Teaching and Using Databases in Education

The database information below is divided into a series of sections: trends, teaching, using, creating, mail merge, relevance, and lesson plan examples by grade level. Databases have played and still play a critical role in human history and thinking processes. Digital database applications continue to evolve in both ease of use and capacity. This instruction demonstrates concepts and techniques using Microsoft Access and Appleworks, yet ideas that apply to all types of databases, whether implemented in paper or in a computer. Many of the sections include "how to" screen movies that will require computer speakers or a headphone set.

Also read: Databases in the Classroom: History, Use and Creation.

Trends

There has been a steady trend towards online instead of desktop applications. Though personal and institutional databases have generally been run off of a single local computer's desktop (as with Microsoft Access, Filemaker Pro, Appleworks and Microsoft Works), online Web-based databases are increasing in their availability, ease of use and power. Within the last decade, the largest public databases such as Google's or the U.S. Census, have always been available for Internet searching. Web database application, some free and some for a fee, are now making it possible over the Net for individuals, teams and classes of students to all build and edit the same online database and also make their data searchable over the Net. As the data can be private, shared to select individuals or viewed and edited by anyone on the Net, this creates enormous potential for collaboration between groups and classes at any distance.

Teaching Databases

Database development and use can be applied to a number of levels of higher order thinking skills and to every content area. Note that in the revised 2000 version of Bloom's Taxonomy of cognitive skills, creating is at the top of the pyramid as the deepest and most powerful form of thinking, while evaluation was the top of the 1956 version.

Higher Order Thinking and Databases
Bloom's 2000 Revision Bloom's 1956 Taxonomy NC variation
Creating the Database
Activity
 Using the Database
Activity
Creating Synthesis   Creating the question(s) around which the database is built; inventing new fields that will answer more questions Weighing the data, discovering patterns, applying knowledge in new ways
Evaluating Evaluation   Creating reports which involve evaluation questions; deciding on the best fields to use when creating the DB. Recognizing and/or creating evaluation questions that use the database
Analyzing Analysis   Breaking the possible information into groups, determining the fields/categories further characterizing the usefulneess of found data
Applying Application   Gathering the information to put into the fields of the DB (potentially) Using DB search skills to find answer(s) for a question
Understanding Comprehension   Depending on the fields, summarize or explain the information categories Summarize or explain the information that is found
Remembering Knowledge   Find and enter data into database categories or fields
 Learning the information found in the search results

 

Teaching about databases, like most application teaching, involves three stages. First, learn to how to use, that is read the data in the application with an already existing set of information. Second, learn how to make changes to the data. Third, learn how to create from scratch. Assessment over database knowledge should both the capacity to use a database application to answer a variety of types of questions and the demonstration of the ability to create and edit a database.

Stage One. Each database has different designs and procedures for searching the database. Using already existing examples of databases in the beginning. The navigation of a database of information includes the concept of inquiry or search of existing data. This makes the capacity to invent questions, an important reading skill, of great importance in creating questions that yield interesting results a database. Sample databases and models of database questions are provided within the first color change. The second color change provides a list of screen movies demonstrating the skills needed to answer the set of questions.

Stage Two. Editing an existing database to add more information, to update and to fix mistakes is a never ending task. Conditions in the world constantly change and a database's value comes from holding the most current and accurate information. The provided Planets database includes a series of database errors that must be fixed before the last of the questions can be answered. Clicking the triangle icon in the upper left corner of the screen activates the database editor. A data type must be changed and certain field names must be completed.

Stage Three. Creating a database from scratch is an exercise in composition. It is an activity that should be included as one of the options for class projects where ever possible. The process begins with a question or sets of questions. Data is then collected to enable the question or questions to be answered. Developing questions that databases can help answer needs some practice time. It is a useful step to explore the Internet for existing databases and determine what fields they used and what questions they can be used to answer. Consider these databases and the questions that might be asked of them: Sullivan's A Journalist's Database of Databases; OSU Libraries Research Databases; Hunter Library's Database index; USDA's plant database; The Internet Movie database. For an extensive set of databases to study, see three layers of Information Pyramid pages.

