CHAPTER ONE

STATISTICA

L METHODS

1.1

Introduction

Apart fro

m

using statist

ics in collec

ting

data, it

plays a significant ro

le in modern society and educat

ional decisions and predictions

. Statistical method gives us op

portunity to evaluate an uncert

ainty using data collected and

analysis to assess the like

lihood of future occurrence.

Almost all scientific fiel

ds, including the physical, applied, and social sciences, as well as business, the humanities, government, industry, and education, employ statistics.

This chapter gives a brief meaning of Statistics, Educational statistics, Types of statistics and Purpose of statistics in education.

1.2Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

  1. define statistics and educational statistics.

  2. explain the types of statistics

  3. describe clearly the purpose of educational statistics

1.3What is Statistics?

The term ‘statistics’ has different meaning to scholars. To some, statistics is a collection of numbers, charts, or data. To others, it is a branch of Mathematics, which deals with collecting, analysing and interpretation of data which will be utilized in valid estimates, predictions, and decision making. Similarly, Statistics is said to be a branch of applied mathematics that involves the collection, description, sorting, analysis, and drawing of conclusion from the qualitative or quantitative data obtained.

1.4Educational Statistics

Educational statistics simply means application of the science of statistics to solve educational problems. Educational Statistics is used in organizing, summarizing, presenting, and interpreting result and data from education measurements.

It is the organization and presentation of data, the measurement and description of individual or group performance, the design of experiments and testing of the significance of its results, as well as drawing of educational prediction.

The various educational stakeholders in education industries, like Educational Administrators, Teachers, Examination bodies, Researchers, Parents, and Students need information to perform their responsibilities, as such they need reliable information to arrive at valid decision through the use of statistics. So, Statistics is used to actively perform specific educational tasks.

1.5Types of Statistics in Modern Usage

Statistics has been classified into Descriptive Statistics and Inferential Statistics. The focus of descriptive statistics is on occurrences or the results of events that are described but no conclusions are drawn. In descriptive statistics, a variety of numerical, qualitative, or quantitative data are gathered, arranged, summarized, analysed, and presented. Mean, mode, median, standard deviation, range, percentage, and proportions are all dealt with in descriptive statistics.

Inferential statistics uses properties described in descriptive statistics to test hypotheses and draw conclusions. Statistical procedure, such as t-test, f-test and ANOVAs belong to these statistics.

As an education student, you need to study statistics, because of its benefits in making forecasting and taking a valid decision on educational matters or problems.

1.6Purpose of Educational Statistics

The various educational stakeholders like educational administrators, teachers, examination bodies, researchers, parents, and students need information to perform their responsibilities, such as the need for reliable information to arrive at valid decision through the use of Statistics. So, Statistics is used to actively perform specific educational tasks. As a student of education, you need to study statistics because of its benefits in making forecast and taking a valid decision on educational matters or problems. The following are some of the uses of statistics in education:

  • Determining the educational needs of the community-population, age distribution, staffing existing schools etc.

  • Planning for physical infrastructures, statistics issued in the number of classrooms required at a given period and preparing for future.

  • Planning for Human resources: valid estimate should be made of Classes, Teachers, Students, and other non-teaching staff would be determined.

  • Educational Budgeting: this entails keeping track of and calculating the total cost of human and material resource requirements. For smoother governance, every government requires accurate statistics.

  • Comprehension and use of research: Every Educator and Researcher can only be able to report research findings, if only you are competent to grip statistical ideas and methods. Reading research reports means encountering statistical symbols, concepts and ideas which must be read and understand.

  • Recordkeeping, test development, test scoring and reporting: All these require the knowledge and skills in collecting, organising, communicating analysis of data, and drawing inferences which are art of statistics. Statistical knowledge and understanding are very necessary for all stakeholders.

Students Activity

  1. What is statistics?

  2. Mention the two types of statistics.

  3. Briefly explain four reasons for studying statistics in Education.

  4. Clearly distinguish between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.

References

Anaekwe, M. C. (2002). Basic Research Methods and Statistics in Education and Social Sciences. Enugu: Podicks printing and publishing company.

Awotunde, P. O. & Ugodulunwa, C. A. (2002). An Introduction to Statistical Methods in Education. Printed and published in Nigeria by Fcb Anieh (Nig) ltd.

National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna (N.D): Book 5 on Statistical Methods in Education.