Lecture Notes 20:
DESCRIBING GROUP PERFORMANCE
a. Measures of central tendency
b. Measures of variability
MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY
Indicates the idea of the average score in a distribution
Types
1. MEAN – is simply the average of a group of scores
2. MEDIAN
Is the middle score in a distribution
Divides the distribution in half: 50% of the scores is found above the median and
the other 50% lies below the median
3. MODE – is the score that occurs most frequently
THE MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY IN DIFFERENT DISTRIBUTIONS
1. Normal Distribution
Is a symmetrical distribution
In a symmetrical distribution, one-half is exactly the same as the other half
When illustrated looks like a bell
When the mean, median and mode have same values
2. Positively Skewed Distribution
There are more low scores than high scores
The test is very difficult so the class performed poorly in it
Is an asymmetrical distribution
The mean has the largest value followed by the median and the mode in descending
order
3. Negatively Skewed Distribution
There are more high scores than low scores
The test is very easy so the class performed very well in it
Is an asymmetrical distribution
The mode has the largest value followed by the median and the mean in descending
order
THE MEASURES OF VARIABILITY IN VARIOUS DISTRIBUTION
Standard deviation of 2.0 is small
When SD is small, scores tend to be compressed toward the mean and the group is
HOMOGENEOUS meaning the group tends to be of almost the same ability
The distribution is called a LEPTOKURTIC DISTRIBUTION
Standard deviation of 30 is large
When the SD is large, scores tend to spread away from the mean and the group is
HETEROGENEOUS meaning the group has different kinds of ability
The distribution is called a PLATYKURTIC DISTRIBUTION
USING THE MEAN TO INTERPRET TEST SCORES
1. Interpret the test scores of Bert and Nat with a mean of 26.70 as the criterion:
Bert - 31 Dina - 22
Rosie - 38 Teddy - 34
Orly - 28 Nat - 24
Answer:
Bert’s score of 31 is ABOVE the mean so Bert’s performance is ABOVE THE AVERAGE,
while Nat’s score of 24 is BELOW the mean so Nat’s performance is BELOW THE
AVERAGE
USING THE STANDARD DEVIATION TO INTERPRET TEACHER’S PERFORMANCE
While the mean can be used to interpret an individual student’s performance in a certain test,
the standard deviation can be employed to determine how a particular teacher performed in a
particular class
Example:
Determine who among the three teachers of Math is the most effective and the least
effective in reducing the gap between the good and the poor students in terms of
performance in a particular test.
YEAR/SECTION MEAN STANDARD DEVIATION
I- A 36.80 8.50
I- B 34.10 6.40
I- C 30.55 1.67
Answer:
At a glance, First Year Section A class performed BEST among the three classes having
obtained the highest mean. However, the same class got a standard deviation of 8.50
which is the highest or the biggest among the three classes. The bigger the standard
deviation, the more heterogeneous a group or a class is. A heterogenous group means
the class consists of students of different abilities. A big SD means the differentiation of
the abilities is pronounced. The teacher in this case failed to reduce differentiations
among the individual students in that class.
Meanwhile, First Year Section C class performed the poorest among the three classes
having obtained the lowest mean. However, the same class got a standard deviation of
1.67 which is the lowest or the smallest among the three classes. The smaller the SD,
the more homogeneous a group or class is. A homogeneous group means the class
consists of students of almost the same ability. A small SD means the differentiation of
abilities is considerably reduced. The teacher in this class successfully closed the gap
between good and poor performers in a particular test.
We can say that the teacher who taught Math to I – C is the most effective in reducing
the disparity We between good students and poor students taught.