In order to collect that data, fields (categories) must be invented that will hold the necessary data. For example, simply wanting to know the best place to live can be the basis for collecting an enormous amount of searchable data. Efficiently sharing the collected  information with others requires an additional computer application and a related set of skills. Such activity is generally titled mail merge. A word processing file creates a letter template and this is linked to a database. When a mail merge template is "run" it grabs required information from a database (or spreadsheet), assembles it in a report or letter, and emails or prints a result for each record in the database. The exercises below demonstrate this capacity using different versions of Appleworks and Microsoft Office applications.

Hands-On Database Training

 

Using Existing Databases

 
Complete this assignment. Use the Sample questions and databases page to find a series of questions that require the use of a variety of completed databases. This work will be easier to carry out if this sample question page is printed to paper instead of read from the screen. These database questions model the kind of questions asked during the midterm and final exams. They are based on the kinds of questions asked on the 8th grade computer literacy exams given across North Carolina. These questions can be completed using either Microsoft Access on Windows or Clarisworks on both Macintosh and Windows operating systems. Further training on both Excel and Clarisworks (more recently known as Appleworks) can be found below. The database files you need for this exercise can be found below but will also be distributed in class using Appserver. 

Use the database training videoclips below to learn how to sort and search either the Clarisworks/Appleworks or the Access database. Follow the left column for Access and the right column for Clarisworks/Appleworks.

Access for Windows Platform

The Access Database Tutorial information below does not currently require the use of an account password. If movies do not run, ask for Computer Center help in installing Windows Media Player, code which enables movies to play in this format on both Mac and Windows computers.

I. Use existing databases to solve problems by searching a database. Use Access to practice these skills:

  1. Search using FIND command under EDIT (movie 2:02 ms   1,405k). This is also known as searching for a partial string (of text). (Vista version)
  2. Review the Database Help file (movie 0:45ms    392k). (Vista version)
  3. Sort data in a field using the Europe database (movie 0:34ms   392k). (Vista version)
  4. Use Advanced Filter to do AND searches using the USA database (movie 1:29ms   1,017k). (Vista version)
  5. Do an OR search using the USA database (movie 1:13ms  828k). (Vista version)
  6. Combine AND, OR and SORT in one search. using the Counties database (movie 1:29ms    1,014k). (Vista version)

II. Edit existing databases.

Changing Existing Data or Adding New Data Records

  1. Sometimes data is entered incorrectly or it has become out of date. To change existing data or add new data, click within any field of existing data and a border appears around the data entry area of the field. Begin typing within this border. You can make changes and/or additions to the data as needed.
  2. To add a new record (a new row in the table view), move the bottom row of the table which is always blank and add data for the new record. As soon as a row is complete, another blank row is always available.

Changing/Adding New Field Names

  1. To edit the field (e.g., category) names, click the right triangle icon in the upper left of the screen area. To practice, this open the Planets database which needs several changes. In the table that appears, scroll down to the row that begins "Number of". This should be deleted and the phrase "# of moons" typed in its place. This changes the field name. Use this knowledge to change three more of the field names which are incomplete in this Planets database.
  2. In the room that now begins "# of moons", the Data Type in the next column says Text. Change this to Number. Questions requiring numerical data cannot be answered if the data type is Text.
  3. Practice questions 7 and 8 cannot be successfully completed until this is done.
You can also select further online training for Microsoft's Access 2003 or 2007, but this requires your university 92# and password, the same you use for accessing university information such as your transcript. Use the Access material to learn database skills and the Word material to learn mail merge skills. For readers who are not part of WCU, you or your institution can arrange similar online training for this application by using the excellent screen movie resources of atomiclearning.com or lynda.com.

Clarisworks for Mac and Win Platforms

The Appleworks (Clarisworks) Database Tutorial information below does not currently require the use of an account password. If movies do not run, ask for Computer Center help in installing Quicktime Player, code which enables movies to play in this format on both Mac and Windows Computers.

I. Use existing databases to solve problems by searching a database. Use Appleworks ractice these skills:

  1. Review the Database Help file (movie).
  2. Sort data in a field (movie).
  3. Use Find to do AND searches (movie).
  4. Use Match command for AND Search (movie).
  5. Use Match to do OR searches (movie).
  6. Search Using a Formula with the Match command (movie).
  7. Search using FIND command under EDIT (movie).  This is also known as searching for a partial string (of text).

