P-004 - Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K:2011) at NCES and Data Analysis using the R Package EdSurvey

Session Type: Pre-Conference Event

Integrative Statement

This course provides researchers with information about the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K:2011) and data analysis using the R package EdSurvey, which was developed for analyzing NCES large-scale assessment data with complex psychometric and sampling designs.

Data from the ECLS-K:2011 allow researchers to examine the relationships between a wide range of family, school, classroom, and individual characteristics and children’s development, learning, and school performance in kindergarten and across the elementary school years. EdSurvey, the free and open-source R package, provides researchers, analysts, and educators an accurate, affordable, and accessible way to analyze the ECLS-K:2011 data.

This one-day course will be a lecture format in the morning sessions with hands-on experience using the R package EdSurvey in the afternoon sessions. The course will begin with an overview of the ECLS-K:2011 study design, sample, and data collection components. After participants are familiarized with the study, the course will address working with the ECLS-K:2011’s complex data and appropriately using sample weights and estimating variance, as well as technical issues such as composite variables and missing data. Next, the participants will learn how to access the data and how to work with the Electronic Codebook (ECB). This session will also include information on how to identify the correct weights for a given ECLS-K:2011 analysis and how to find the weights in the ECB.

In the afternoon sessions, participants will be introduced to the data software R package EdSurvey to analyze the ECLS-K:2011 data. This package is being developed to analyze NCES databases. The afternoon sessions will focus on the use of the R package EdSurvey to visualize the data and conduct descriptive or inferential analyses, such as cross-tabulation, linear regression and logistic regression using the ECLS-K:2011 data. At the end of the course, there will be an opportunity to practice analyzing data with R while the instructors are available to answer questions.

To participate in the extensive hands-on portion in the afternoon, participants MUST bring their own laptops with the latest version of R and R studio preinstalled. Participants are also encouraged to download and install the ECLS-K:2011 ECB available at the National Center for Education Statistics website. NOTE: The ECB only works on PC operating systems. However, Mac users may still attend the training and participate in the R practice session.

Organizers:
Jill McCarroll, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
Emmanuel Sikali, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
Qi Xing, American Institutes for Research

Time: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Location: Baltimore Convention Center - Room 339

Sub Unit

• SRCD Supported Pre-Conferences