LESSON: Real World Data Analyzation

Introduction

This quarter we've learned a lot about how to analyze bivariate data and determine if there is a relationships between two variables. Now we're going to apply what we've learned to a real world data set. The data that we will be analyzing is particularly interesting to you, because you're a part of it! Check out the introduction video below to hear about the data we will be analyzing.

Looking at the Data

In order to determine if the recommendation of working for 1 hour per day in your math class in order to be successful is accurate, we will be focussing on just two pieces of data. As students of statistics, we know very well how to analyze bivariate data. Keep in mind, though, that the time recommendation of working 1 hour per day is a complicated issue with many variables to consider. More than we're able to analyze with our limited knowledge. Therefore, our analyzation of two pieces of data will be a great focus, but it will not contain the whole picture.

First we will be looking at "Student Activity Minutes". That is, the amount of time each math student spent logged in to their math course during first quarter.

We will also be looking at "Final Grades". This is the final grade each math student earned at the end of first quarter.

All of this data is kept in the spreadsheet shown in the following lesson video. Watch this lesson video so you understand how to read that data that you will be asked to analyze.

Working with the Data

In this lesson video I will show you an example of the graphs you need to make and the calculations you need to perform for the data provided in the spreadsheet. 

Analyzing the Data

Analyzing the data and interpreting the graphs and calculations is the most important part of this project. A correct interpretation of the data will help us be able to determine if the time recommendation of working 1 hour per day in math class is actually accurate or if it needs to be adjusted.

In the following lesson video I will show you how to analyze and interpret the scatter plots and calculations we found in the last lesson video. Some of the questions I cover in this lesson video will be similar to the questions that will be asked of you on your assignment.

Keep in mind that in 1st Quarter there were 42 days. That means a student should have spent 42 hours working on their math class in 1st quarter in order to be considered successful. Our data doesn't record hours, it records minutes. Therefore, it's helpful for us to covert 42 hours to 2,520 minutes.

So, according to MHA's recommendation, in order for a student to have been successful in 1st quarter we would have expected them to spend at least 2,520 minutes working in their math class. 

Part 1

Part 2