Instructional Data Sets

Q-Step Launch Event ProgrammeMarch 20, 2014

Lynette Hoelter, Ph.D.Director of Instructional Resources, ICPSR

lhoelter@umich.edu

Presentation Outline:

• What is data?• Why use data?• When should I use data?• How can I use data? (Examples)• Where can I find data and tools?

Taking a step back: What do we mean by “data”?• Definitions differ by context. For example:

– Newspaper articles, blogs, Twitter feeds, commercials– Transcripts of an in-depth interview or observation notes– Information from medical tests, experiments, and other scientific

exercises• For this presentation, “data” refers to summary information

presented numerically in graphs, charts, or tables and the underlying survey results or administrative records.– Some of the suggestions here also take advantage of “metadata”

or data about the data.

Why use data throughout the curriculum? • Applies social science content to “real life” • Builds quantitative literacy in a non-threatening

context• Active learning makes content more memorable• Repeated practice with quantitative information

builds confidence and deeper learning; knowledge/skill transfer between courses

• Exposes students to wider variety of data sources• Demonstrates how social scientists work

Quantitative Literacy• Skills learned and used within a context

– Reading and interpreting tables or graphs, calculating percentages, and the like

– Working within a scientific model (variables, hypotheses, etc.)

– Understanding and critically evaluating numbers presented in everyday lives

– Evaluating arguments based on data– Knowing what kinds of data might be useful in

answering particular questions

Importance of QL• Availability of information requires ability to make sense

of information coming from multiple sources• Use of evidence is critical in making decisions and

evaluating arguments: e.g., risks related to disease or treatment, political behaviors, financial matters, costs/benefits of buying a hybrid

• Understanding information is prerequisite for fully participating in a democratic society

• Employers value these skills!!

When to Include DataALL the time!!!!! Don’t save it for methods/stats classes…

No Need to “Revamp” Entire Course• One or more of the course learning objectives can relate

to quantitative data: • This course will provide a context in which students

can improve their writing, speaking, and critical thinking abilities.

• Students will learn to create and interpret a crosstabulation table.

• Students will gain an understanding of the application of the scientific method to the study of social behavior, including the use of evidence to test hypotheses.

Example: Begin Class with Data

Example: Emphasizing Content

Example of Activity for Intro Students

Example of Multi-part Exercise

Other ideas for including data:• Require empirical evidence to support claims in essays• Use data with online analysis tools for simple analysis

assignments• Question banks and exercises allow students to work with

surveys and the resulting data• Have students collect data – even in-class polls!• Engage students by having them find maps, graphs, or

other data that provide examples of course content

Using Data without Using Data• How does religion

relate to health behaviors? There’s a quiz for that!– From the

Association of Religion Data Archives

How can I operationalize “race”?

Creating Instructional Datasets• Good documentation practices always apply• Depending on level, create new variables for

students• With students, smaller is sometimes better

– Fewer variables focuses their attention– Less likely to be overwhelming – Experience with students is that they often create their

own data subsets when the original dataset is large• SPSS still most popular download format

Creating Activities Based on Data• Decisions:

– Is the focus to be substantive or “technical”?– How much support do students need?– How much student autonomy(selection of

variables, coding, etc.) is appropriate?– Which software to use? Online or Desktop?

• Know when to provide explicit instructions and when that hinders learning

Online Analysis Packages

Tips• Using online analysis tools reduces barriers for

students and faculty; easier/faster to implement

• MANY good resources already exist – a quick search might turn up something that is easily modified to fit your purpose

Websites to Start Your Search• Association of Religion Data

Archives Learning Center• ICPSR: Resources for Instructors

– Data-driven Learning Guides • Science

Education Resource Center (pedagogical materials)

• Social Science Data Analysis Network (US based but good examples of exercises)

• TeachingWithData.org• Pew Research Center: Fact Tank,

Reports, Datasets, Interactives• Consortium for Advancement of

Undergraduate Statistical Education (CAUSE)

• Data360• Worldometers • Population

Pyramids of the World • Gapminder• Survival Curve• Gallup Organization • UK Data Services

Teaching with Data• European Social Survey EduNet• Office for National Statistics

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

Lynette Hoelter: lhoelter@umich.edu