PD24-04: Exploring TALIS and NTPS Data Using NCES’s Free Online Data Analysis Tools

Session Type: Professional Development Course

Abstract

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collects data on teachers, principals, and schools through various nationally representative surveys, such as the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), an international survey of lower secondary teachers and principals; and the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), a primary source of information about K–12 schools in the U.S. from the perspective of teachers and principals. While these large-scale surveys provide rich and reliable information, analyzing them may be overwhelming to potential users for various reasons, such as the large size of the files, which include thousands of variables; and the comprehensive technical documentation and analysis procedures that must be considered due to the surveys’ complex sample designs.

The purpose of this 4-hour in-person mini-course is to familiarize participants with TALIS and NTPS and to help them conduct analyses with these large-scale datasets without having to use microdata files. It is designed for researchers, school administrators, teachers, and policymakers interested in international and national data on teachers, principals, or schools. It can be delivered virtually, if needed.

The course begins with an overview of TALIS and NTPS. Next, participants are instructed on how to use NCES’s two free online data tools—the International Data Explorer (IDE) for TALIS and DataLab for NTPS—to generate descriptive statistics, perform regression analysis, and interpret the results. Finally, using their own research questions, participants gain hands-on experience with the tools.

No prerequisite skills or knowledge are needed for this course. Participants should bring their own laptops.

Sub Unit

• Professional Development and Training Committee

Director

• Ebru Erberber, American Institutes for Research

Instructors

• Frank Torres Fonseca, American Institutes for Research

• Saki Ikoma, American Institutes for Research