Category Archives: EC&I 831

Social Media & Open Education

My learning in the R data analysis platform

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My second week started with a mission to explore the R software program and R Studio. Seriously, I have never done this before, nor am I good with statistics, but I must tell you that my week was not so good because the learning was a bit on the edge for me. As mentioned in the beginning of this class, I am trying to learn the R and Smart PLS software for data analysis purposes.

Getting started with R Programming | by Pier Paolo Ippolito | Towards Data Science

I have managed to pull through the first stage of the SmartPLS, which is understanding the user interface, and I thought the same should be done for the R software as well. As part of my learning process, I had to join an online workshop titled R for Data Visualization. To better understand the R platform and how it has been used, the facilitator shared some helpful resources for using R and ggplot ( Data Visualization with ggplot Cheat Sheet and the R Graph Gallery.

ggplot is the tool used for visualizing data, while gapminder is the tool where the data is extracted from.

To enable me to learn how to use R for data analysis, the first thing I had to do based on my experience from the workshop I attended was to
  • Firstly, download the R software from https://www.r-project.org/
  • Then I downloaded the RStudio from https://posit.co/downloads/ (We were instructed during the workshop to use the Free/Open Source version of RStudio Desktop, not the Pro version)
  • Please note that one will be asked to select a CRAN Mirror during the download and installation process. You can choose one of the three Canadian CRAN mirrors:
    • https://mirror.rcg.sfu.ca/mirror/CRAN
    • https://muug.ca/mirror/cran/
    • https://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/CRAN/

I had to learn the terminologies used on the platform, which included the meaning of keywords like

  • Character data: words and letters (called “strings”)
  • Numeric data: whole numbers or decimal places, can be positive or negative
  • Integer data: whole numbers, can be positive or negative
  • Logical data: TRUE or FALSE
  • Vector: a sequence of data elements of the same type (i.e., only character or only numeric)
  • Boolean: operators meaning and (&), or (|), not (!) which let us combine inputs
  • Function: an action being performed on an object (or argument). For example, in class(x), class() is the function
  • Argument: the object for a function. For example, in class(x), x is the argument
  • Optional argument: an object you don’t need to include for the function to work. For example, in round(sqrt(10), digits=2), digits=2 is an optional argument.
  • Non-optional argument: the necessary argument for the function to work. For example, in round(sqrt(10), digits=2), sqrt(10) is a non-optional argument.
  • Library or package: a suite of specialized functions for different types of data or different projects
  • Tibble or Dataframes: tabular data
  • Vectorized operation: operations, such as adding, subtracting or multiplying, that can be applied to two vectors in parallel
  • For loops: a way to repeat a block of code
  • Conditional: an if-else statement

After this, I learned how to get help in R as well as the common commands and functions needed to work effectively on the platform. My intention is to see which of the two softwares will be easy to use. I think i’ll rather go with the SmartPLS since I have explored the user interface of both softwares. In my next post I will be looking at how to build models usings the SmartPLS.

Let the learning begin: Phase 1

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My primary goal in learning about these tools is to gain a thorough understanding of statistical concepts such as regression, correlation, and hypothesis testing. I also want to know how to use smartPLS to analyze survey or experimental data for structural equation modeling. In the course of this week, I visited the official SmartPLS website: https://www.smartpls.com/courses. This gave me the opportunity to learn about the company and the different types of licenses available to people. The website also has a lot of resources (recommended readings, other books, tutorials, and videos) to help users understand the tool. (https://www.smartpls.com/documentation).

I watched a YouTube video SmartPLS 4 Tutorial Guide 1: Getting Started. Then, I was able to download and install the tool on my laptop to enable me to navigate the workspace as indicated in the video.

This week, I learnt how to create a workspace, name a project, import data from an Excel sheet (csv file) into the workspace, choose a data set (ordinal, categorical, and measurement), and identify missing values. My journey continues, and in the coming week I will be learning about the terminologies used and the theoretical background of Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). I think this will enhance my understanding of how models are built. I already have a set of data I plan to use. I think I will still have to come up with some kind of question or hypothesis to help me navigate the tool. Here are some of the useful resources for this week’s learning:

Banning Cellphones in Classrooms

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This week’s discussion on the cell phone ban policy in schools across some provinces in Canada really got me thinking. The use of mobile technology has become very common among school students, prompting widespread integration into K–12 education. As a result, schools have implemented technology policies that vary from full integration or bring your own device (BYOD) to limited use within specific times and locations and even a complete ban on students’ use of mobile technology, as recently observed in schools across some Canadian provinces.

No Cell Phone Policy in Schools

Image copied from Linkdeln

For instance, the Government of British Columbia enacted a policy banning the use of personal digital devices (cell phones) in schools in August 2024. The policy aims to reduce distractions in classrooms, support focused learning environments, foster online safety, and promote provincial consistency. Similarly, the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan implemented bans on cell phones and personal devices at the beginning of the 2024/25 school year. While some schools allow students to use phones during break periods, others only allow students in senior grades to use their devices either before school, during lunch, or after school. This limited access is often extended to spare periods for high school students.

