Applying Excel, Understanding Online Safety, and Real-World Applications.
In Phase 2 of IS101, I noticed that my own pace when completing assignments and studying became faster, and I really liked that because it showed my improvement and confidence with the material. I especially enjoyed learning about URL components because it was fun and entertaining to break down links and understand what each part means. It made me more aware of how websites work and how to identify suspicious links.
I also found Assignment 6 (Spreadsheet Analysis with Trailer) very interesting. Through this assignment, I learned several new things, especially when working with functions, conditional formatting, and charts. It also gave me the opportunity to practice what I had learned in LabSim in a more realistic way. I also liked the video by David Suzuki about overpopulation; he explained smoothly real-world issues with an interesting comparison that makes you reflect on the issue. Also, he demonstrated how important information can be communicated effectively.
Overall, I feel that this phase helped me grow on my skills and knowledge, however, I still believe that Excel will require at least two more weeks of consistent practice before I feel fully prepared to take the certification exam.
For Chapter 5.5.7, Logical Functions in Excel, I learned how powerful functions like IF can be in organizing and analyzing data. The IF function allows you to create conditions, such as labeling items as “Expensive” or “Budget Friendly” based on their value (as I did on my Assignment 6 for my spreadsheet). In addition, functions like SUMIF, COUNTIF, and AVERAGEIF help analyze data based on specific criteria. For example, SUMIF can calculate the total cost of only certain items, COUNTIF can count how many items meet a condition, and AVERAGEIF can find the average of a selected group. This makes data easier to interpret and adds a layer of decision-making to spreadsheets. Instead of just showing numbers, logical functions help explain what those numbers mean, which is very useful in real-world scenarios.
Outside of IS101, I can apply what I learned in many ways. Excel skills can help me manage personal finances, track expenses, and analyze data for future business or real estate work. For example, in real estate, I can use Excel to compare property prices, calculate potential profits, and track client information. I can also use functions to analyze trends, such as average home prices in different areas or total costs including taxes and fees. This would help me make better decisions and present information clearly to clients. Understanding URL structures and social engineering is also important for everyday online safety, as it helps me recognize phishing attempts and avoid scams, which is especially important when dealing with clients and financial transactions. These are practical skills that go beyond the classroom and can be used in both personal and professional environments.
Thinking ahead for phase 3, I would love to improve my creativity and challenge myself to pay attention to details and do more. That way I can achieve my goal for this class: to not only keep up with the class but to fully develop skills that I can use in the future.
I like how you pointed out getting faster in Phase 2, that’s usually when things start to feel more manageable instead of overwhelming. The URL part was actually interesting for me too, it makes you more aware of what you’re clicking on instead of just trusting links blindly.
ReplyDeleteAssignment 6 was a solid practice overall, even though I didn’t personally use IF, it’s nice that you were able to apply it and go a bit deeper with the functions. I agree with you on Excel needing more time, it definitely looks simple until you start doing more complex tasks.
Your real estate example was very practical and shows how these skills actually carry over outside the class. For Phase 3, I think this is where we really push past just completing tasks and start building something we can actually be proud of.
So wonderful to see you excelling in Phase 2 of IS101-3005, Spring 2026, Ivette :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm elated that my signature walkthrough of how to dissect a URL and A6 yielded value for you both in and out of the classroom!
Your proactiveness of exploring the IF function will serve you well in earning bonus credit for A6 -- see practice guide for bonus quizzes 12 & 13.
I can't wait to see how you actualize your full potential in Phase 3 ^_^
Hi Ivette. I like how you are connecting what you’ve learned in IS101 with your career goals. Good luck on your dream job.
ReplyDeleteHi Ivette, the IF functions are definitely powerful functions, at the same time I found them pretty confusing for the most part last I remembered. The Fun with Functions practice helped me with repetitive practice and understanding how to use them correctly though.
ReplyDeleteThe Chapter you chose is actually interesting and I would like to learn that further down the line when I actually need to use it. IF statements is powerful when you know how to use it, but unfortunately I could not get the grasp of it, yet. Also, you mentioning breaking down URL links is something that I forgot that we actually learned. Now that you mention it, I would probably download the slides that Prof. Wu gave is for future reference. More power to Phase 3 and the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity!
ReplyDeleteHello Ivette, A6 was very involved but I liked how we were able to see in a real-world way why using particular fonts, themes and colors make a difference when creating documents. URLs are way more complex than I originally imagined, before I really only paid attention to the 1st and 2nd components. I hope you ended the class learning a lot!
ReplyDeleteHi Ivette, I agree, A6 was a really good way to apply what we learned in LabSim in a more realistic context.
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ReplyDeleteHello Ivette, I agree the IF function can be very powerful I also found it to be kind of tricky at times but learning how to use it properly has been very useful
ReplyDeleteHello Ivette. I also found A6 interesting, I don't come into contact with many assignments where you don't have explicit steps on what to do. At first I felt pretty out of sorts, but I reasoned that everyone starts somewhere and did what I could do logically from what I learned. The If function was hard to understand at first because it reads like a word problem and I've never really been good at those. It's a very useful tool though so I knew it wasn't something I could give up on. I hope you'll continue to use these skills in your life and I'm sure you'll be able to fully develop these skills as well!
ReplyDeleteHi Ivette, it's great to see that you've seen improvement in your performance in phase 2 compared to previous. Being able to understand and learn the material to apply it into your daily life is a great benefit to gain.
ReplyDeleteHi Ivette, I liked 5.5.7 as well! It is pretty intimidating but I also took a computer science class prior to this class so I was aware of how awfully challenging IF Functions are. However, it is also true that it's extremely useful. From planning budgets to planning events or gatherings and such. Learning this tool feels like a guarantee that it will come in handy either for personal reasons or even in a workplace at some point.
ReplyDeleteHey Ivette, you're right, the skills we learned in Excel can be very useful for both personal and professional scenarios and I'm glad we all had the opportunity to have learned the basic aspects of this application. Also, learning URL components is an important skill to have to avoid scams and whatnot, especially in this economy when everyone is looking to make money. I'm pretty sure all the skills you learned in this class will provide a successful journey in your future career, keep up the hard work!
ReplyDeleteHi Ivette, I liked how you connected Excel skills to real estate because it made everything feel more practical and realistic. The logical functions were honestly one of the coolest parts of Excel once they started making sense.
ReplyDeleteHello Ivette. I'm glad you saw improvement after Phase 1! It's great you will be able to apply your Excel knowledge to your real estate career!
ReplyDeleteHey Ivette, if this blog and your posts aren't creative, I don't know what is because these actually go crazy! Especially these like paperclips and speakerphones, You are very creative!
ReplyDeleteHi Ivette! The IF functions are definitely a great tool in order to do complex tasks quickly.
ReplyDeleteHi, Ivette, I agree that we can use Excel outside of IS101 in different ways, whether it be to manage personal finances, analyze data, or even read a state. Excel is a really good tool for everyday use.
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