Developing statistics and data analysis skills for school principals : an exploratory study /
The purpose of this inquiry was to test the feasibility of the McNamara and Thompson (1996) model for teaching statistics and data analysis methods in principal preparation programs. Design. This inquiry was conducted in three phases. The first phase was used to create an inventory of situations tha...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
1999.
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=730303471&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | The purpose of this inquiry was to test the feasibility of the McNamara and Thompson (1996) model for teaching statistics and data analysis methods in principal preparation programs. Design. This inquiry was conducted in three phases. The first phase was used to create an inventory of situations that describe opportunities for principals to use statistics and data analysis methods at the campus level. The second phase was a case study that required the author to assume a consultant role in conducting and reporting the results of a staff development survey involving the principal and all staff members in a single elementary school. The third phase was dedicated to constructing recommendations. Findings. The first phase identified 482 specific opportunities for data analysis. Most opportunities focused on instructional concerns and over 90 percent of these opportunities involved using descriptive rather than inferential statistics to analyze data already available on the campus. Completion of the stall development survey feedback case study in the second phase provided several additional insights about the data analysis skills principals need to be effective on the job. Recommendations. Phase three provides twelve recommendations organized into three sections. The first section provides two recommendations to confirm and endorse the guidelines advanced in the McNamara and Thompson (1996) model. Using the confirmatory evidence from the first two phases, the second section offers seven specific recommendations for the design of a statistics course aimed at developing data analysis skills for prospective and practicing school principals. The third section presents three recommendations for continuing the research agenda initiated in this inquiry. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Educational Administration". |
| Physical Description: | xi, 146 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilm Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-137). |