A SEMINAR-TRAINING workshop about basic statistical techniques was conducted for researcher last September 1, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Basti’s Brew Function Room, Victoria Plaza, Davao City.
The aims of the seminar workshop was to help researcher participants on data exploration, checking assumptions, exploring test of difference and exploring test of relationship, using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) trial version, where its first version started in 1968 and has its latest version which is 24.0.
Dr. Sherwin Fortugaliza, the brilliant and intellectual speaker, is a graduate of MA Biology and PhD in Development and Research Administration. He is a faculty of the Davao City National High School (DCNHS) and has been a consistent Research Panel of the different schools and universities in Davao City. His passion is to help neophyte and professional researcher understand statistics, its application in research, in the easiest way. He is known for teaching statistics for years that even a person who seems to think that statistics is like a hard life, can be motivated and learn that there is beauty in statistics.
The seminar–workshop started with Dr. Fortugaliza’s sharing about the brief history of SPSS. He then consequently presented the purposes of both the parametric and non-parametric tests use. Specific examples were presented and analysed, where all participants showed interest and eagerness. Important terms in statistics were best explained that facilitated the learnings of the participants.
During the actual workshop, each of the participants were given the opportunity to encode and explore the available data set. It was not easy for participants who have no background of the basic statistics but with the assistance of Dr. Fortugaliza, everything seems to be easy and fun.
Confusions and misinformation about specific tools to treat data were all clarified. The use of wrong statistical tool is a danger to inferential is also emphasized. And even how to make conceptual frameworks are also discussed.
Most of the participants were from the DCNHS, like Desiree Victorino, Irene Birondo, Alistair Apale, Joseph Del Valle, Eduardo Calo and Jubel Enagelio. Others are from Sta. Ana National High School, like Jed Acero and Analyn Dominguez. Jhumer Dave Pajarillaga from Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology; Cristina Pusta from Brokenshire College of Toril; Concepcion Domag from City Anti-Drug Abuse Council; Ma. Rose Abegial Prudenciado from Pangyan National High school-Saragani; and Reggie Rodrigo and Eduardo Calo, both from DRANHS.
Overall, the whole day activity was very successful. Non parametric test that are new to the participants, like Mann-Whitney U Test or Wilcoxon Test, Kruskal Wallis Test, Wicoxon Test and etc. – its use and applications are well appreciated and are better understood.
Indeed, the seminar has changed the perception of some participants, that statistics is hard and uninteresting. As Dr. Fortugaliza shared, people should not stop learning even if one reach the threshold of their capacity, mastery entails hard work and perseverance.
Ahh... The workshop ended with upgrading the knowledge and skills of the researcher participants. Thanks to you, Dr. Sherwin Fortugaliza!