t-test on Reading Daa

A t-test is a formula that can be used to determine if the difference between two statistical numbers is great enough to show a true difference between the two pieces of data. Using the data from the National Center for Education Statistics for 4th grade standardized reading scores across the United States, I applied the t-test to the statistical data of the scores of female 4th grade students and male 4th grade students to determine of the difference was significant. My goal was to determine of there is a significant difference in the scores of male students versus female students. So, the independent variable was gender, what I am testing, and the dependent variable is 4th grade reading. An explanation of t-tests can be found at this t-test types site.

In my last blog I explained that I exported the data from the NCES website and placed it into an excel spread sheet so that I could manipulate the data. I used that same spread sheet to do this activity. I used the data formula t-test that I selected from the drop down menu. The 2 columns from my spreed sheet that I selected for the test were the list of male scores and the list of female scores. The resulting new data from the t-test was placed in a new sheet. The results were:

So, determining the results worked as followed:

1. Hypothesis - There is a statistical difference in reading level between the male and female 4th grade students. 

2. Null Hypothesis - There is not a statistical difference in reading level between the male and female 4th grade students. 

3. The critical p level is 0.05. So we can reject the Null Hypothesis if p > 0.05.

4. Since the p value highlighted in the chart above is 1.61, we reject the Null Hypothesis. Gender does play a role in reading levels of 4th grade students.

What I learned in this lesson was an easy way to use statistical formulas already available to me in Excel to analyse educational trends. This would be something that I could use to further my own education and knowledge of education in America. I would not use any of this in my teaching to the students. This is not the level that my students are functioning at. We are grounded in the everyday skills of math such as understanding deductions on a pay check and the significance of having a budget when the students leave the school system for the working world. 

For the NETS-T standards applied for this activity, I conducted research using digital age tools that allowed me to take the latest data off of the web and analyse reading levels of students. I also used Excel in this activity and showed my ability to use digital age tools.