Data Analysis Skills Research Articles

Assessment of Students' Data Literacy Skills in Southern Nigerian Universities

The data literacy skills of students in Southern Nigeria institutions of higher learning were evaluated in this study using descriptive survey method. A total of five (5) universities were selected for this study. These comprised of 150,055 students of which 2550 constituted sample for the study. Multi-stage sampling procedure was employed. The instrument used for data collection for the study was Data Literacy Questionnaire (DLQ). The reliability of DLQ was established using Cronbach-alpha method and it yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.901. The data collected was statistical analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions while t-test and Analysis of variance were used to analyze the hypotheses. Findings revealed that the students possessed moderate level of data literacy skills. The students had their lowest rating in data analysis skills. The findings also revealed that Ph.D. students had better data literacy skills compared to M.Sc. and B.Sc. students, while M.Sc students' had better data skills compared to B.Sc. students. The study recommends that programs and workshops should be designed to help improve data skills for teachers and students in order to meet global standards.

Analytics, accounting and big data: enhancing accounting education

The role of Analytics and Big Data in business has been the subject of considerable research and discussion. Members of the accounting profession have recognized the importance of both and recognize that the emergence of these technologies require employees who possess a higher level of data analysis capabilities. Thus, industry is demanding that institutions of higher education place a greater emphasis on developing curricular elements, which will adequately address the needs of the ultimate consumers of these capabilities. This paper examines the data analysis skills relevant to accountants and how and where data analytics and big data have impacted undergraduate accounting education. This research examines the degree to which selected undergraduate Accounting programs have embraced Analytics and Big Data to the greatest extent and proposes a set of curricular elements the provide the appropriate level of learning within the current framework of undergraduate accounting education.

Evaluation of activation of HSF and UPR protein folding pathways by chemical stressors using a yeast reporter system for a hypothesis driven laboratory exercise

Heat shock factor (HSF) is a transcription factor that is activated in response to an accumulation of misfolded proteins in the cytoplasm. In contrast, the unfolded protein response (UPR) is a transcriptional response pathway that responds to the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Both pathways, when activated by misfolded proteins, result in a transcriptional response that helps the cell to survive by making factors to help the cell sequester and destroy the misfolded proteins. Using aseptic techniques, Saccharomyces cerevisiae with UPR or HSF Beta‐galactosidase reporter plasmids were grown and tested with various doses of 4 different chemical stressors (Dithiothreitol, Diamide, Hydrogen Peroxide, Beta‐Mercaptoethanol) that may induce protein misfolding. Beta‐galactosidase assays were completed to determine the transcriptional response of the HSF and UPR pathways to the chemical stressors. Importantly, this activity emphasizes the mechanism of action of two different cell signaling pathway and demonstrates the use of a marker gene to determine transcriptional activity of a pathway. This laboratory exercises engages the student in critical thinking and data analysis skills as they evaluate data to determine if their chemical stressor activated both pathways or only one pathway.

Instructional Hematology for Pre‐Health Undergraduates

At Michigan State University (MSU), the physiology department’s lab course for pre‐health professionals places an emphasis on laboratory exercises relevant to healthcare and the development of data analysis, professional development, and problem solving skills. As such, the goal of the hematology laboratory experience is to help students understand the ripple effect of hematology and how it can be extended to other fields of medicine. This is done by exposing students to the collection of blood samples and related laboratory tests that can be a typical part of a health screening or onsite wellness visit. Even for those students who do not become hematologists, it is important to maintain current knowledge of the best practices regarding the treatment and testing required for the best patient service and understand how various blood disorders affect certain populations.We promote hematology learning through five blood testing stations in addition to microscope analysis. The five blood tests performed are hematocrit, blood typing, total lipid panel, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio (PT‐INR), and hemoglobin. Students will perform each of these blood tests with their own samples and are guided to the interpretation of each measurement with provided clinical standards. We also include the microscopic analysis of five live patient samples of blood with conditions including, sickle cell anemia, eosinophilia, acute myelogenous leukemia, and lymphoma. In analyzing each of these tests, students are tasked with relating their own data to overall health and clinical relevance. The learning objectives associated with these tests include the demonstration of safe handling of blood using Universal Precautions, among the ability to describe and recognize typical and pathologic values found in common blood tests. They are also required to explore the supporting physiology, such as the phases of hemostasis and consequences of incompatible blood transfusions. Students are able to practice their professional skills by teaching each other how to perform these tests after they have watched and performed their own, modeling the “see one, do one, teach one” pedagogy often found in clinical settings. Additionally, with the results and permission of our students, we are able to gather baseline blood data for this healthy age group and seek to compile and share these values as a composite look at typical data for this specific group.

