Using Collaborative Spreadsheets with University Students to Categorize Diversity in Seed Catalogs

In the 2016 spring and fall semesters, students enrolled in crop science at Stephen F Austin State University (UNI) completed an assignment using Google Sheets to categorize the diversity of traits in a seed catalog. We assessed students before and after the assignment on their experience level with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNACTA journal Vol. 64; no. 2; pp. 354 - 359
Main Authors Barnes, Jared, Svehia, Chanelle A, Laird, Shelby, Maurer, Michael, Carraway, Candis
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Twin Falls North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture 01.11.2019
Subjects
Agriculture
Classrooms
Collaboration
College Students
Colleges & universities
Costs
Crop science
Cultivars
Data collection
Distance learning
Educational Quality
Educational technology
Gardening
Gardens & gardening
Horticulture
Likert scale
Seeds
Sheets
Spreadsheets
Statistical analysis
Students
Teachers
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Summary:In the 2016 spring and fall semesters, students enrolled in crop science at Stephen F Austin State University (UNI) completed an assignment using Google Sheets to categorize the diversity of traits in a seed catalog. We assessed students before and after the assignment on their experience level with agriculture, gardening, and seed catalogs; their comfort level with Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel; collecting and analyzing data; and their opinion on the effectiveness in using multiple people to collect data and using Google Sheets. In total, 102 students assessed 1056 cultivars in Google Sheets. Students used Google Sheets to compile data from multiple people to gain insight on which traits occur most often in seed catalogs. Combined students from both semesters, agriculture majors, female students, male students and fall semester students answered survey questions with statistically significant results. Students better grasped what a trait was after completing the assignment and created more robust definitions for a trait and a cultivar post-assignment. We concluded students learned about agriculture and gardening, traits and cultivars, how to interpret seed catalogs, how to use technology, and collaboration. This activity would be useful for educators in a variety of agriculture and horticulture classes.
ISSN:0149-4910