Analyzing Student Data in a Spreadsheet

This was an interesting exercise as it gave me a different perspective than I've had thus far in the program - charting and monitoring development. I was intrigued by the possibilities Google's spreadsheet programs present in my future classroom. The program is very user friendly and allows for quick and efficient date transfer - making grading easy and convenient. Plus, the compatibility within Google Docs and our blogs is another big "plus." I was challenged by the "% growth" portion of the exercise, but eventually I think I figured it out (I hope). I will surely utilize these tools in the classroom and will encourage others to do so, as well.

  Here is a link to my project and an embedded version for better viewing:



When analyzing the class results between the pre-test and post- test, I would be pleased with the progress the class showed. Collectively, the class improved their scores by an average of 239% and many showed marked improvement in comprehension and ability to apply the material. In a short period of time, the students covered a lot of material and displayed excellent comprehension as only two students scored below standards and they both showed great improvement over the course of the exercises. With a little more private instruction, they should be able to make up the gap with their classmates.

One student displayed a slight decrease in scores. Although it wasn't a major decrease, it could still be cause for concern. The student missed more days during the period than anyone else in the class which could be a contributing factor. The student is also several grades older than anyone else in the class and could potentially be considered "behind" for their age group. However, the student also had the highest pre-test score in the class so an argument could be made that the student didn't have nearly as much room for improvement as some some of the other students in the class. This student had already displayed an ability to comprehend the material at a high level during the pre-test period. My recommendation would be to approach the student privately to inquire as to how things are going in their personal life and to see if I could gather any information as to why they may have been unfocused during the testing period. The student scored an 88% on the combined pre-test and post-test average so I would not be too worried unless the trend of regression continued.

One student I would have had concerns about entering the instruction period scored only a 3% on the pre-test. However, with extra instruction and attention throughout the period, he raise his score up to a 73% by the post - test. The student was drastically behind his peers entering the unit, however, he demonstrated a great ability to learn quickly once the lessons began. He improved more than any student in the class. He is still behind the rest of his peers in the class but with more individual instruction and attention, he should be able to catch up as he is clearly very capable. Many factors could have contributed to his lack of previous knowledge entering the lesson, but he picked things up rapidly. He will continue to need extra instruction, but he seems very capable of "catching up" with some of his other peers with more exposure to the material which is clearly new to him.