Texas A&M University-Texarkana
Course Syllabus
EDLD 580 Data Analysis for Campus Improvement
Spring 2021
Instructor:
Dr. Rebeca Cooper
Adjunct Professor of Education Leadership
Office Location: Online
Office Hours:
By appointment Virtual Office Hours Selection Form (Click Here)
Phone:
Cell: 903-521-9151
Email Address: rcooper@tamut.edu
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Course Description
This course is designed to focus on analyzing and interpreting campus and community data for
decision making necessary to promote the success of all children. Special emphasis will be on
continuous improvement of the campus through the use of analysis of demographic, perception,
learning, and school process data. Additionally, the course focuses on the development of
educators as leaders in assessment, research, and evaluation. EDLD 580 is a 3 SCH graduate
course. Students must be admitted to the Education Leadership program to enroll in the course.
There are no prerequisite courses to this course
Course Delivery Method
Hybrid Online and Some Synchronous Zoom sessions (Alternating Monday Evenings from
6:30-8:30 pm and weekly asynchronous online modules.
Required Textbooks/Resources, Supplemental Resources
Required:
Creighton T., (2007). Schools and Data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Spatz, C., (2019). Exploring Statistics: Tales of Distributions(12th ed.). Conway, AR: Outcrop
Publishers
Supplementary: (Multiple electronic [and for some books, one or more hard] copies of all books
[with the exception of the APA Publication Manual] are available in the A&MTexarkana library.)
American Psychological Association, (2019). Publication Manual (7th ed.). ISBN:
9781433805615.
Tanner D., (2012). Using Statistics to Make Educational Decisions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
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Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Show evidence of an understanding of the importance of data and data- driven decisions
in school leadership.
2. Analyze and utilize multiple forms of data.
3. Create data-driven plans for specific school improvement.
4. Demonstrate data-driven decision-making skills necessary for campus leaders in research,
assessment, and evaluation.
5. Evaluate and apply data to various educational venues
Course Requirements
Weekly Module Topic Activities: The curriculum content of EDLD 580 is divided into
modules representing weeks of instruction (See Table 1). The modules will include a
combination of readings, video and/or audio lectures/PowerPoint presentations, outside research,
individual or group assignments and activities, and/or asynchronous Blackboard discussions.
Weekly modules may conclude with one or more written assignments for submission through
Blackboard in addition to, or in lieu of the discussion board activities. Modules will also require
video submission as evidence of learning. Please be sure to review the calendar for module
dates.
Synchronous class times: Due to the nature and the content of this course, Synchronous session
have been built into the schedule. This course will meet synchronously via zoom on alternating
Monday Evenings from 6:30-8:30. Please refer to the calendar of assignments and Table 1
Weekly Schedule of Module and Assignment Topics and Important Dates.
Student Participation: Participants are expected to check e-mail on Blackboard and A&M
accounts on a daily basis during the course period. Participants are also expected to check course
content in Blackboard each day. Weekly content will be posted no later than 8:00 am on Monday
and will be due on the date listed in the course syllabus and Blackboard. Please note that I do not
work on Sundays, so if you wait until the last minute to turn an assignment in, I am unavailable
for questions. I will respond to all emails received on Sundays, Monday mornings. Please note
that I will drop students from the course who have not logged in by the census date, per Texas
A&M University-Texarkana policy.
Attendance: This is a hybrid course that is primarily online with several synchronous meeting
dates, please refer to Table 1. This class meets synchronously, via zoom on 1/21, 2/8, 2/22,
3/8, 3/22, 4/5, 4/26 (Mondays from 6:30-8:30 p.m.). For the asynchronous portion of the
schedule you are not required to show-up at a particular location and at a particular time;
however, you are expected to show-up online. This course is designed to be an active and
interactive course in which you contribute and respond to the contributions of others. You should
plan to log on and participate in the course at least 3-5 times each week. Please do not "drop out"
for a period of time and then expect to "drop back in." If personal obligations or illness require
you to be absent for a week, please contact me and arrange to make up the work you will miss.
Since you can access this online course from anywhere in the world, there should be little
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likelihood of "absence." If there is an absence of one week without prior warning, I will then
send an Absence report; if your absence continues with no contact or explanation, you will not
have an opportunity to make up the work.
