Chalkface Tutoring - A1 Excel Tuition by Anthony

My background

I have been working with spreadsheets for over 10 years, both for fun (yes, you can make games in Excel!) and for work. I'm self-taught, and have designed spreadsheets for a wide variety of purposes. The more I learn, the more I realise there is to learn, so although I would consider myself an advanced user, even I cannot claim to be using Excel to its full capacity (see disclaimer at the bottom about programming).

To date, I have generated around 100 custom spreadsheets for use in the Maths classroom, from Pythagoras' Theorem to the A-level Exam Questions Index, in addition to many, many more for such varied applications as record-keeping, budgeting, project management, and even cattle rationing. The beauty of Excel is that it provides you with a powerful tool while at the same time presenting an elegantly simple interface. You can use it as little more than a framework for tables of numbers, or you can turn it into a custom program for recording and analysing data that users won't even recognise as a spreadsheet, and practically anything in between.

For some more examples of spreadsheets I've created, see this sample of my ICT Maths teaching resources. Note: some of these spreadsheets will require you to enable macros (see: Why and how should I enable macros?)

Common topic areas for study:
When you arrange a tutoring session, it may be beneficial to arrange beforehand exactly which areas you would most like to work on, so that you get the most out of the time. For the same reason, it is recommended that you bring your own laptop so that we can work on two machines and you get to practice with the version of Excel which you will be using in the future.

Data tables and charts - the best ways to lay out tables in Excel, how to efficiently analyse large sets of data, using the LOOKUP functions, generating and editing graphs and charts to display the data you want in the way you want. Also includes use of the sort functions and Excel's built-in filter capability (as well as drawbacks to each of these you should be aware of, and work-arounds).
Formatting and editing - how to format data the way you want (date formats, currency, custom settings), changing the appearance of a spreadsheet through font and background choices and row and column editing (including how it will look if printed), and conditional formatting (where the appearence changes automatically depending on the data itself). Also includes Data Validation and protecting cells (for ease of user input - choosing values from drop-down menus and ensuring the nuts and bolts of the spreadsheet are not accidentally tampered with by other users).
Formulas and referencing - understanding how Excel interprets cell references (including how to take advantage of absolute and relative referencing, and referencing other sheets within the workbook or even other workbooks), learning the syntax of basic functions for calculating in Excel as well as some of the more useful logic functions such as IF, text functions (for rewriting names, for instance, in the desired format), and some clever statistical analysis functions (averages, measures of spread and correllation, etc). Also includes use of the RAND function for generating random numbers - useful for statistical simulations, generating an arbitrarily ordered list, etc.
When things go wrong - how to deal with errors that inevitably arise while designing or using a spreadsheet, recognising and interpreting common error codes, understanding how Excel deals with different types of data and limitations on certain functions, as well as tracing errors and identifying mistakes in formulas or data input. Also includes how to minimise errors due to user incompetence ('nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool') and how to design your spreadsheet to deal intelligently with errors that do occur.
Macros and working behind-the-scenes - for the more serious user, a macro is a mini-program that you set up to run inside a particular spreadsheet - it may simply change certain values, or take the user to a new sheet, or even print something out. The advantage is that you can make your spreadsheet as accessible and easy-to-use as you like, condensing potentially confusing routines into a single button-push. All the messy nuts-and-bolts of the operation are done by excel in half a second, and the user experience is that much more slick as a result. I can provide an introduction to macros, and even get you started on the exciting world of VBA (the programming language used to create macros), but see disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

We can do a general overview of each of these, assessing your current level of understanding and building on that, or you can pick just one or two areas to focus on - it's entirely up to you.

You are of course welcome to ask about anything Excel related, but to help you get started I've put together a checklist of what I consider to be key topics to get you started. Click the screenshot below to download the Excel version (you can fill it in and alter it as you go, keeping track of your progress), or to just have a read through, here's a pdf version.

I can also help you work on a particular project, designing a spreadsheet for a specific purpose. However, it is important to note that the primary service I offer is designed to help you to understand and use Excel, equipping you with the tools to design and maintain your own spreadsheets, and while I am more than happy to work with you on a project and help you overcome problems, I won't normally just produce a ready-made spreadsheet for you. The advantage of making one yourself is that you understand how it works, are more likely to be able to fix any issues that crop up, and will be able to modify and extend it as the needs of the project change (as they so often do). Having said that, if you want a custom spreadsheet for a specific task and want it done for you rather than trained how to make it yourself, get in touch and I may be able to help you out.

Just to clarify...
I am not a computer programmer, I'm a Maths teacher. This means if you want more than a beginners introduction to VBA (the programming language behind macros), I'm not the right man for the job. If you want to find out more, might I suggest the marvellous resource of Ozgrid, a massive online forum and general repository of knowledge, frequented by people even higher up the Excel ladder than me, where you can usually find answers to questions you might have about Excel. As a general rule, if you're wondering if it can be done in Excel, the answer is probably yes, and how to is probably on Ozgrid.