DATA ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS TRAINING FOR TEACHERS – THE WELSH BACCALAUREATE

The Welsh Baccalaureate qualification has been adopted by most secondary schoolswithin Wales. In years 12 and 13 (ages 16-18), 50% of the qualification requires students tocollect primary data and also conduct secondary data analysis to write a 5000 word investigative report. To help teachers develop effective teaching strategies and resources, Welsh Government funding enabled key networking events to establish a teacher conference. This paper describes the supportive nature and potential portability of theconference to help teachers’ delivery of critical thinking and data analysis skills. The impact of the conference over the last three years is also discussed, utilising delegate feedback. First published February 2020 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives

The ability of different imputation methods for missing values in mental measurement questionnaires

BackgroundIncomplete data are of particular important influence in mental measurement questionnaires. Most experts, however, mostly focus on clinical trials and cohort studies and generally pay less attention to this deficiency. We aim is to compare the accuracy of four common methods for handling items missing from different psychology questionnaires according to the items non-response rates.MethodAll data were drawn from the previous studies including the self-acceptance scale (SAQ), the activities of daily living scale (ADL) and self-esteem scale (RSES). SAQ and ADL dataset, simulation group, were used to compare and assess the ability of four imputation methods which are direct deletion, mode imputation, Hot-deck (HD) imputation and multiple imputation (MI) by absolute deviation, the root mean square error and average relative error in missing proportions of 5, 10, 15 and 20%. RSES dataset, validation group, was used to test the application of imputation methods. All analyses were finished by SAS 9.4.ResultsThe biases obtained by MI are the smallest under various missing proportions. HD imputation approach performed the lowest absolute deviation of standard deviation values. But they got the similar results and the performances of them are obviously better than direct deletion and mode imputation. In a real world situation, the respondents’ average score in complete data set was 28.22 ± 4.63, which are not much different from imputed datasets. The direction of the influence of the five factors on self-esteem was consistent, although there were some differences in the size and range of OR values in logistic regression model.ConclusionMI shows the best performance while it demands slightly more data analytic capacity and skills of programming. And HD could be considered to impute missing values in psychological investigation when MI cannot be performed due to limited circumstances.

Integrating technology and data analytic skills into the accounting curriculum: Accounting department leaders’ experiences and insights

Recently, accounting professionals have highlighted the need for accounting students to have technology and data analytic skills to be successful in the accounting profession. To meet this demand, AACSB elected to mandate that all accounting departments with supplemental accreditation integrate a minimum level of technology and data analytic skills into their curricula through Standard A7 (now Standard A5). We report survey results of AACSB accredited accounting department leaders concerning their experiences in integrating technology into the curriculum, including their perspectives on implementation status and challenges, as well as their current program offerings. We find that Standard A7 was impactful in eliciting change, but that the method of integration, as well as the available courses, varies across programs. Our findings and discussion should be of interest to the leaders of accounting and business programs accredited by the AACSB or planning to gain accreditation, other accounting programs seeking to integrate technology, the AACSB and other accrediting bodies, as well as other stakeholders (e.g., AAA, AICPA).

