Week Five (Chapter FIve and Six Quesion):

2.Define database management software and describe how you might use it to help you in teaching responsibilities. How might you construct a learning assignment for your students that used this productivity tool?


Database management software is software that enables the creation of data records, retrieval of records and data sorting at the touch of a key. Software such as this is an integral part of any educators software collection. Educators have a laundry list of information that they are responsible to have available at all times. Teachers must have personal information on their students, from home phone numbers and addresses to IEPs, grades for all their students, any administrative information regarding the goals for the class, a classroom budget, etc. And this is just a short list of items that come immediately to mind. A database can be organized into fields, records and files. A field refers to the electronic storage location that a specific type of data is stored. A record is a collection of related fields, such as a record that contains all the personal information about a particular student. And finally, a file is a collection of all related records, such could be a file containing all the personal information of the students in one class.
In order to prevent educators from having to sit and scroll down a seemingly endless list of information trying to find, for example, one student's phone number, database software provides several very helpful organization tools. The first of these tools is the ability to sort information. Any and all information within the database can be sorted in ascending or descending, alphabetic and numeric order with any field being the primary sorter. Another tool available is the query ability, which essentially provides a searching function for any database. Searches can be done for first names, last names, numbers, etc. Nearly any field can be queried. Also, most databases provide a reporting function. In some cases an instructor may need a list of information from the database printed out for hard copy records or to give to some administrative person. Whatever the reason, the database software you use should provide an option to print a report of all data within the database or simply a specific set of data gathered from a query. The software should have a print template built in to itself that allows printed reports to be attractive and easy to read.
While database software provides primarily an invaluable service to the instructor, a sharp and creative teacher can provide instructional activities that allow students hands-on practice in database usage. A good way to get students familiar with databases is through libraries. Most libraries now keep records of all books available (and even some not available) in a database accessable through the library or library website. Providing students with an assignment to find books on particular subject or by a particular author and having them provide a printed query report is a great way to integrate database usage into a lesson.