Failure to submit online assignments between the first day of class (Jan 19, 2021) and the
University census date (Feb 3, 2021) will result in an ADMINISTRATIVE DROP from the
course.
Students with federal loans and/or grants: Students who have federal loans and grants must
be aware that participation is monitored in online courses. In the event a student withdraws from
a course the student will be required to refund all federal funds prorated from the last date of
participation. A student’s last access to Blackboard will not suffice as participation. The
required weekly activity could include a discussion board posting, a submitted assignment, or
other measurable and tracked activity.
Course Etiquette:
1. Attendance: Students are expected to attend all synchronous virtual classes, to be on time,
and attend for the full class. There are no excused classes, nor does the professor “give
permission to miss class”. If a student elects to miss a class, then that student is
responsible for course announcements, covering the material from class independently,
and obtaining notes from a peer. The instructor will not provide make-up work for
absences. Attendance is required for online modules. Students must log in to Blackboard
and complete the required activities assigned for each week’s module.
2. Assignments should be submitted by the due date so the class can keep moving forward.
Activities and content are sequential and build on each week’s work. Late work will not
be accepted.
3. Students are expected to participate in class following professional standards of behavior.
These include:
a. Appropriate attendance
b. Professional Behavior (No Lying in bed, multitasking, or scrolling through your
phone).
c. Positive, open attitude towards learning
d. Appropriate collaboration skills with peers
e. Be respectful of other students and the professor.
f. Students are responsible for reading, understanding, and following the A&MTexarkana Code of Conduct.
4. Online Modules: Students are expected to log in to Blackboard weekly and participate in
all of the materials presented for each module.
5. Be inclusive. It is important to be intentional about making sure we “see” each other in an
online community. You can do this by making sure that everyone has at least one
response.
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Tip: If you are unsure who to respond to, try looking for posts that have not yet received
a reply. Also, be sure to reply back to people who post questions or comments to you.
6. Be on time. Your contributions to our discussions are important, but our learning
community will not benefit from them unless you post on time.
Tip: Set calendar reminders to make sure you contribute on time.
7. Disagree respectfully. Disagreement and different ideas are essential parts of learning,
problem-solving, and creativity. However, in order for different ideas to be heard and
shared, it is important to maintain a respectful stance even through vehement
disagreement; otherwise communication may break down.
Tip: You might start the conversation with a question to clarify or get more information
before you explain your different perspective. For example, “Nathan, can you tell me
more about what you meant when you said that recycling programs are a poor use of
public resources?”
Tip: Refrain from using judgmental evaluations of what someone posted, and instead
present your own perspective supported by factual information. For example, instead of
“Jamal, your analysis makes no sense,” you can say, “Jamal, I interpreted the results of
the study differently. As I see it, there was no statistically significant difference in the
children’s test scores, which implies that the new program is not working.”
8.
Be concise. Lengthy paragraphs are difficult for readers to digest. Keep your paragraphs
short and your writing concise.
Tip: Consider using bullet points to help highlight your main points or headings if your
post needs to be lengthy.
9. Stay on topic. Off-topic comments can derail our conversation. You can post off-topic
comments in our open discussion forum or one of the other communication modes we are
using in the course.
10. NO YELLING. When you write in uppercase letters in online communication, it is
usually interpreted as yelling.
11. Add some emotion. :-) Sometimes it helps communicate the tone of your message when
you add an emoticon. However, only do so as necessary for it can also be annoying to
readers if you use too many (which is probably the opposite of your intention).
12. Use humor carefully. Sarcasm in particular does not translate well in an online
environment. It is best to avoid the potential pitfalls of misunderstood messages.
Communication
Dr. Cooper checks eMail frequently throughout the day. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CHECK
both email and announcements DAILY. I believe strongly in the idea of Work Life Balance. I
think as students you should adopt the same philosophy; however, I also like to make myself
available to my students; therefore during the evenings or weekends please utilize text or
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GroupMe should you need to reach me. If I am available, I will respond, if I am not, I am sorry,
but you may have to reach out to your peers or wait until Monday morning. I believe
communication in an online course is critical; therefore, I am very approachable; however, I also
understand that sometimes life gets in the way. When it does, text me, phone me, or reach out via
GroupMe. During the weeks we are not scheduled for a synchronous meeting, I am available
one-on-one, please use the google form to schedule an appointment. More details will be found
in the course.
