Aside from the results of the NAEP scores being depressing the assignment seemed easy enough. Maybe I understand this process. The previous assignment went well, I'll wait for the score on this before I get too excited. In the process I have found some very good YouTube videos that explain how to use Excel and the Data Analysis toolpak. Adding charts to a paper has been fun to experiment with as well. The last few weeks have inspired me to take a course on Excel as soon as my Masters is finished. I really wouldn't need to pay for a course though, YouTube has a series of videos(200+) that would do the same thing. I find it odd that in all my years of teaching, and with all of the emphasis being placed on testing, results, and data analysis, that I haven't seen any t-test information presented. This seems like a very valid and impartial way of presenting data. Maybe it's the impartial part that schools don't like.
NETS-T
3a, b, c, d
5a, b, c
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Appropriate a You Tube Video
I used RealPlayer on my computer to download the following video: How to Sum up in Excel- this is the original URL. I then went to my YouTube account, selected "Upload", went into my "Videos" and double-clicked. YouTube took care of the rest. I added tags to the video as I waited for it to upload. Extremely simple and extremely useful. This is the URL after I uploaded the video to my YouTube account: How to Sum up in Excel- Saved version
NETS-T
1a, b, c, d
2a, b, c, d
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, b, c, d
*Something I've noticed during the semester is that I tend to believe there are more NETS being covered with some of the smaller, shorter, easier assignments than with the more lengthy and difficult activities. Just goes to show that if you can teach a teacher to just use one small piece of technology that they can transform their classroom and their teaching style.
NETS-T
1a, b, c, d
2a, b, c, d
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, b, c, d
*Something I've noticed during the semester is that I tend to believe there are more NETS being covered with some of the smaller, shorter, easier assignments than with the more lengthy and difficult activities. Just goes to show that if you can teach a teacher to just use one small piece of technology that they can transform their classroom and their teaching style.
Monday, November 14, 2011
YouTube account
My YouTube account
Very easy to do. On YouTube I selected "Create an Account", entered gmail information, clicked a few boxes, and it was done.
NETS-T:
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, c
Very easy to do. On YouTube I selected "Create an Account", entered gmail information, clicked a few boxes, and it was done.
NETS-T:
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, c
Friday, November 11, 2011
APA
My paper may be viewed here: APA
NETS-T
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, b, c, d
I used the OWL website as well as the Cornell Library site, as a second opinion, while completing the paper. Most issues were easily overcome with the exception of my headers. The header on the cover page is supposed to have "Running Header:" in front of the title. I could not get that to appear on the Title page without appearing on subsequent pages. The General Format page of the OWL site was particularly helpful. There were many links on the left side of the page where answers to questions were able to be found. Writing a formal paper for research results isn't something that classroom teachers do on a daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly basis. Is that good, is that bad, is it indifferent? I don't know. I do think it's a good skill to have in the bag and I'm glad I'll have this blog to refer back to if I ever need the information. I have also made the two websites I referrenced "favorites" on my computer.
NETS-T
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, b, c, d
I used the OWL website as well as the Cornell Library site, as a second opinion, while completing the paper. Most issues were easily overcome with the exception of my headers. The header on the cover page is supposed to have "Running Header:" in front of the title. I could not get that to appear on the Title page without appearing on subsequent pages. The General Format page of the OWL site was particularly helpful. There were many links on the left side of the page where answers to questions were able to be found. Writing a formal paper for research results isn't something that classroom teachers do on a daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly basis. Is that good, is that bad, is it indifferent? I don't know. I do think it's a good skill to have in the bag and I'm glad I'll have this blog to refer back to if I ever need the information. I have also made the two websites I referrenced "favorites" on my computer.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Reflection on Statistical Analysis
This was a very difficult assignment. Without much prior knowledge of the Analysis Toolpak or the tests we were performing, this was a challenge. A challenge that I'm not quite sure I've mastered yet. The discussion posts gave me hope to keep going as I could tell that there were many others as frustrated as I was. I am confident about the procedures for doing the tests. I'm just not sure about the validity of the numbers I was using. I'm now interested in knowing what the meaning of all of the results that were given are. That will be a good "Google" project.