II. Edit existing databases.

  1. That is, click within any field of existing data and a border appears around the data entry area of the field.
  2. Begin typing within this border. You can make changes and/or additions to the data as needed.

 

 

Creating Your Own Databases - Student Info

Create two databases, the first a student info database and the second a unit plan database.

It is hard to predict what you will have on your computer. Here are four choices.

For information on how to create a database from scratch in the new Microsoft Access 2007, watch this videoclip on creating an Access 2007 database (duration, 3:16 m/s).

For further information about this process and about Access, go to http://onlinetraining.wcu.edu/. Students log into the system by using their 92# and password. Once logged in, application of interests appear in the left hand column. Select Access 2007, Basic level, then select and watch two video clips: 2.1 Create a New Database; and 3.1 Add Table Data. Add the following fields to the database: first name, last name, telephone number, grade, comments.

Here are also explanations for three older databases. Pick the column below that works on your computer.

III. Making Databases from Scratch with Access 2003/2007.

(Access for Office XP or 2002, in public labs and electronic classrooms at WCU)

Make a model database of Contact and other information using Access for a class of students with 3 records made of at least 3 fields.

  1. Find the Application and set up the needed database and begin enter data into table for first record. Choose between: best for Hi-speed Internet users  (movie is 3:30 min./sec.s, 1.2 mb) (Vista version)
  2. Continue data entry with a form layout e.g., single record view (2:00 min.s, 667 kb) (Vista version)
  3. Compare form view layout with table view layout (44 sec.s, 260 kb) (Vista version)
  4. Making changes to the layouts for table and form view (1:28 min/secs, 514 kb) (Vista version)
  5. Adding new fields to a database (41 sec.s, 251 kb) (Vista version)

III. Making Databases with '97 and 2000.

(Access for Office 97 & Office 2000; Office 2000 is in room 036 in Karpan Hall, UNCA)

Make a model database of Contact and other information using Access for a class of students with 3 records made of at least 3 fields.
  1. Find the Application and set up database ( movie 0:58ms  656k)
  2. Make a 3 Field Database of Contact Information enter data in the fields of a record; create a new record.  (movie 2:41ms  1,826k)
  3. Add a new field to the database, add a Comments field for text comments. ( movie 2:42ms  1,819k)
  4. Change Layouts (movie 0:38ms    443k).

III. Making Databases with Appleworks.

(Appleworks/Clarisworks, Mac)

Make a model database of Contact and other information using Appleworks for a class of students with 3 records made of at least 3 fields.
  1. Find the Application and Make a 3 Field Database of Contact Information (movie); enter data in the fields of a record; create a new record.
  2. Add a new field to the database (movie).
  3. Add one more, a Comments field for text comments.
  4. Change Layouts (movie).

 

Using Your Student Info Database with Mail Merge

The examples here create form letters by merging word processor letters with database information, but the information to be merged could be in spreadsheets or other data formats.

It is hard to predict what you will have on your computer. Here are four options.

For information on how to create a mail merge document from scratch in the new Microsoft Access 2007, watch this screen movie on creating a mailmerge document using Word and the Access 07 database (duration 7:29 m/s).

For further information about this process and about Access, go to http://onlinetraining.wcu.edu/. Students log into the system by using their 92# and password. Once logged in, application of interests appear in the left hand column. Select Word 2007, then from the three sub-choices, select Advanced level, then select and watch the clip 1.0 Creating a Mail Merge (approximately 8 minutes). In your form letter, use the Student Info database fields of first name, last name, telephone number, grade, comments in the letter to parents that you invent. If a model is needed of what this form letter could look like, see the screen movie in section IV, "2. Complete form letter template..."

Below are also explanations for older versions of this process. Pick the column below that works on your computer.
IV. Mail Merge XP (2002)

To create a form letter using Access that incorporates information from the database, merge the contact records from the previous exercise with a word processor file.

  1. Transition from database to start of form letters (40 sec.s   253 kb) (Vista version)
  2. Complete form letter template and insert database fields (rd) (5:05 min/sec.s   2.5 mb) (Vista version)Do not copy this text; instead make up your own letter to parents and then insert insert your database fields. Merge data from three records and print out just those three records.
  3. Also print out the form letter with the database field names showing (40 sec.s   253 kb) (Vista version)
  4. Staple the form letter on top of the three merged letters.

