VALLEY VIEW UNIVERSITY

EDST 513: EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS

COURSE OUTLINE
Course Code: EDST 228
Course Title: Educational Statistics
Number of Credit Hours: 3
Lecturer: Agyen Kwaku James
Email: jkagyen@vvu.edu.gh
Tel: 0203503050
COURSE DESCRIPTION

Introduction
This course, Educational Statistics is so designed to give students a genuine foundation in
the basics of Statistics as applied to research—and how to apply the concepts and
techniques in the real world—through a strong emphasis on their applicability on data
analysis and manipulations using computer applications, and examples. The focus of the
approach is to present students with theoretical mathematics and their statistical
implications during data analysis and interpretation, in clear, plain English, and then
applying the ensuing solution procedures to example problems along with step-by-step,
how-to instructions. Computer software such as Excel and SPSS will be used to enable the
students to focus on the practical usability of the course, thus no one needs strong
mathematics background to understand this course.

Course Objective
By the end of this course students should be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic statistics and and its related concepts
and their applications to data.
• Demonstrate an understanding in organizing and summarizing collected data both
manually and using computer software such as excel. These will be done using
tables, charts and diagram including frequency tables; Pie and Bar charts,
Histogram, Stem-and-leave plots, and line graph.
 • Determine the Measures of central tendency: mean, median and mode. Measures
of dispersion: range, variance, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation from
a given data.
• Demonstrate understanding in basic probability concepts
• Also demonstrate understanding in correlation and regression: types of correlation
and regression scatter diagram, drawing of regression line of best fit using the eye.

Course Content

• This course is designed for fresh students to introduce them to Statistics. Topics to
be covered include: Collection, Organization and Presentation of statistical data.
Tables, Charts and Diagrams including frequency tables; Pie and Bar charts,
Histogram, Stem-and-leave plots, Box and whiskers plot, and line graph. Measures
of central tendency: mean, median and mode. Measures of dispersion: range,
variance, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation from a given data.
Measures of relative position and normal distribution, Standard scores, Stanines,
Correlation and Regression.

Course Outline

UNIT 1: NATURE OF STATISTICS

LECTURE 1: DEFINITIONS OF STATISTICS
1.1 Statistics as a Body of Numbers
1.2 Statistics as Computed Values
1.3 Statistics as a Subject of Study
1.4 What is Educational Statistics?
LECTURE 2: REASONS FOR STUDYING STATISTICS IN EDUCATION
2.1 Using Appropriate Statistics to describe Performance
2.2 Understanding Information from Test Scores
2.3 Evaluating Course Grades
2.4 Reading and Understanding Professional Journals
2.5 Carrying out Research
LECTURE 3: UNDERSTANDING VARIABLES
 3.1 What is a variable?
3.2 Ordered and Unordered Variables
3.3 Discrete and Continuous Variables
LECTURE 4: DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL STATISTICS
4.1 Descriptive Statistics
4.2 Inferential Statistics
LECTURE 5: NOMINAL AND ORDINAL SCALES OF MEASUREMENT
5.1 Scales of Measurement
5.2 Nominal Scales
5.3 Ordinal Scales
LECTURE 6: INTERVAL AND RATIO SCALES OF MEASUREMENT
6.1 Interval Scales
6.2 Ratio Scales
UNIT 2: A DATA REPRESENTATION
LECTURE 1: PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES OF DATA REPRESENTATION
1.1 Purposes of Pictorial Representation of Data
1.2 Principles of Pictorial Representation of Data
LECTURE 2: BAR GRAPHS
2.1 Types of Bar Graphs
2.2 Constructing Bar Graphs
2.3 Strengths and Limitations
2.4 Uses of Bar Graphs
LECTURE 3: PIE CHARTS
3.1 Nature of Pie charts
3.2 Constructing Pie Charts
3.3 Strengths and Limitations
3.4 Uses of Pie Charts
LECTURE 4: LINE GRAPH
4.1 Types of Line Graphs
4.2 Constructing Line Graphs
4.3 Strengths and Limitations of Line Graphs
4.4 Uses of Line Graphs
LECTURE 5: FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS
 5.1 Nature of Frequency Distributions
5.2 Features of a Grouped Frequency Distribution Table
5.3 Constructing a Grouped Frequency Distribution Table
5.4 Points to Note in Constructing a Frequency Distribution Table
LECTURE 6: GRAPHIC REPRESENTATIONS
6.1 Histograms
6.2 Constructing a Histogram
6.3 Importance of Histogram in Educational Practice
6.4 Frequency Polygons
6.5 Constructing a Frequency Polygon
6.6 Importance of Frequency Polygons for Educational Practice
6.7 Ogives
6.8 Constructing Ogives
6.9 Importance of Ogives in Educational Practice
UNIT 3: MEASURES CENTRAL TENDENCY
LECTURE 1: PURPOSES OF THE MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY
1.1 Nature of the Measures
1.2 Purposes of the Measures
LECTURE 2: SUMMATION
2.2 Addition, using the Summation Notation
2.3 Subtraction, using the Summation Notation
2.4 Multiplication and Division, using the Summation Notation
LECTURE 3: THE ARITHMETIC MEAN.
3.1 Computing the Mean
3.2 Properties of the Mean
3.3 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Mean
3.4. Uses of the Mean
LECTURE 4: THE MEDIAN
4.1 Nature of the Median
4.2 Computing the Median
4.3 Properties of the Median
4.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Median
4.5 Uses of the Median
 LECTURE 5: THE MODE
5.1 Nature of the Mode
5.2 Computing the Mode
5.3 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Mode
5.4 Uses of the Mode
LECTURE 6: QUARTILES
6.1 Nature of Quartiles
6.2 Computing the Quartiles
UNIT 4: MEASURES OF VARIATION
LECTURE 1: NATURE OF THE MEASURES OF VARIATION
1.1 Nature of the Measures of Variation
1.2 Purposes of the Measures

