Using Statistics to Make Educational Decisions

by David Tanner

• ISBN13: 9781412969772
• ISBN10: 1412969778
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-09-07
• Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc

Summary

An accessible introduction to statistics written specifically for Education students in the changing educational landscape Government scrutiny and intensified oversight have dramatically changed the landscape of education in recent years. Observers want to know how schools compare, which district is best, which states are spending the most per student on education, whether reforms are making a difference, and why so many students are failing. Some of these questions require technical answers that educators historically redirected to outside experts, but the questions leveled at all educators have become so acute and persistent that they can no longer be outsourced. This text helps educators develop the tools and the conceptual understanding needed to provide definitive answers to difficult statistical questions facing education today.

Table of Contents

Developing a Context for Statistical Analysis

a Context for Solving Quantitative Problems

Describing Data

Presenting Data

Data Distributions: Picturing Data

Working with the Normal Curve: z Scores

Examining Differences

Probability and the Normal Distribution

t for One, or Two

Analysis of Variance

ANOVA with more than One Independent Variable: Factorial ANOVA

Dependent Groups Tests for Interval Data

Association and Prediction

Correlation

Regression with One Predictor

Regression with More than One Predictor

Tests for Nominal and Ordinal Data

Some of the Chi-square Tests

Working with Ordinal, More, or Less-than Data

Tests, Measurement Issues and Selected Advanced Topics

Testing Issues

a Brief Introduction to Selected Advanced Topics

Glossary

Appendices: Tables of Critical Values

Appendices: a Primer in SPSS“

Appendices: Solutions to Selected Problems

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