Improving the quantitative research skills of Welsh Baccalaureate teachers through university engagement

In 2015, the redesigned Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification (WBQ) was launched and, for the first time, students undertaking the qualification were required to complete the Skills Challenge Certificate (SCC). Consisting of four components – the Individual Project, the Enterprise and Employability Challenge, the Global Citizenship Challenge and the Community Challenge – the SCC aims to enable learners to develop skills needed for education, employment and life. The Individual Project requires students to undertake a research project that includes analysing data utilizing quantitative data analysis skills. This paper identifies the teaching of such quantitative skills as a difficulty for some teachers involved in the delivery of the qualification, drawing on recent engagement work between Cardiff University and schools and colleges in South Wales. It argues that universities have an opportunity to engage with schools, teachers and school students in the delivery of quantitative research skills that can be beneficial for both schools and universities.

Integrating data analysis into an introductory macroeconomics course

Data analysis and applying knowledge to real-world settings rank among key skills of college graduates. This paper shows how to completely integrate data analysis and application of knowledge to real-world settings into an introductory macroeconomics course. Every class meeting is structured as a series of activities that students work through using free, publicly available data. Time can be allotted to these activities during class because the course takes advantage of two previously documented active learning pedagogies (flipped classroom and team-based learning). Students benefit by gaining data analysis skills, applying knowledge to real-world settings, digging deeper into the material and contentious topics, and learning that results from combining the data analysis approach with the active learning approaches.

Multi-contact 4C: long-molecule sequencing of complex proximity ligation products to uncover local cooperative and competitive chromatin topologies.

We present the experimental protocol and data analysis toolbox for multi-contact 4C (MC-4C), a new proximity ligation method tailored to study the higher-order chromatin contact patterns of selected genomic sites. Conventional chromatin conformation capture (3C) methods fragment proximity ligation products for efficient analysis of pairwise DNA contacts. By contrast, MC-4C is designed to preserve and collect large concatemers of proximity ligated fragments for long-molecule sequencing on an Oxford Nanopore or Pacific Biosciences platform. Each concatemer of proximity ligation products represents a snapshot topology of a different individual allele, revealing its multi-way chromatin interactions. By inverse PCR with primers specific for a fragment of interest (the viewpoint) and DNA size selection, sequencing is selectively targeted to thousands of different complex interactions containing this viewpoint. A tailored statistical analysis toolbox is able to generate background models and three-way interaction profiles from the same dataset. These profiles can be used to distinguish whether contacts between more than two regulatory sequences are mutually exclusive or, conversely, simultaneously occurring at chromatin hubs. The entire procedure can be completed in 2 w, and requires standard molecular biology and data analysis skills and equipment, plus access to a third-generation sequencing platform.

Increased Scaffolding and Inquiry in an Introductory Biology Lab Enhance Experimental Design Skills and Sense of Scientific Ability.

We present a model for the process of redesigning the laboratory curriculum in Introductory Organismal Biology to increase opportunities for meaningful inquiry and increase student recognition of their scientific skill development. We created scaffolded modules and assignments to allow students to build and practice key skills in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing. Using the Tool for Interrelated Experimental Design, we showed significantly higher gains in experimental design scores in the redesigned course and a more consistent pattern of gains across a range of initial student scores compared with the original format. Students who completed the redesigned course rated themselves significantly higher in experimental design, data collection, and data analysis skills compared with students in the original format. Scores on the Laboratory Course Activity Survey were high for both formats and did not significantly differ. However, on written course evaluations, students in the redesigned course were more likely to report that they engaged in “real science” and their “own experiments.” They also had increased recognition of their specific analytical and writing skill development. Our results demonstrate that intentional, scaffolded instruction using inquiry modules can increase experimental design skills and sense of scientific ability in an introductory biology course.

Data Analytics and Audit Quality

We examine the impact of data analytics on audit quality. Using hand-collected information on data analytics skills of employees of audit firms, we find that human capital investment in data analytics improves audit quality. The analytics capability of both frontline and back-office employees contributes to audit quality. The effect is more pronounced for audit clients with complex business operations, for clients with complicated accounting estimates, and for clients that are more digitalized. Taken together, our findings suggest that an audit office’s analytics capability represents an important office attribute that can affect audit quality.

A Single, Narrowly Focused CREATE Primary Literature Module Evokes Gains in Genetics Students' Self-Efficacy and Understanding of the Research Process.