In this version of Access, there is limited control over how many record of the database will print.

In addition to the screen movies above, a text-page description of the basic steps of Mail Merge in Office 2002/2007 is available for print out if you happen to have the 2002 version which shipped with the XP version of the Microsoft operating system.

 

 

 

 

 

Mail Merge 2000 & '97

To create a form letter using Access that incorporates information from the database, merge the contact records from the previous exercise with a word processor file.

  1. Mail Merge this contact information into form letters (movie 2:34ms   1,746kb) by creating a word processing document that fetches data from database fields. You will identify the database location, and insert field markers in the word processing document.
  2. Insert More fields and set up IF decision (movie 2:31ms   1,717kb) This is done through creating a word processing document that fetches data from database fields. You will identify the database location, and insert field markers in the word processing document.
  3. Add telephone field (movie 0:45ms   523kb) 
  4. Add comments field (movie 0:39ms   450kb).
  5. Print your form letter to paper. (movie 2:19ms    1,584k). Add a closing to the letter and merge data to prepare to print. Now you will have a form letter based on each record in your database.
  6. Save the word processing file (movie 2:19ms    272k) which is the form letter.
  7. Staple the form letter on top of the three merged letters.
In databases with more records than are shown in this example, you can control how many records are printed by doing a search of the database. This way it will print only the selected number of records.

IV. Mail Merge Appleworks

To create a form letter using Appleworks that incorporates information from the database, merge the contact records from the previous exercise with a word processor file.
  1. Mail Merge this contact information into form letters (movie) by creating a word processing document that fetches data from database fields. You will identify the database location, and insert field markers in the word processing document.
  2. Add more fields to the database (movie), then add additional data to each of these new fields. You will change your layout to make data entry easier. Next you will expand your word processing form letter to include the new fields.
  3. Print your form letter to paper. (movie). Now you will print a form letter for each record in your database. If the data in the comment fields is too long it may cut off some of the text when it is inserted from that field.
  4. Staple the form letter on top of the three merged letters.

In databases with more records than are shown in this example, you can control how many records are printed by doing a search of the database. This way it will print only the selected number of records.

 

Create a Unit Plan Theme Database

Pick the column below that works on your computer.

V. With the Office 2003 or Office 2007 version

Following the pattern in the screen movies above relevant to your version, create another database.

Using the 2002 version of the Access database, create a database related to the theme of your unit plan. This must have at least four records with four fields.

V. With '97 or 2000

Following the pattern in the screen movies above, create another database.

Using the database 2000 or '97 version of the Access database, create a database related to the theme of your unit plan. This must have at least four records with four fields.

V. With Appleworks

Following the pattern in the screen movies above, create another database.

Using the Appleworks database, create a database related to the theme of your unit plan. This must have at least four records with four fields.

 

Which ever database application is used, consider this step of designing your own database the tiny beginning of a database that will be used to support instructional activities.

During the unit of study, students would be assigned responsibility for expanding the database. This could include entering more data or even brainstorming and including more database fields. Naturally, this will involve some research and reading or data collection. Then it will involve some writing, that is entering the information into one or more records as assigned to individuals or teams. A team might be assigned to find the data for a certain number of records or they might find the data for all the records but just for certain fields or categories.

Because research, reading and writing is a significant part of database construction, such activity is just as appropriate for language arts classes as other content areas such as math, science and social studies. Such activity might extend over multiple years of teaching. For example, a database such as a regional plants database might be expanded year by year by different classes of students and used across more than one subjects. That is, the database started in language arts might be used in math, health or other content area teaching.

Database building is a fine foundation for involving more students than just those in the teacher's classroom. This might involve other teachers with different classes of student. It might extend to other teachers in other school buildings across a school district, a state, multiple states, or multiple nations around the world.

Once international experts on a topic have been identified and contacted, they be might interested in a follow-up on a suggestion to find other teachers in other countries who would like to participate, but there other ways to find interested teachers across wide regions including conferences of state, national and international professional educational organizations and email newsgroups and listservs. Each participating school can collect their own data and have one teacher's class import the data into one master database, or the school can complete their assigned information and pass their entered information on to the next class in a kind of relay.

