This is more or less easy dependent on the software being used. Good datahandling software, such as HOL's own 'Findit' will make the tasks easier. In this instance we had to use the sorted data to compile a tally chart on paper and then use the tally chart to make a graph in Excel. The data uses lots of 'yes' and 'no' answers. Excel cannot create graphs directly from this data, hence the need for tally charts, but you can create graphs directly in other data packages.

If pupils do not have the necessary skills you can get them started by leading them through the first exercise as a class, using the whiteboard. This was the way we tackled the skills problem. By the end of the lesson (50 minutes), all the students understood how to compile the graphs and some had completed all the graph-making part of the worksheet.

The second part of the sheet is a writing frame used in later lessons to help the pupils analyse and use the information they have tabulated. The writing frame was posted on the school's central computer system. Students then accessed the frame and completed it.

Between the two computer lessons, one lesson was spent on more conventional research to find out more about the individual kings, wars and events. This was done using reference material and the library, but we could also have used CD-ROMs and the Internet.

What worked well?

• The lessons were set in the context of an awards ceremony, 'THE BRIT AWARDS' for Medieval Monarchy. This captured the pupils' imagination.
• Pupils enjoyed using the computers and were surprised that historians might use computers in this way.
• Pupils had few technical difficulties in using the computers and producing the graphs.
• The exercise led to some useful discussion about the attributes of successful medieval monarchs.
• The graphs and comments on them formed the basis for an attractive wall display, which was a useful prop in showing our inspector the use of ICT in history.

Areas to be developed

Pupils needed more help in writing about what their graphs showed. Even able students found it hard to get beyond comments like 'This shows that medieval kings had problems with civil war. Four kings did not face a challenge and fifteen did.' To get beyond this level of response, students needed assistance. The issue seemed to be mostly the lack of appropriate vocabulary for describing or measuring the data shown in the graphs in words.

Sentence starters or phrases e.g. ' The graph suggests / a minority / a significant minority / a majority of medieval kings faced ... ' gave some assistance. Students also found it difficult to establish patterns within the data, especially when identifying periods of instability and stability. This is partly a conceptual issue but some more structured questions and research should resolve this. Class discussion could be used to lead students in the right direction here.

2. The Teacher directed approach

The lesson began away from the computer lab, in a classroom, discussing what qualities might have made a good medieval monarch. We clarified what kings were expected to do, the qualities required and worked out how success might be measured.

In the computer lab we began with a series of fairly closed searches, using the data sort commands in Excel to help students explore what the database contained and how to search it.

The questions asked were:

• Which king had the longest reign?
• Which king had the shortest reign?
• How many kings had religious problems?

These questions were posed in the context of a competition with pairs competing to be the first to find the answer. Discussion was then used to ensure that everyone understood how to use the database. A surprising number of students made mistakes in adding up the number of kings.

The next series of activities was more open, forcing students to decide which column was the most appropriate to use to search for the answer:

• Was the Middle Ages a violent time?
• Were most medieval kings successful?

Again this was set as a competition against the clock. This was followed by an interesting discussion in which students tried to justify their choices and their research methods.

The next step was to show students how to create a graph. We posed the question 'How did most medieval kings die?' The class thought that most kings were murdered or had died violent deaths, so we set out to see if they were correct. Pupils sorted the column 'End of reign' and used this to write on paper a tally chart showing the cause of death. Then they used the figures to create a graph in Excel on a separate sheet. This was followed by a discussion on the accuracy of their ideas about how kings died.

The final stage was to set students the problem of identifying their 'hot tip' for the strongest medieval monarch and producing some graphs to support their case. The favoured candidates were Henry III and Edward III. This led to a discussion of the relative merits of the two candidates and a discussion of whether it was possible to prove statistically who was the strongest king without other evidence. Naturally this led to other lessons using conventional materials to research the issue and check the accuracy behind the computer-generated candidates.

What worked well?

• Pupils enjoyed the lesson. The short tasks gave the lesson a fast pace.
• The questions generated some good quality discussions about the nature of medieval monarchy and the usefulness of computers for historians.
• The activities provided a useful springboard for the next stage of research using the library.

Areas to be developed

The pupils produced less written work than in the previous model. It should be possible to develop a model which keeps the strengths of the discussion and short term targets but also encourages pupils to keep a formal record of their ideas and analysis.

Other Possibilities for the database

• Pupils could be offered a series of statements which they have to prove either true or false. These could be written on a sheet and follow the model of questions used in the lesson above.
• Pupils could be asked to construct their own questions and then answer them using the database.