to accurately interpret the visual representation and draw at least three conclusions from the data presented.

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Utilize data insights to adjust teaching strategies, group students effectively, or provide targeted feedback to support student achievement.

Make data-driven decisions

Spot underperforming areas, such as specific topics or assignments where students may struggle, using pie charts or bar graphs to categorize scores.

Identify learning gaps

Analyze group or individual performance to tailor instruction for students who may need enrichment or remediation.

Differentiate instruction

Use line or bar charts to observe student growth over time in various assessments, such as quizzes, tests, and participation.

Track progress

Why should teachers analyze student data with charts created in Google Sheets? -- To identify trends and patterns in student performance. Visualizing data through charts allows teachers to quickly assess areas where students are excelling and areas where they may need additional support. For example, teachers can:

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Importance of Analyzing Student Data

3) Which students showed the most improvement from Quiz 1 to Quiz 2?

2) Is there a pattern in how scores change from Quiz 1 to Quiz 2 across the entire class?

1) Do higher quiz scores correlate with higher overall averages, or are there exceptions?

The questions on the right are possible questions that could be used to analyze the graphs. Why would teachers want to ask these questions?

Analyzing Student Grades with a Bar Chart

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3) Does the distribution of preferred learning styles align with the current teaching methods?

2) Are there correlations between preferred learning style and other factors, such as quiz scores or student engagement?

1) Which learning style is most common among the group?

The questions on the right are possible questions that could be used to analyze the graphs. Why would teachers want to ask these questions?

Analyzing Learning Styles with a Pie Chart

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3) Is there a common pattern in the scores across all students (e.g., a dip for one assessment)?

2) Did any student's performance change significantly between the quizzes and the test? What factors could explain this change?

1) Are there any students who showed significant improvement or decline from Quiz 1 to Test 1?

The questions on the right are possible questions that could be used to analyze the graphs. Why would teachers want to ask these questions?

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Analyzing Student Performance Across Assessments with a Line Chart

Check your understanding

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Let's see if we can analyze the charts given questions about the data.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

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Let's see if we can analyze the charts given questions about the data.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

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Let's see if we can analyze the charts given questions about the data.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

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Choosing Charts

Structure of Data Sets

The Basics

Performance Task

Analyze the Charts

Creating & Formatting the Chart

Choosing Charts

Structure of Data Sets

The Basics

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Index

Performance Task

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Start

The link below will take you to the performance task. You will be required to take a set of student data to create charts and then analyze those charts given certain questions.

Let's see what we know!

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Click here for the Course Survey and Completion Certificate

echeek@southalabama.edu

Erika Cheek

Thank you!

Often, numerical data is associated with specific units (e.g., meters, dollars, degrees).

Units of Measurement

Continuous: Data that can take any value within a range (e.g., height, temperature).Discrete: Data that can only take specific values, often counts (e.g., number of students, items sold).

Continuous or Discrete

You can perform mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) on the data.

Arithmetic Operations

The data consists of numbers that represent measurable quantities.

Quantitative values

Categorical data helps teachers analyze trends in student performance, preferences, and demographics, leading to more informed instructional decisions.

Descriptive for Analysis

Categorical data is made up of distinct, separate categories, with no values in between (e.g., categories like “A, B, C” grades or “Math, Science, History” subjects).

Discrete Categories

Mathematical operations (addition, subtraction) cannot be performed on categorical data, as it does not consist of numerical values (e.g., you cannot average student names).

No Arithmetic Operations

Categorical data consists of descriptive attributes that represent characteristics or qualities (e.g., student names, types of assessments).

Qualitative Values