Exposure to primary literature using CREATE tools has been shown to have a positive impact on students’ self-efficacy and beliefs when incorporated into semester-long courses taught by extensively trained faculty. However, it is unknown whether similar benefits can occur with a brief exposure to CREATE in an otherwise traditionally taught course. We hypothesized that students who experienced a short-term CREATE module taught by faculty with minimal training in this pedagogy would make gains in scientific literacy and self-efficacy while also experiencing epistemological maturation. To test this hypothesis, we compared sections of students who experienced the CREATE module with sections of the same course taught without CREATE. Our hypothesis was partially supported by the data in that students in CREATE sections made significant gains in self-efficacy but did not gain transferable data analysis skills. Students in those sections also self-reported significantly enhanced understanding of the research process. Thus, this study suggests that analysis of primary literature using CREATE, even in short modules, can significantly and positively affect students’ self-efficacy and their views of science.

Faculty self-reported use of quantitative and data analysis skills in undergraduate geoscience courses

Quantitative literacy is a foundational component of success in STEM disciplines and in life. Quantitative concepts and data-rich activities in undergraduate geoscience courses can strengthen geoscience majors’ understanding of geologic phenomena and prepare them for future careers and graduate school, and provide real-world context to apply quantitative thinking for non-STEM students. We use self-reported teaching practices from the 2016 National Geoscience Faculty Survey to document the extent to which undergraduate geoscience instructors emphasize quantitative skills (algebra, statistics, and calculus) and data analysis skills in introductory (n = 1096) and majors (n = 1066) courses. Respondents who spent more than 20% of class time on student activities, questions, and discussions, taught small classes, or engaged more with the geoscience community through research or improving teaching incorporated statistical analyses and data analyses more frequently in their courses. Respondents from baccalaureate institutions reported use of a wider variety of data analysis skills in all courses compared with respondents from other types of institutions. Additionally, respondents who reported using more data analysis skills in their courses also used a broader array of strategies to prepare students for the geoscience workforce. These correlations suggest that targeted professional development could increase instructors’ use of quantitative and data analysis skills to meet the needs of their students in context.

Chemical Weapons Education in the Analytical Chemistry Curriculum: A Case-Based, Active-Learning Approach

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has identified education and outreach as vital to global efforts that emphasize the responsible use of chemicals. To promote students’ exposure to broad-reaching applications of analytical chemistry, a chemical-weapons-themed project was implemented in an upper-level analytical chemistry course. In this project, students developed laboratory and data analysis skills needed to complete organic structure analysis, professionally communicated their data and conclusions, and considered chemical analysis in an applied context. This project grounds the topic of multiuse chemicals in a case-based, active-learning context.

DESIGNING A PROGRAMMING BOOTCAMP FOR NON-SOFTWARE ENGINEERS

Providing engineering students with advanced programming and data analysis skills is becoming more important in today’s technological world. This paper presents the overview of a programming bootcamp designed to bring non-software engineers up to speed with software engineering over one 4-month semester. The design, implementation, and challenges of the bootcamp are discussed.

Key leadership skills of great sales leaders

Purpose The purpose of this research paper is to identify and describe the key leadership skills associated with great leaders in the sales discipline. Nine critically important sales leadership skills are identified and discussed in this manuscript with the purpose of getting sales leaders think about skill set development while providing those responsible for sales leadership development an opportunity to think through some critically important questions. Design/methodology/approach A sample of over 300 sales personnel were asked to individually describe the best sales leader with whom they had ever worked for during your career. Focus groups were then conducted to identify the most critical skills for sales leadership success. A content analysis of the focus group findings were then used to tabulate the key findings in this paper. Findings Key findings from this focus group study identified a wide range of critically important leadership skills and behaviors that included: emotional intelligence and 360° communication skills, possessing the ability to effectively coach and develop sales personnel, the ability to create clear performance expectations and accountability, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, the ability to engage a sales workforce, strategic acumen, character and integrity, and data Mining and analytical skills, among others. Research limitations/implications The key findings from this research provide the reader with a host of potentially testable hypotheses as well as ideas and findings for future sales leadership research. 10;This study provides a clear roadmap for sales leaders to develop critically important skill sets needed for improving a sales force's performance and revenue generation capabilities. 10. Practical implications This study provides a clear roadmap for sales leaders to develop critically important skill sets needed for improving a sales force's performance and revenue generation capabilities. Social implications The social implications of the study make it clear that great sales leaders take great care of their workforces, develop their people, and demonstrate great character and integrity in the workplace. Originality/value This paper will identified nine specific leadership skills and practices required for high performance in this regard. Focus group findings will challenge the readers thinking on several key fronts while at the same time providing them with a punch list of critically important behaviors that can be targeted and developed. This information is important for both individual performers as well as those responsible for sales leadership development in their organizations.