Clear and effective communication between and among the instructor and all students enrolled in
this courses is essential for success. All are expected to follow these rules:
3. For Blackboard and any other technical issues, please contact the IT HelpDesk via the
contact information provided at the end of the syllabus.
4. For clarification of an assignment or other course elements, send me a message via cell
phone (903-521-9151) or directly to my A&M-Texarkana email address, or via the
GroupMe App.
5. All assignments submitted for grading will be graded with comments and available to
you via Blackboard within five business days (Monday through Friday, excluding
university holidays).
6. Be alert for email messages regarding temporary Blackboard outages. These are sent
through your A&M-Texarkana email address. Again, although most of these
interruptions are announced well in advance, do not wait until the last minute to attend to
your weekly module assignments and expectations.
7. Respect for each other at all times (e.g., seminar face-to-face discussions, asynchronous
discussion boards, messages) is required at all times. This means following common
email etiquette (e.g., no ALL CAPS) and listening to others’ points of view without
interruptions or personal attacks. Profanity is absolutely unacceptable.
8. In the event of an extended emergency (e.g., ≥24 hour power outage in your
residence neighborhood) do the best you can to continue with your work and
listen to the local news for updates and guidance. Be advised to keep your laptop
powered up at all times to allow you to work on assignments even if you can’t
access the Internet/Blackboard. Campus closings for inclement weather during
regular class days (Monday-Friday) should not affect your online work and will not
impact assignment due dates.
9.
Reschedule or cancellation of a face-to-face seminar session for any reason (e.g.,
community-wide emergency, inclement weather) will be announced via Blackboard
message by 7a on the morning of the meeting. If Blackboard is down, I’ll send you a text
using the cell phone number you provide to me at the beginning of the course.
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10. One-On-One Weekly Sessions will be offered each week allowing students an
opportunity to schedule a personal one-on-one meeting with Dr. Coper. A google form is
located in Blackboard for this purpose. Should you need to schedule a one-on-one
weekly session, please complete the google form. Multiple day, and evening times will
be available; however, they will be scheduled on a first come, first serve basis.
Virtual Office Times: Since this is a remote course, weekly virtual office times will be offered.
To access, complete the One-on-One Google form located on the left-hand side toolbar in
blackboard or located at the end of each module. This form will be used to schedule one-on-one
sessions with Dr. Cooper. It has been designed as a choice eliminator. As such, once a time has
been spoken for, you will not be allowed to select that time. You will get an email with the zoom
session meeting ID and Password for your selected time. Sessions have been spread out
throughout the week offering morning, afternoon, and evening choices. Please only select the
time you are available, DO NOT select more than 1. If you want the first pick, be sure to
complete the form as soon as possible. One-On-One Weekly Virtual Session Google Form (Click
Here)
Group Me: Online Synchronous courses very often seem isolating, offering very little to no
interaction with your classmates. This leaves you feeling as though you are all alone in your
struggles and you may not have anyone to turn to. The GroupMe app is designed to eliminate
some of the frustrations that go along with taking an online class. For those of you who opt into
the GroupMe app, you will have a community of colleagues who are taking the same course as
you. Should you have questions about an assignment, someone in the group would be able to
help you. It also lets me know what the struggles are and if able, I can step in to facilitate or in
some cases eliminate those struggles. I pride myself on being available to my students and while
you have access to my personal cellphone, this eliminates the constant interruption that can
sometimes be frustrating. To opt into the GroupMe for this course requires three steps.
1) Download the GroupMe app onto your cell phone.
2) Opt into the Groupme created for this course by completing the Google form located
in Blackboard on the left-hand side toolbar.
3) Accept the invite once it is sent to you.
Course Delivery Method
Content will be delivered on-line and experiential learning activities will be incorporated into
those on-line components per the course schedule. Important class announcements are generated
from within the online Learning Management System (LMS) and go directly to the student’s
email address entered in the system. Synchronous classes are scheduled and attendance is
mandatory. Please see Table 1 - Weekly schedule of Module Topics and Important Dates.