The Times and The Sunday Times - Phone bans can reset relationships with clingy parents and help children who are hooked on their devices, but schools can only do so much, say

My first question will be, “Why should phones be trending among students in school? I never had access to a phone when growing up until I entered my 2nd/3rd year at the university. Unfortunately, that is not the case for the current generation of students that we have. While I acknowledge that phones can connect individuals to the world and offer valuable learning opportunities when used appropriately, using a phone in the classroom is a NO..NO…NO.. for me. I remembered a situation where a teacher was teaching and writing notes on the board, and a particular learner was busy recording some content in the classroom without the teacher’s consent. It was his laughter and that of those sitting next to him that alerted the teacher to this misconduct.

I have also seen cases of students watching inappropriate adult content in class while teaching is going on. Gone are those days where students, even children, engaged in physical play with one another. The students of today have become so addicted to technology, even at home, and this is causing a lot of mental stress, isolation, anxiousness, and sometimes a feeling of being left out among their peers. I am sometimes of the view that there are many rude, mean, and disrespectful students in schools today because they have access to the same information and opportunities as their teachers, if not even better, leading them to perceive themselves as equals. This, in my opinion, could be influenced by the social content, such as videos and music, that they consume through personal devices.

https://giphy.com/gifs/yDq2e3gYslajC

Image obtained from giffy.com

I know many schools want to integrate technology in their classrooms but lack the resources. I think schools that are adequately equipped with educational technology could have little justifications in place for students to bring personal devices. On the other hand, schools that lack sufficient educational technology resources need to have clear guidelines, policies, and strategies in place regarding the use of personal technology. Is it truly effective to ban students use of phones in classrooms while permitting it during breaks? Considering that students utilize their phones extensively outside of school, an outright ban in classrooms may not be the most effective approach. In fact, it could inadvertently create more challenges for our education system. Students may not receive adequate guidance on the appropriate and effective use of these devices and their applications. I believe a balanced approach is necessary to address this issue

Learning Data Analysis skills: R and Smart PLS

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I have been thinking a lot about what exactly to do for my project. I had various ideas ranging from baking, video editing, and jewellery making to website design and all that. These are ideas that I really want to explore, but I also have to consider their importance to my present job. After sleepless nights, I have decided to learn about complex statistical tools for data analysis. 

In addition to my part-time job as an exam invigilator, I also work as a researcher. This requires me to collect, analyze, and interpret data to inform policies, awareness, or views about topics researched. In most cases, I have always focused on qualitative data and contracted out the quantitative aspect of my work. In recent times, I have realized that statistics is becoming an important analytical skill that is used for decision-making in most fields, and I suppose people with statistical skills are now sought after. So, I think learning some of the tools used for complex statistical analysis will be a relevant skill that is useful to my Job and could create more opportunities as a data analyst.

I must say that I am quite knowledgeable about some statistical words like mean, median, mode, and standard deviation. I think that is all I know about basic statistics. So I feel learning to use tools like R and SmartPLS, will help me gain the ability to analyze complex datasets, uncover relationships between variables, and generate actionable insights. R is renowned for its versatility in data analysis and visualization, while SmartPLS is a powerful tool for Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), which is ideal for exploring latent variables and predictive relationships as shown below.

This project is not just about acquiring technical skills but also about learning how to leverage statistical analysis to answer impactful questions and support decision-making in my field of work. I really don’t know how this will go, but I am ready to see what lies ahead as I navigate these tools.

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My wine and dine with social media

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Social media basically has to do with the use of various web-based tools and platforms for connecting, interacting, communicating, and sharing information with people around the world. So, it is more like a public space for sharing all kinds of things, from pictures, videos, jobs, education content, business, and even fake information.

Which Social Media Platform Is Best For My Business

Social media platforms https://mediafy.ca/which-social-media-platform-is-best-for-my-business/

Reflecting on my journey with the use of social media, I see myself as a frequent user of social media. Moreover, my visit on social media is limited to Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Telegram. In the article “What is your relationship with Social Media?’, Marie-Christine claimed that people invest an average of 2 hours every day on social media, which she tagged as something that does not yield any returns. Using social media has benefited me in both positive and negative ways.

Personally, it has helped me to remain connected with my friends and families back in my home country and across the world. I have also used platforms like Facebook Market for buying goods and to find online communities that share information about what interests me. For instance, when I was looking for a daycare for my younger son, I got connected to an online community on Facebook that shared information on openings around Regina. In addition, YouTube has always been my go-to social media for learning new things.

Professionally, I have always used LinkedIn for showcasing my job and also networking with professionals in my field. I sometimes use LinkedIn for learning as well as for gathering information.

I think the negative side of social media for me is that even though some platforms are for personal relations, I just have to maintain an online presence that is professional; I can’t just post anything and everything because I have to keep the reputation of my employer, career and profession as an educator (role model)