Need Textbook Recommendation for MS Office

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Permalink Reply by Merle Hall on May 5, 2010 at 10:20pm

I use a series by DDC. "Learning Microsoft works 4 for win 95" I know old isn't it. The ones I use were made for works 4.0 but they work OK for word 2003 if you know how to add in the word explainations. DDC also has some text made for word.

The lessons teach the students about word and spreadsheet operations. Each lesson gives an example that the students use like a template. In word they learn to format the pages for block letters, friendly letters and many others. The kids also learn how to format reports and envelopes etc. In the spreadsheet portion the kids learn how to build formulas and do spreadsheets on payroll, inventory etc. Not only does it show the mouse operations but the shortcut keys as well. The lessons are short and easily understood.

Permalink Reply by Fran Lo on May 6, 2010 at 6:17am

Most textbooks are pretty dry and don't have many projects. I've found Database Magic by Sandra Dounce, published by ISTE to be very useful for working with Excel databases. There is also a Spreadsheet Magic by a different author, also from ISTE, but I haven't seen that.

I tend to find ideas from curriculum students are learning in my English class, or in their other classes and turn those into lessons using Office programs. For example: I have students use the CIA database https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ to find specific information (population, literacy, % of population at different ages, arable land) about vastly different countries. They have to search for the information in the online database, collect the information in an Excel spreadsheet I have them design themselves, then graph parts of the data, and also write about their observations about these widely different cultures in Word. My 7th and 8th graders love the idea that they are looking at info from the CIA, and they get a lot of practice using the tools.

Permalink Reply by Kia Jones on May 6, 2010 at 7:08am

Business Education Publishing has a project based text for each Microsoft application. www.bepublishing.com

Permalink Reply by Desmond A. Hasty on May 6, 2010 at 7:39pm

Hello Ellen,

I am using MS Office Win XP edition Benchmark Series. The ISBN is: 978-0-76382-999-5. It is amazing with projects and great for students to pick up and learn a skill. It focuses on preparing students (and instructors) to take a MS Office Specialist certification test. I had a 2003 version I just tossed a few months ago. Sorry :(. There is another book I will post tomorrow. I know that would help also with less intense projects.

dhasty

Permalink Reply by Desmond A. Hasty on May 17, 2010 at 7:43am

Evidently tomorrow is two weeks from the 6th. Sorry. Anyhow, another book I recommend is:
ISBN-13: 978-1-4390-7853-2
ISBN-10: 1-4390-7853-X

Computer Literacy Basics: A Comprehensive Guide to IC3
by: Connie Morrison and Dolores Wells

Permalink Reply by Maria Sommer on July 15, 2010 at 10:23am

You might try having the students make their own user manual for MS Office, if by textbook you mean a textbook to teach how to use MS Office. I would say forget about teaching to use the program, but devise a project which requires them to use the program. They'll learn as they go.