Course Topic and Online Module Outline
The weekly schedule of module topics is provided in Table 1.
Table 1
Weekly Schedule of Module Topics and Important Dates
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Jan 19 – Jan 23 (1 Week)
Zoom Session (1/21 @ 6:30 p.m.)
Module 1The Role of Data Analysis & The Lives Of
School Leaders
Jan 24 - Jan 30 (1 Week)
Module 2
Collecting and Organizing Data
Jan 31 – Feb 6 (1 Week)
Feb 3 Census Day
Module 3 –
The Measures of Central Tendency
Feb 7 – Feb 13 (1 Week)
Zoom Session (2/8) @ 6:30 p.m.)
Module 4
Variability
Feb 14 – Feb 27 (2 Weeks)
Zoom Session (2/22) @ 6:30 p.m.)
Module 5
Formulating Research Questions & Z-Scores
and Probability
Feb 28 – Mar 13 (2 Weeks)
Zoom Session (3/8) @ 6:30 p.m.)
Module 6
Sampling, Confidence Intervals, & Hypothesis
Testing
Mar 14 – Mar 27 (2 Weeks)
Zoom Session (3/22) @ 6:30 p.m.)
Module 7
Single Sample t-test
Mar 28– Apr 10 (2 Weeks)
Module 8
Independent Samples t-test
Midterm Grades Due Mar 12
Zoom Session (4/5) @ 6:30 p.m.)
Apr 11– Apr 17 (1 Week)
Module 9
Paired Samples t-test
Apr 18 – Apr 28 (2 Weeks)
Last Day of Class Apr 28
Zoom Session (4/26) @ 6:30 p.m.)
Module 10
Correlation and Regression
Coursework: Assignments should be submitted by the due date so the class can keep moving
forward. Activities and content are sequential and build on each week's work and should not be
skipped or done out of order. This is a collaborative course with virtual students. These are your
peers and there is an expectation that we will interact with each other through the course content.
It is imperative that you log-in often to keep the conversation going.
Late Policy: Excluding Discussion boards, all assignments are due by Sunday end of the day
(11:59 PM) at the end of the respective week; if submitted late without prior knowledge or
approval of the instructor; the final grade can be reduced.
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Asynchronous Discussion Board Standards: The instructor may post a question or statement
related to the course material covered in a module on the discussion board shortly after the
respective module opens. The purpose of the discussion board is to promote students’ critical
thinking about the topic(s) not just to have a casual dialog. Students are expected to have
completed all of the readings and lectures prior to engaging in the discussion board. When an
asynchronous discussion board is included in a module, the following guidelines are required for
participation:
1. Discussion board forum provides maximum opportunities to enrich student learning around
a specific topic through collectively interacting, sharing experiences, and documenting
current research. The discussion board posts will be evaluated for the quality and quantity
of your responses and your participation. Posts and responses should be thoughtful and
thorough.
2. Each student is responsible for posting an original thread/response of at least 150 words
and is required to comment on the post of two other class members, with a minimum of 75
words per post. Responses are expected to be substantial in content and contain guiding
questions, alternate points of view and/or additional resources for reference.
3. Discussion Board Forums are an opportunity to practice scholarly writing. Both the initial
post and response posts should be supported with references, websites, resources,
knowledge, experiences, and/or examples. Credit, as appropriate, using APA Manual (7th
ed.) must be provided. Responses such as "l agree" or "Good idea" are inadequate and
will be given no credit. All initial post(s) and responses must stay on topic and answer the
problem, question, or situation as presented.
4. Grammar and writing style must be appropriate to graduate level writing and points will be
deducted for spelling, grammar, and style issues.
5. Discussion posts are considered attendance for the module/week and will not be accepted
late.
6. Each student’s postings will be evaluated by a rubric posted online.
7. Additional instructions may be posted for individual posts, and these instructions should be
considered a minimum.
