Geoscience Education Research: Statistics in Geosciences
The goal of this workshop is to develop participants' conceptual understanding of basic quantitative theory/educational statistics and apply this understanding to the meaning and potential impact of quantitative work in the Geosciences. No background in statistics is assumed in the workshop and all individuals seeking to develop foundational quantitative skills are welcome! Participants will leave the workshop with an understanding of the benefits and limitations of quantitative approaches, how to apply basic statistical tests to their research, and tips for assessing the quality of quantitative analyses.
Overview
Education researchers apply a variety of statistical tools in addressing a wide range of questions in the educational environment. Statistical tests are used for assessing measures of reliability and validity of testing instruments, evaluating the efficacy of teacher professional development experiences, and measuring the impact of an instructional intervention, among many others. Having a basic understanding of quantitative theory and educational statistics is important, whether you are conducting your own educational research, interested in the efficacy of your own classroom practices, or just evaluating the results of published educational research.
In the workshop we will specifically be focusing on quantitative literacy as it impacts us in our professional lives. This will include how quantitative techniques are related to research design(e.g., between vs. within subjects), use of appropriate testsgiven the data collected for a project (e.g., parametric vs. non-parametric), deciding what meaning to take from quantitative results (e.g., p-value versus effect size), including how to interpret different types of quantitative tests.
Target Audience
This workshop is designed for anyone who has an interest in learning fundamental quantitative theory and educational statistics. No background in statistics is assumed, and we welcome students, postdocs, faculty and anyone else who has ever wondered what an effect size is, and why they should care about it.
Goals
As a result of participation in the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain the different roles that quantitative and qualitative techniques play in education research
- Define fundamental quantitative terms and distinguish their role in determining the quality of quantitative research
- Determine the most appropriate statistical test based on the data collected and the research goals
- Evaluate the quality of statistical methods used in published educational research
Format
The workshop will begin with an introduction to the value of quantitative techniques in education research. During each day participants will be provided with opportunities to plan how they might statistically analyze results from different research designs. This will be followed by opportunities to apply what they've learned by interpreting and evaluating published quantitative analyses. Towards the end of each day participants will have the opportunity to further explore areas where they would like more support.