Improving Graphical Data Analysis Skills through Task Achievement Model
Keywords:
Data analysis, task achievement, data presentationAbstract
INTRODUCTION
One of the required core skills of STEM students is the ability to effectively present and analyze research data. As knowledge in preparing scientific reports has been acquired among secondary student researchers, there exists however analytic verbal skill difficulties due to poor cohesion and coherence of ideas on both sentence and paragraph levels which are lacking in their written outputs. The study utilized the Task Achievement Model (TAM) as an approach to the analysis and presentation of experimental data. The approach involves the merging of two techniques" lexical cohesion and coherence, and scientific data structural organization for the improvement of graphical data analysis skills among respondents, hence equipping them to write exemplary Results component of their scientific paper.
METHODS
A purposive sample of 90 students of Grade 10 STE Curriculum was subjected to a quasi-experimental method using three different types of data: tabular data with one block; bar-graphical presentation of two-variable-experimental data; and time-series graphical presentation of two independent data, and exposure to TAM approach in the analysis and presentation of experimental data. Written outputs were compared using rubrics on graphical data analysis skills improvement and results were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis.
RESULTS
Graphical data analysis skills among respondents on summarizing, data trend analysis, and deduction using the TAM approach significantly improved by 95.83%, 72.92%, and 78.13% respectively at α=0.05.
DISCUSSIONS
Strong cohesion and coherence of ideas on both sentence and paragraph levels were observed in their written outputs. Developing the effective analytic verbal skill of reporting features of a data graphic presentation through Task Achievement Model utilizing lexical choices and structural organization of scientific information significantly improved graphical data analysis skills among respondents.
