Using a Spreadsheet to Teach Social Change Modeling

Abstract

When compared with that of regression or other forecasting techniques, a spreadsheet's presentation of data is open and accessible. The spreadsheet's main advantage is that it quickly recalculates all formulas and graphs after each input. It allows students to tinker with modeled situations, see immediate results, and thus become familiar with what-if modeling, the most widely used planning tool of management and government. Two spreadsheets are included which facilitate orderly presentation of social change concepts, mcluding time trends, additive versus geometric growth, accelerating and decelerating cross-impacts, and leading influences and lagging effects. Keywords: forecasting, spreadsheet, social change.

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