Spreadsheets in year 5 Chance and Data: A professional development experience

Abstract

Year 5 teachers from eight Brisbane schools took part in a professional development project to encourage them to use spreadsheet technology with their classes. Twelve of the teachers participated in follow-up research to investigate teachers' attitudes and perceptions relating to spreadsheets, implementation methods and uses, and factors that may enhance or hinder acceptance and usage. Results showed that teachers who were more confident of their ability to use spreadsheets were more likely to perceive them as useful in the teaching of Chance and Data, and more likely to use activities that developed higher order thinking. In using spreadsheet technology with their classes, teachers had to overcome a range of personal, technological and school-related problems.