Tools and Technique Video Reflection Journal: As you progress through this course, you will be
required to watch various videos that demonstrate each of the tools or techniques and submit
weekly Tool and Technique Skills Mastery Videos. Each video journal reflection is due by
11:59 p.m. on Sunday. In each video you will be demonstrating that you have mastered each
skill that is covered during that week’s module. Be sure to review the topic for each journal
reflection and respond to the prompt provided. So that you will be able to learn from each other,
all Journal entries will be available for your classmates to see and to respond to. Each Journal
entry is valued at up to 100 points. You will be responsible for a total of 10 journal entries for a
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total of 1000 points. Journal entries will be graded weekly. If you fail to submit an entry by the
due date you will not receive credit.
Final Video Reflection Journal: Your final will be a video reflection Journal Assignment where
you will demonstrate that you have mastered the skill. The final is valued at 300 points and will
be due by 11:59 p.m on May 5th.
Grading Scale
The university grading scale is as follows:
A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, F = 0-59%
A grade of “C” or better must be attained to apply this course to a doctoral degree.
Disability Accommodations
Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations through the A&M-Texarkana
Disability Services Office by calling 903-223-3062.
Academic Integrity
Academic honesty is expected of students enrolled in this course. Cheating on examinations,
unauthorized collaboration, falsification of research data, plagiarism, and undocumented use of
materials from any source constitute academic dishonesty and shall be grounds for a grade of ‘0’
on the assignment and/or disciplinary actions. For additional information, see the university
catalog.
A&M-Texarkana Email Address
Upon application to Texas A&M University-Texarkana an individual will be assigned an A&MTexarkana email account. This email account will be used to deliver official university
correspondence. Each individual is responsible for information sent and received via the
university email account and is expected to check the official A&M-Texarkana email account on
a frequent and consistent basis. Faculty and students are required to utilize the university email
account when communicating about coursework.
Drop Policy
To drop this course after the census date, a student must complete a Drop/Withdrawal Request
Form, located on the University Registrar’s webpage or obtained in the Registrar’s Office. The
student must submit the signed and completed form to the instructor of each course indicated on
the form to be dropped for his/her signature. The signature is not an “approval” to drop, but
rather confirmation that the student has discussed the drop/withdrawal with the faculty member.
The form must be submitted to the Registrar’s office for processing in person, email
Registrar@tamut.edu, mail (7101 University Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503) or fax (903-2233140). Drop/withdraw forms missing any of the required information will not be accepted by the
Registrar’s Office for processing. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the form is
completed properly before submission. If a student stops participating in class (attending and
submitting assignments) but does not complete and submit the drop/withdrawal form, a final
grade based on work completed as outlined in the syllabus will be assigned.
Student Technical Assistance
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Solutions to common problems and FAQ’s for your web-enhanced and online courses are found
on the Online Student Training page on our website.
If you cannot find your resolution there, you can submit a support request by contacting the IT
HelpDesk:
● Email: helpdesk@tamut.edu
● Phone: 903-334-6603
● Submit a Support Request Ticket
Additional student help for Blackboard can be found here:
Blackboard Help for Students
Technical Requirements
The following are minimum computer requirements for online learning:
● A computer capable of handling streaming video. A mid-range multi-core CPU should be
adequate.
● A sound card
● A high speed internet connection preferably directly connected to the computer via a
hard-wired Ethernet connection rather than wirelessly connected
● Virus and adware protection software
● Microsoft Word, minimum version 2007 or above
● Microsoft Excel, minimum version 2007 or above
● Mozilla Firefox browser available free
The most recent versions of Java, Flash, QuickTime, Adobe Reader, and Shockwave. You can
check this in the Firefox browser by visiting:
Firefox Plugin Check Tool
Please note: Some instructors may require the use of a headset with microphone and/or a
webcam. If so, the cost of these items is not included in your course fees and will need to be
acquired at your own expense. Blackboard Mobile for iOS and Android Devices
Android and iOS devices are currently supported using the Blackboard Mobile App, available for
free from your App Store or scan the code below:
The Blackboard Mobile App provides limited access to courses, including the ability to read and
contribute to discussions, check grades and announcements, access content, read and comment
on blogs, reflect in journals, link to your personal Dropbox, and receive push notifications when
courses are updated. Limited course features may also be available via your mobile device's
browser; however, your mobile device does not replace your personal computer and should not
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be used as a substitute for one. High stakes assignments, tests, etc. should be completed on your
personal computer, and not on your mobile device.
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