Now my concern turns toward the second half of the semester. I'm a little concerned about it since there doesn't seem to be any information on the Course Activities page. I'm hoping we get a chance to review what we've done so far and get more practice. I'm already using several tools from the course in school. I've also been sharing with other teachers- they think I'm a Technology Wiz. If they only knew.
Now my concern turns toward the second half of the semester. I'm a little concerned about it since there doesn't seem to be any information on the Course Activities page. I'm hoping we get a chance to review what we've done so far and get more practice. I'm already using several tools from the course in school. I've also been sharing with other teachers- they think I'm a Technology Wiz. If they only knew.
Statistical Analysis
Statistical Analysis
Here are my results. I have a feeling that they are no where close to being right. I think that I messed up the Excel sheet with all of the information on it. I was playing around with it after I downloaded it, trying to learn the Sort and Filter tabs. I have read all of the discussion posts up to this point, and I have watched the video tutorials repeatedly. After doing so I believe that I am doing the procedures correctly, but I can't get numbers to match up with what was given to us.
My results are a screen shot of an Excel page. I have saved the results of the tests in Excel. So if those are needed as well I can submit them as an attachment.
I see how these tests would be beneficial. Especially comparing progress between this year's class/students and last year's. The check could be to see how the classes compare, or to see what kind of job you're doing as a teacher. Numerous other possiblities exist, I know.
NETS-T
2d, 3a, 3b, 3d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
Here are my results. I have a feeling that they are no where close to being right. I think that I messed up the Excel sheet with all of the information on it. I was playing around with it after I downloaded it, trying to learn the Sort and Filter tabs. I have read all of the discussion posts up to this point, and I have watched the video tutorials repeatedly. After doing so I believe that I am doing the procedures correctly, but I can't get numbers to match up with what was given to us.
My results are a screen shot of an Excel page. I have saved the results of the tests in Excel. So if those are needed as well I can submit them as an attachment.
I see how these tests would be beneficial. Especially comparing progress between this year's class/students and last year's. The check could be to see how the classes compare, or to see what kind of job you're doing as a teacher. Numerous other possiblities exist, I know.
NETS-T
2d, 3a, 3b, 3d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Data Preparation
Hypothesis: Females have a higher average number of discussion posts than do the males.
Dependent variable- Sex. Independent variable- # of posts.
Results: Females average # of posts was 15.63, males was 16.57. The hypothesis was incorrect.
Null Hypothesis: Teaching or Not Teaching does not affect the average number of discussion posts.
Dependent variable- Teaching/Not Teaching. Independent variable- # of posts.
Results: Those Teaching average 18.7 posts. Those Not Teaching average 9.55 posts. The Null Hypothesis was incorrect.
I have found that YouTube is an incredible resource for tutorials. There are many well-done selection out there that would be great to teach the novice, all the way to advanced users. Glad to see that YouTube isn't just a place to post videos of someone's dumbest moment and stupid choices.
NETS-T
1a, b, c, d
2a, b, c, d
3a, b, c, d
4a, b, c, d
5a, b, c, d
This exercise can be adapted to multiple subject matter in the classroom. Research projects would've been much more interesting in school if we(the students) could've come up with our own numbers rather than finding them in an encyclopedia.
Dependent variable- Sex. Independent variable- # of posts.
Results: Females average # of posts was 15.63, males was 16.57. The hypothesis was incorrect.
Null Hypothesis: Teaching or Not Teaching does not affect the average number of discussion posts.
Dependent variable- Teaching/Not Teaching. Independent variable- # of posts.
Results: Those Teaching average 18.7 posts. Those Not Teaching average 9.55 posts. The Null Hypothesis was incorrect.
I have found that YouTube is an incredible resource for tutorials. There are many well-done selection out there that would be great to teach the novice, all the way to advanced users. Glad to see that YouTube isn't just a place to post videos of someone's dumbest moment and stupid choices.
NETS-T
1a, b, c, d
2a, b, c, d
3a, b, c, d
4a, b, c, d
5a, b, c, d
This exercise can be adapted to multiple subject matter in the classroom. Research projects would've been much more interesting in school if we(the students) could've come up with our own numbers rather than finding them in an encyclopedia.
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