Once the information has been collected, it is easy to distribute the database widely by making a link to the database on a web page. Linking it to a web page will only be useful if others have the database software application that was used (such as one of the three above) or know how to do the relatively simple process of exporting the data from the database as a text file, so that others using different database applications can import it into a different database application.

It is also possible to make the database function as a web application. With the click of a couple of preference boxes in a database called Filemaker Pro, local users or users around the world can be channeled into a variety of different database use options. Our college department uses this database application to manage and search the book collection in the reading center. It uses its web application features to allow students to keep their contact information current and to allow faculty to remote search this database for such information. These web option settings include the options to allow remote users to: enter data into a database field or record; edit the records that were previously entered; or just search the existing records and not allowing data entry and editing.

This approach to database use greatly simplifies database collection and use with teachers and students from around the school district or around the world. This can be run from the teacher's desktop computer if network administrators make adjustments to the network "firewall" or can be put on a server dedicated to Internet service. The text file export of any other database can be imported into Filemaker Pro for this purpose.

Though the simplest application to use for this purpose is Filemaker Pro which runs on both Windows and Macintosh computers, there are many other types of databases that are used for such purposes.

Filemaker Pro for Macintosh and Windows Platforms

    There are many other databases commonly used on desktop computers. FileMaker is another excellent cross-platform database. The FileMaker Training Department offers online and offline resources.

Concepts for All Databases

Educational and Social Relevance

  1. To create and or use a database emphasizes many higher order thinking skills. Analysis is certainly one of them. But many thinking skills can be easily exercised with databases, such as organizing, comparing, inferring and evaluating. Note that organizing is one of the key higher order thinking skills tested on the state's 4th and eight grade exams. This organization of observations and research should also provide current and relevant information along with an understanding that important perspectives cannot fully be summarized into the condensed fields of a database record.

    2.  
  2. Database skills are also an important step in the transition between looking for information and composing a solution or response. Whether for writing, social studies, math or science, this transition of organizing and analyzing what you find improves the composition. Such organization makes thinking and questioning more efficient and offers opportunity to see new patterns and relationships not previously seen.

    3.  
  3. The use and creation of databases is required by the state's Computer Literacy competencies for preservice teachers and their faculty.
  4. Databases can also play a role in series of transformations of information that shift the data from the Internet to word processor tables, to spreadsheets to databases. Student record keeping provides a basic example of the information transformation concept.

 

Lesson Plans

Instruction in using databases on personal computers begins in the second grade in North Carolina with K-12 Computer/Technology Skill competency goal 2.5. A first step in database use for these younger students is experiencing and learning to use the school media center's electronic catalog of library books. A number of sample databases for students and teachers are available for experimentation and/or modification.

Study two of the several model lessons which are available for students. Use such models to determine how you can incorporate databases into your unit plan project. The examples below are just some of the examples that can be found by searching LearnNC.org for databases. Read through at least two of these lesson plans looking for ideas to use in section IV of your own unit plan.

First Grade Computer Skills

Second Grade Computer Skills

Third Grade Computer Skills

Fourth Grade Computer Skills

Fifth Grade Computer Skills

Sixth Grade Computer Skills

Seventh Grade Computer Skills

Eight Grade Computer Skills

Secondary (9-12) Computer Skills

Other Uses of Databases

Management and analysis of any large collection of data, including: analyze survey results initiated by teacher or student; social studies data for states, countries, metropolitan regions, cities, counties; project management; contact relationship management; customers; companies; sales; science data for animals, plants; language arts citation data for book & articles; picture inventory for photos; products; owned items; recipes.

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Updated March 21, 2009 | Launch Parent Frame Chapter on Organizing, Social Studies and Databases

Bibliography

New River Media Interview with: William Cronon, available February 25, 2004 at http://www.pbs.org/fmc/interviews/cronon.htm

Address of this Web Page: http://www.ceap.wcu.edu/Houghton/EDELCompEduc/Themes/databases/databases.html
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[Pageauthor Houghton]
Dr. Robert S. Houghton, Copyright, 1997-present.