Using Charts

and Graphs in
the Classroom

Visual Effects and Data

Interpretation

Overview
Charts, graphs, and tables provide a great
deal of visual appeal. They allow users to
quickly spot trends, examine pronounced
data, and see an actual picture. This power
and appeal makes a picture worth a
thousand words.
In educational settings, charts, graphs, and
tables can be used to represent data,
illustrate important patterns or relationships,
and observe changes as data is altered.

Important Questions
How can charts and graphs help students

communicate more effectively?

What tools are available to help students
create charts and graphs?
What manipulations are necessary to a
chart or graph, so that it will print
accurately in a desktop publishing
document?

Charts and Graphs

Reasons to create charts and graphs:
Provide a visual representation

of data.
Effectively clarify
information.
Represent many
different types of data.

Charts and Graphs

Reasons to create charts and graphs:
Make important trends easily

recognizable.
Allow users to perceive information
quickly.
Aid data interpretation.

Charts and Graphs

Reasons to create charts and graphs:
Charts and graphs can be incorporated into
any medium.
Reports
Web Pages
Posters
Word Processing Document
Desktop Publishing Document

Charts and Graphs

Pie
Stacked Bar
Area
Bar
Scatter
Line

Products for Creating

Charts and Graphs
Lotus 1-2-3

Microsoft Works
ClarisWorks
QuattroPro

Microsoft Excel
Harvard Graphics
Graph Power

Charting Considerations
Type of data.

Purpose of the data.

Nature of the data or relationship being

presented.
Accuracy and applicability of the chart.

Charting Considerations
To illustrate data, use

a line or bar chart.

To depict percentages,
use a pie chart.
Use templates or
wizards available when
possible.

Charting Terminology
Horizontal Axis = X Axis

Vertical Axis = Y Axis

3D Data = Z Axis
Gridlines

Plotting
Contiguous

versus
contiguous

nondata

Classroom Applications of
Charts or Graphs
Predict outcomes.

Illustrate trends.
Examine patterns.
Compare and contrast

data.
Investigate
phenomenon.
Collection data.
Explain outcomes
visually.

Charts and Graphs

Other Classroom Applications:
Students can create bar charts illustrating
frequency.
Students can graph linear equations, alter
variables, and observe changes.
Students can link spreadsheet data, to
predict and observe how changes in
spreadsheet affect the chart.

Modifying Charts
Resizing the actual chart.

Changing the legend.

Changing chart titles and

subtitles.
Modifying the appearance
of the chart
Changing the color of
plotted areas.

Modifying Charts
Many integrated packages automatically

update your charts each time your data

changes.
Many packages also automatically update
the scales used for plotting data as the
actual worksheet changes.
Many packages also alter range references
as data moves.

Modifying Charts
Formatting a selected

axis allows users to

change the units,
numbers displayed, or
the labels.
Often, packages have
options that also allow
users to change the
orientation of the chart.

Using a Chart in
another Program
Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)
Technology makes it possible to integrate
charts with other applications.
Ways to place a chart into a document:
Copy and paste.
(Modify a copy of the original.)
Linking the chart.
(Modify the original.)
Importing and exporting the chart.
(Copy the original and place it in the
selected document.)

Resizing Charts
When resizing a chart

window, only change the

white space where the
chart resides.
All elements within the
chart can be resized.
Select the chart and use
the border handles for
resizing.

Integrating
Integrating technology into any curriculum is
ideal when it can be meaningfully applied to
help students improve their performance,
discover new ways of using the power of a
technology tool, and embrace new content.
Technologys integration is limited by
available resources, creativity, and time to
plan, implement, and revise ideas. All of these
factors are surmountable with a little
ingenuity, patience, hard work, and desire.
-Ennis-Cole

Integrating
The use of integrated application software can
help students:
Solve complex problems.
Discover relationships.
Evaluate and organize data.
Analyze information.
Predict outcomes.
Present professional looking output.

Integrating
The use of integrated application software can
help students:
Record and categorize data.
Calculate results.
Demonstrate knowledge.
Create original products.

Integrating
Bitter and Pierson (2002) suggest the
following for learning activities that integrate
technology:
Activity level
Grade level
Purpose or goal
Description or summary
Preparation beforehand

Integrating
Bitter and Pierson (2002) suggest the
following for learning activities that integrate
technology:
Procedure (step-by-step)
Tools/Resources
Assessment (student)
Comments (notes)

References
Bitter, G., & Pierson, M. (2002). Using Technology in
the Classroom, 5th ed., Allyn & Bacon: Boston.
Morrison, G.R., & Lowther, D.L. (2002). Integrating
Computer Technology into the Classroom, 2nd
ed., Merrill Prentice Hall: New Jersey.

Summary
Charts are a good way to visually represent
data. Once created, charts can be merged
with other technology products to convey an
idea, demonstrate content knowledge, and
communicate findings.
Remember,
a picture is worth a
thousand words