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Identifying Challenging Spreadsheet Skills Using Reading and Homework Analytics from an Interactive Textbook

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Conference

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Tampa, Florida

Publication Date

June 15, 2019

Start Date

June 15, 2019

End Date

June 19, 2019

Conference Session

Computer-Based Learning in Chemical Engineering Courses

Tagged Division

Chemical Engineering

Page Count

12

DOI

10.18260/1-2--32912

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/32912

Download Count

577

Paper Authors

biography

Matthew W. Liberatore University of Toledo Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-5495-7145

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Matthew W. Liberatore is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Toledo. He earned a B.S. degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, all in chemical engineering. His current research involves the rheology of complex fluids as well as active learning, reverse engineering online videos, and interactive textbooks. His website is: http://www.utoledo.edu/engineering/chemical-engineering/liberatore/

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Kayla Chapman

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Abstract

Spreadsheets provide a user-friendly environment to complete many calculations for engineering students as well as practicing engineers. Spreadsheet programs have been available for decades, including Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and many others; numerous formulas, functions, and other tasks are common across versions and platforms (e.g., Windows, Mac, iOS, Android). An interactive textbook from zyBooks titled Spreadsheets Essentials provides students opportunities to step through animations, complete question sets, and perform spreadsheet functions on auto-graded, randomized problems. Advanced topics include solver, error, statistics, interpolation, numerical integration, matrix operations, and more. The interactive format creates ‘big data’ on student behaviors, such as reading completion, auto-graded problem success, and auto-graded problem attempts. Providing nominal course credit led to very high reading rates in 2018. Specifically, at least 75% of students (n=98) completed 100% of the reading participation encompassing over 250 clicks across 12 sections. In addition, animation view rates quantified repetition with rates as high as 118%. Finally, success on over 100 auto-graded questions was higher for basic skills and formulas than more advanced topics, such as integration and interpolation.

Liberatore, M. W., & Chapman, K. (2019, June), Identifying Challenging Spreadsheet Skills Using Reading and Homework Analytics from an Interactive Textbook Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. 10.18260/1-2--32912

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