Using Inquiry-Based Learning to Enhance Immunology Laboratory Skills.

A challenge in teaching immunology in the undergraduate laboratory is to encompass the many varied skills that need to be applied when performing an investigative study of such a complex area. It requires background knowledge, data analysis skills, critical thinking, and design capacities to include relevant controls and applications of particular techniques to answer a research question. It also requires strong technical skills. One such approach is to use inquiry-based learning which allows students a more proactive and integrative role in their learning. In one of our final year immunology units we have incorporated an inquiry-based exercise that runs across four 5-hour sessions. Students are given two cornerstone immunology techniques (ELISA and a flow cytometry-based cytokine bead array), which they use to formulate a study investigating inflammation. Stage one is to design the experiment with some guidance from teaching staff, stage two is to perform the experiment, and then finally students are required to analyze the data, apply appropriate statistics, and write a report outlining their findings. This approach provides students ownership of the process and allows them the opportunity to investigate a real-world problem rather than just attempting to obtain the expected “correct answer.” Feedback from both students and staff has been positive with strong engagement and high quality reports produced.

The Fourier spectrum of a singing wine glass

The phenomenon of the singing wineglass is familiar to many. Most people have run a finger along the rim of a wine glass with the right speed and pressure to get it to whistle a tone or perhaps heard a glass harmonica being played. However, have you ever noticed and wondered why the vibrations caused by a finger on a glass produce a pulsating sound, rather than a steady, constant-amplitude vibration? Further exploration reveals that the sound and pulsations of a wine glass vary depending on the way the wine glass is stimulated. In this paper, we investigate and model the characteristic sounds produced by three different cases: the pulsating sound exhibited by a finger run along the rim of a wine glass, the steady tone produced by a stationary finger on a rotating wine glass, and the decaying pulsations exhibited by a struck rotating wine glass. Analyzing the qualitative differences among these three cases provides opportunities for students to hone experimental, modeling, and data analysis skills in an intermediate level undergraduate experimental physics course.

Educational Outcomes Resulting From Restructuring a Scholarship Course for Doctor of Pharmacy Students

Objective. To compare educational outcomes between two iterations of a scholarship and research course for Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Pharmacy. Methods. The first iteration of a course intended to teach pharmacy students the knowledge and skills necessary to design and conduct research involved lectures and application exercises, including limited guided questions about different aspects of the research process. In the fall of 2015, multiple structured activities and accompanying grading rubrics, each designed around the structure and content of a section of a research proposal, were introduced to the course to supplement lectures. Both iterations of the course culminated with students submitting a research proposal. After establishing interrater reliability, faculty members graded a random sample of 20 research proposals, 10 from each version of the course, and section-specific and overall proposal scores were compared. Results. In the proposals submitted after the course revisions, significant improvements in three areas were identified: the overall score, the section-specific scores for research hypothesis/specific aims, and institutional review board (IRB) discussion/informed consent. Nominal, though not statistically significant, improvements were observed in other sections. Conclusion. Additional research is needed regarding the best instructional strategies to reinforce data analysis and statistical testing knowledge and skills in PharmD students. Overall, our findings support the hypothesis that a more formalized, guided approach for teaching research methods improves learning outcomes for PharmD students.