540 WK 5

This entire class on stats has been different than what I thought it would be. I was not happy to see the first bit of actual math, but once we got past that and began exploring how we can use data in education, I was pleasantly surprised. This week we explored google trends which would be useful to follow the trends of any hot topic. Students could use this tool to follow a hot current event and see when the topic peaks and also find some useful links on the topic. I also enjoyed looking at some of the stat sites. As you would expect, the CDC and National Archives have a ton of information. The CDC site is great, but the Archives site was difficult to navigate and it would be challenging to find specific information. I also enjoyed searching the internet for automotive trends and stats. Automotive and especially domestic automakers is a hot topic these days and finding stats is not all that difficult. What I enjoyed most about this class is reminding me that stats can be easy to find and useful. They should be part of any research and report.