Summer data analysis opportunity for advanced graduate students
The Virtual Learning Lab invites applications for its first summer data analysis workshop for advanced graduate students. The four-day workshop will provide students with the opportunity to conduct analyses about student and teacher use of Algebra Nation, an online tutoring program developed by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning and Study Edge with support from the State of Florida. Algebra Nation is designed to help students pass a basic algebra course. Now in its fourth year, Algebra Nation is used state-wide and is being adopted in other states. Algebra Nation includes online problem-solving, tutorial videos, and discussion boards for both students and teachers. The data set includes records of over 200,000 students’ activity with Algebra Nation, matched with demographic information and outcome measures. The data set offers unique opportunities to investigate questions about student behavior while using an online instructional system and patterns of use that appear to be predictive of learning outcomes. The data set would also support investigations of teacher practice as well as district-level comparisons.
The workshop is appropriate for students in education, informatics and/or computer science.
Examples of analyses that might be investigated include but are not limited to:
o What is the relation between estimated student engagement and video viewing behavior?
o Is there a relation between student characteristics and the video tutors that are selected? Are some tutors especially effective for certain students?
o Do patterns of classroom use vary with teacher characteristics such as years of experience and credentials?
o How does the impact of Algebra Nation on EOC performance relate to district characteristics?
Travel expenses will be covered and local accommodations will be provided through a grant from the Institute of Education Sciences. Space is limited.
Dates: July 17-20, 2017. (Students should plan to arrive on Sunday July 16.)
Location: The workshop will be held at the University of Florida in Gainesville FL.
To apply, submit the following materials by email to vll@coe.ufl.edu by May 29, 2017. Each application must contain:
1) A proposed research statement (1 page maximum, single-spaced) that includes the purpose of the study, the research question(s) that will be addressed, and the proposed analytic techniques for addressing each research question.
2) A background statement that focuses on the student’s previous and current training in data analysis and/or data mining (1 page maximum, single-spaced). This workshop does not provide analysis training. Students will have access to assistance with analysis troubleshooting, but will generally be expected to conduct their analyses independently. Hence, this background statement should demonstrate that the student is prepared to apply the statistical or computational approaches needed to answer her/his research question(s). Generally speaking, experience in multilevel models will be needed for many research questions, as the data consists of both within-student levels as well as nesting related to teachers, schools, and districts.
3) The student’s curriculum vitae.
4) A brief statement on the student’s expected benefit from attending the workshop (no more than 150 words).
5) A recommendation from the student’s advisor that indicates, amongst other things, the degree to which the student is prepared to analyze data as she/he has proposed. (This may be in the form of an email message.)
If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Dr. Carole R. Beal at crbeal@coe.ufl.edu