Module 4: Software Proficiency

EXPLORING OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY SUITES

• Introduction to Microsoft Office.
• Purchasing Microsoft Office.
• Alternative office suites.
• Jump to one of the "how-to" tutorials module 4.

Introduction to Microsoft Office

Version note: Misericordia University is currently using Microsoft Office 365.

• Word: Word is a powerful word processing application. This application is useful in creating letters, memos, posters, and newsletters. It is powerful enough to allow you to write a whole book. By using Word's graphics libraries and Word art capabilities, you can use Word as a desktop publishing system. In the classroom, Word can be used as a tool to support writing and to further understanding (if used as a cognitive tool).

• PowerPoint: PowerPoint is a presentation software. It enables you to create and deliver powerful educational presentations. Unlike its predecessor, the overhead transparency, PowerPoint allows you to incorporate multimedia elements (such as animations, sound effects, movies, and slide transitions) to deliver information in an interesting, clear, and attention-keeping way.

• Excel: Excel is a spreadsheet application. A spreadsheet is divided into cells, into which numeric information or text can be placed. The application contains many formulas that enable it to easily and quickly perform powerful numerical calculations. You can also quickly format information into a graph or pie chart to more clearly display your data. In a spreadsheet, you could maintain a checkbook, a gradebook, payments on a loan, or chart the financial success of a company.

• Access: Access is a database application. A database is a collection of records of information, with the same types of information stored within each record. Using database software, you can quickly sort, edit, filter, query, and print information contained in the records of data. Access is suitable for storing personal information on students. In the classroom it can be used to analyze and understand information such as demographic data collected in a survey.

Purchasing Microsoft Office

BEFORE purchasing Microsoft Office (or any software), consider the following: Misericordia University provides access to Microsoft 365 for free for all students. Misericordia students are able to purchase other software at discount prices. To learn more, click on the following link: Purchase Software at Student Discounts. You can also use alternative FREE programs that are compatible with and/or very similar to Microsoft Office products. See the section below for more information!

Alternative Office Suites

• OpenOffice.org: This suite of programs is an open source product. You can download it and use it free-of-charge!

• Google Docs:: This cloud computing suite of apps can be accessed free-of-charge, and is really popular because anyone with Gmail or in Google Classroom has access!