SPSS and Data Driven Decision-Making Session
Dear Friends, supporters, and Members of PASA,
Oct. 21st, PASA conducted
its first ever "SPSS and Data-Driven Decision-Making" training. The training
was conducted by PASA's vice president, Atnre Alleyne, with the support of
PASA's president, Tatiana Poladko, John Hart, associate director of the Walter
Rand Institute of Public Affairs, and WRI staff members, Jen Ping, Adam Huron,
Derrick, and Tonya. With 32 people in attendance (25 participants and 7
trainers) the attendees were made up of MPA students, MPA alumni, Rutgers
faculty,
At
the midpoint of the training, complications with smart classroom technology and
the SPSS software almost ended the training abruptly. We are glad to note
however, that between the participants’ eagerness to learn and the flexibility
and determination of the trainers the session continued with the training
objectives successfully met. Recognizing that a 3 hour session was insufficient
time for participants to master the functionality of SPSS; our goals were more
modest. Through hands on application our goal was to quell fear of the software
and to encourage its usage for data-driven decision-making. From importing data
into the package to running frequencies and cross-tabulations, through the
session, students drew that much closer to SPSS proficiency. Most importantly,
as decision-makers and public administrators (some current, some soon to be)
perhaps the greatest take-away was that good data/information are essential in
all of our careers and should be used in all of our decisions.
PASA would like to congratulate and thank all of our
participants for attending the session, enduring the technical difficulties,
and your meaningful contributions. We would also like to thank the Walter Rand
Institute staff for their support in this session, superb research and SPSS
aptitude, and their ability to transfer their knowledge with simplicity.
Lastly, we would like thank you--friend, supporter, or member of PASA-- for
your interest in the success of our organization.
Sincerely,
PASA
Leadership Team
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