Student test scores (spreadsheet and graph)

This blog is referring to me taking raw data and creating a specific spreadsheet as well as a graph that represents the data. This was probably more challenging for me than it should have been. With that being said, I am glad I spent so much time on it trying to figure out how to calculate the specific averages for students and for overall test scores. I have to admit it was a lot more fun than I would have imagined. Once I got the hang of selecting the right cells to calculate the average it was fun.

I can see that the more I become familiar with this, the easier it will be to use. To make it easier for me, I opened up three different Google doc spreadsheets. I first put the overall raw data into the first spreadsheet. From there, I was able to copy and paste the students names to a new spreadsheet followed by their tests 6-10 and disregarded tests 1-5. This second spreadsheet was where I calculated the individual students averages, the tests overall averages, and the class average as a whole. I copied and pasted all the students who had below the class average of 192 to my third spreadsheet. From here, I was able to create my graph. I was pleasantly surprised how adding color can help the spreadsheet to come alive and make more since. It helps me to see it in individual categories but at the same time all making since.

It took me a few tries before I had the graph labeled correctly and to come out just right. I love how you can go back if you do not like how it turned out and try again. This is definitely user friendly. I can see using this for my classroom’s grades. It will be easy for me to see which of my students need more assistance and which of my students need extensions to help challenge them. I think this will make my teaching life much easier. I want to keep practicing with it so that I can get the hang of it and it won’t take me much time to find my class’s data.

Once I graphed my data I quickly saw that all but one student had their highest score during test ten. I would say on average the students improved with every test they took. By test 10, half of the students are exceeding the average. As a teacher, if I saw this data, I would be very happy. Growth is always the goal. I would look at their lower test scores and find out what content I need to go over in more detail and teach it in a different way.