EDL 751: Statistics and Assessment in Education

Artifact: Personal analysis of enrollment trends using ODE data. Download at the right.

SAMPLE of Excel workbook:

Artifact Reflection

I. What is the artifact from this course?
The artifact I selected from EDL 751 is my own personal analysis of enrollment data provided by the ODE. ODE provides the raw data (LINK), enrollment by grade for every district in Ohio. I parse the data down to our local area, then add the information above, K-3 average, 4-8 average, and 9-12 average. I then calculate the percent increase of the enrollment and it's Z-Score.

II. Why is this artifact selected?
I selected this artifact because it demonstrates how I use the statistics learned in class. This was not an in-class assignment, and actually began prior to EDL 751. However, the above columns were added after taking EDL 751.

III. What learning or understanding occurred through the selected artifact?
I have started using this spreadsheet as a tool to anticipate high school sports enrollments in the future years. I wanted to know if such statements as, "such-and-such school is growing so fast they will be the largest school in the league" were true or not. My findings indicate that the vast majority of school enrollments are decreasing, and that keeping my school in a "big-school sports league" is not a practical solution because numbers show our school will be third smallest in a few short years.

IV. In what ways (personally and/or professionally) are you different as a result of this learning or understanding?
I have learned how to perform certain statistical operations that allow me to analyze data critically and effectively.