This Week's Work... Spreadsheet, Software Evaluations, etc.

This week's schoolwork included exercises in spreadsheet usage, software evaluation and the reading assignments.

The online spreadsheet program (google docs) that I used for the recipe assignment is easy to use and contains all of the simple functions that I am experienced with from all of my excel usage. The magic square exercise was a fun, quick, sudoku-like game... good times! I am pretty confident in my spreadsheet skills. I have years of experience in manipulating data, creating interconnected worksheets and creating intelligent training plans for marathons and the like. The most interesting use of spreadsheets that I have been involved with was during grad school where we used excel to create ship models (waterline aspects, transverse cross-sections, longitudinal sections, etc.). That was probably the most labor intensive project that I have ever used spreadsheets to complete.

As for the software evaluation, I can see how the ability to evaluate the cost/benefits of any new technology feature would be beneficial. However, I don't have the luxury in my current profession (and actually, from our group work, it seems that most teachers don't get to choose the software that they work with either) of making any changes to my computer's software package. I jokingly stated that my computer is a mysterious black box that sits on my desk and, for the most part, does the necessary functions to make me productive (word, email, excel, ppt, etc.). Of course, being a military system, it is also loaded with numerous interesting programs that assist us in completing personnel evaluations, managing purchase requests, monitoring our personal data (important for promotions and next duty assignments!), filling out travel claims, etc. The majority of these programs are either contracted out or are in-house creations (written by own very own USCG geeks in some hidden corner of DC!). Sometimes new versions of our in-house programs just appear on our machines and we receive a message with a "helpful" (sarcasm intended) ppt presentation to walk us through the new program.

That's all for this week. See you all on Tuesday... I'll be heading over to the snowy side of the Lake so I am hoping that no giant storms come through early this week to make my travels more difficult than they need be.