Review of the Data Base

 

 

Databases have been shown to be powerful tools when used in conjunction with Hilda Taba's Inductive Strategy. We can see the learning potential when we examine the Concept Development phase in the Explorers Database (brainstorming data and building the retrieval chart). By creating an opportunity for students to research and enter data into a database, we infuse technology into the curriculum. The materials we use in this procedure are "Retrieval Charts" which are constructed in class and "Forms" which are set up by the teacher beforehand. Below is a review of the procedure for creating a form from the Explorers Database.

  1. Open the Explorers Database.
  2. In the Database window, click on the Forms tab and hit New.
  3. Choose "Form Wizard" to make your form.
  4. Follow the directions given to you by the Wizard.
  5. If you want to change the appearance of the Form, you can do that after the form is finished by simply clicking on "View" and choosing "Design View" in the main menu.
  6. Data entry is much simpler for children when using a form because the teacher chooses which fields are to be shown on the form.

Because students may be slow at the keyboard or they may make many spelling errors, often we need to help them enter data. We can do this by creating drop-down menus for data entry. Below is a review of how to do this.

 

  1. If the Explorers Database is not open, open it.
  2. Go to the Database window and click on Tables.
  3. Open the Table you have for your Explorers Database.
  4. When your table opens, you will be in Datasheet View.
  5. Make sure you don't have the form you created in the "Form" review section above opened. If you do, simply close the form you created before you proceed to the next step.
  6. Go to the Windows menu and select "View" and then choose "Design View".
  7. Your "Design View" window will appear.
  8. In this view, you may change the rules for data entry.
  9. To change the selections in a drop-down menu or to add drop-down menus to your database, simply follow the instructions below.
  10. In the Data Type column, click on the item you want to change.
  11. Click on the Lookup tab at the bottom of the "Design View" window.
  12. In Display Control choose Combo Box from the choices.
  13. In Row Source Type choose Value List from the choices.
  14. In Row Source enter the choices you want to give your students followed by a semi-colon with no spaces. You may create entries with spaces, but before and after the semi-colons there must be no spaces.
  15. Select "Save" from the "File" menu and you're done. Go back to "Datasheet View" and see how it works.

After students have entered data and you feel the data is accurate, you and your class will be ready to put the database to the test. You do this by searching, filtering, and querying the database so that your students gain information and make important connections. Below is a review of these procedures.

  1. The simplest search is a "Find" procedure. Click the binoculars or go to the Windows menu and choose "Edit" and select "Find" or press Ctrl +F. The dialogue box that opens will give you the options that allow you to find something in the whole database. Uncheck the "Search only the current field" check box to find a word in the entire database. You can also "Match" any part of a field. You'll need to select these options on your machines for each "Find" you perform.
  2. Sorting is also a way to search. To sort by ascending or descending order, click in the field you want and click on "Records" and choose "Sort Ascending" or "Sort Descending." You can sort two or more fields if you place them adjacent to one another. Select the fields you want to sort. Choose "Sort Ascending" or "Sort Descending" and the sort will be carried out with the leftmost field sorted first.
  3. Filtering is even more powerful. The "Middleman" used a filter to ask the Oracle to search the Africa database for countries that were French speaking and Muslim. The results were dramatic. To filter the Explorers database, select a word in your database. Click on "Filter by Selection" in the toolbar. If you select a word in the middle of the entry, all words that match are filtered for you. Remove your filter when finished.
  4. Filtering by Form is more powerful yet. Click on "Filter by Form" and then select or enter the words you want to filter. By surrounding the word you want to filter with asterisks, you can narrow your search significantly. Clicking "Clear Grid" clears the "Filter by Form" for new searches. You can also simply delete your selections by painting and deleting.
  5. Queries are similar to "Filtering by Form" but you can select only the fields you want your students to see, and you can save the Query. Use the Query Wizard for a more general view which you can "Filter" or use the "Design View" query for more specifics. In either case, you may use the "Filter by Form" procedures for more specific searches. To run a Query immediately after creating it, click on the Exclamation Point in the toolbar. To run a query once it's saved, simply go to the Database window and click on the Query tab and double click on your query.

Making a "Report" of your database is easy. This is probably the most intuitive portion of database use. In the Datasheet View, simply click on "Reports" and use the Wizard to help you design your forms. You can use "Design View" to do this as well, depending upon your emerging interest in databases.

After you complete your Report, you may, of course, print it, but you also have the option of making it into a Word 97 report by clicking on the Office Links icon on the toolbar (it looks like the Word 97 icon). After a few moments, Office 97 will have translated your report to rich text format which can be saved, opened, copied, pasted and so on. Pretty cool, eh?

Chapter 19 in your text gives you additional information on creating Office 97 Reports.