LECTURE 2: THE RANGE
2.1 Nature of the Range
2.2 Computing the Range
2.3 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Range
2.4 Uses of the Range
LECTURE 3: THE VARIANCE
3.1 Nature of the Variance
3.2 Computing the Variance
3.3 Properties of the Variance
3.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of the variance.
3.5 Uses of the Variance
LECTURE 4: THE STANDARD DEVIATION
4.1 Nature of the Standard Deviation
4.2 Computing the Standard Deviation
4.3 Properties of the Standard Deviation
4.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Standard Deviation
4.5 Uses of the Standard Deviation
LECTURE 5: COEFFICIENT OF VARIATION
5.1 Nature of the Coefficient of Variation (CV)
5.2 Computing the Coefficient of Variation
 5.3 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Coefficient of Variation
4.3 Uses of the Coefficient of Variation
LECTURE 6: QUARTILE DEVIATION
6.1 Nature of the Quartile Deviation (QD)
6.2 Computing the Quartile Deviation
6.3 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Quartile Deviation
6.4 Uses of the Quartile Deviation
UNIT 5: MEASURES OF RELATIVE POSITION & NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
LECTURE 1: PERCENTILES AND PERCENTILE RANKS
1.1 Nature of Percentile
1.2 Computing Percentiles
1.4 Computing Percentile Ranks
LECTURE 2: STANDARD SCORES (Z,T)
2.1 Nature of Standard Scores
2.2 The Z Standard Score
2.3 The T Standard Score
2.4. Uses of Standard Scores
LECTURE 3: STANINES
3.1 Nature of Stanine
3.2 Computing Stanines
3.3 Uses
LECTURE 4: NATURE OF NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
4.1 Description of the Normal Distribution
4.2 Using Symbols
4.3 Areas Under the Normal Curve
LECTURE 5: FEATURES OF NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
5.2 Further Areas Under the Normal Curve
LECTURE 6: APPLICATIONS OF NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
6.1 Application 1. Finding Probabilities
6.2 Application 2. Finding Percentages
6.3 Application 3. Finding Number of Students
UNI -6: LINEAR CORRELATION
LECTURE 1: THE CONCEPT OF CORRELATION
 1.1 The Concept of Correlation
1.2 Scatter Plots
1.3 Assumptions
LECTURE 2: NATURE OF THE LINEAR RELATIONSHIP
2.1 Nature of the Linear Relationship
2.2 Graphs of the Linear Relationships
2.3 Commonly Used Correlations Coefficients
2.4 Coefficient of Determination (r2)
2.5 Causation and Correlation.

LECTURE 3: PEARSON PRODUCT MOVEMENT CORRELATION COEFFICIENT
3.1 Obtaining the Pearson Product' Moment Correlation Coefficient
3.2 Calculating the Correlation Coefficient
LECTURE 4: SPEARMAN RANK-ORDER CORRELATION COEFFICIENT
4.1 Obtaining the Spearman Rank-Order Correlation Coefficient (𝝆, rho).
4.2 Calculating the Rank-Order Correlation Coefficient
LECTURE 5: CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS FOR NOMINAL SCALE VARIABLES
5.1 Obtaining the Correlation Coefficient for Nominal Variables
5.2 Calculating the phi (𝝋) Correlation Coefficient
5.3 Calculating the Contingency Coefficient (C)
LECTURE 6: USES OF CORRELATION IN EDUCATION
6.1 Selection and Placement
6.2 Determination of Reliability of Standardized and Classroom Test
6.3 Aids in the Provision of Evidences for the Validity of Assessment Instruments
6.4 Prediction
6.5 Research Purposes

Grading system
Students shall be graded base on three items;

1. Assignments (20 marks)

2. Internal Assessment-Quiz and Mid Semester Test (20 marks)
3. End of semester examination (60 marks)
Grading System

Scores Grades Grade Points Description

80-100 A 4.00 Superior
75-79 A- 3.67
70-74 B+ 3.33
65-69 B 3.00 Above Average
61-64 B- 2.67
56-60 C+ 2.33
50-55 C 2.00 Average
45-49 C- 1.67
40-44 D 1.00 Below Average
00-39 F 0.00 Failing
00-39 FA 00.0 Failing Due to Inadequate Attendance

N.B. If for any reason a student will like to be exempted from an examination, quiz or test,
a prior notification in the form of writing must be given by the student 4 working days
before the examination with a tangible reason. In cases of sickness and other reasons that
may need the university’s approval the due process must be followed.