[Phys-L] Re: Charts or Graphs, and other Excel stuff

[rlamont at POSTOFFICE.PROVIDENCE.EDU (rlamont)]

Nonsense! Why ban the most ubiquitous software on the planet?
This is the software that students will encounter when they leave
our classes. This is the software that their biology and
chemistry classes use. Just because we are becoming grouchy old
fuddy-duddies that refuse to change our ways is no reason to
deprive students of a universally available and useful piece of
software.

Five years from now our students will not be able to remember why
their physics instructor was so bent out of shape because they
used the word "trendline" versus "least squares fit" - but they
will still have Excel or something that evolves from it. Much of
the resistance that students have to taking physics classes is
that they know they will encounter such bull-headed attitudes
from their instructors. Join the 21st century!

Bob at PC

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-
> L@list1.ucc.nau.edu] On Behalf Of Bernard Cleyet
> Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 1:47 AM
> To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
> Subject: Re: Charts or Graphs, and other Excel stuff
>
> Your experience and reaction is similar to those who object to
the
> "Encarta" dictionary.  The solution is to ban the use of excell
and
> adopt  another spread sheet/graphing app., e.g. Vernier's and
> Kaleidograph.  At UCSC the dept. requires(ed) the use of an ap.
that
> calculates(ed) Chi-square .  Overwhelmingly we used the app.
(fit)
> written by Peter Scott (retired).
>
> >