Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Numbers are our friends
I'm currently taking a course in research and statisitics. Now I recognize that many people in the social work field got it to it because they didn't like numbers or science, but the fear of numbers some of these folks display just amazes me.
I understand that numbers can be intimidating. So can a large, slobbering dog. But both can be a lot of fun if you just get past that initial fear.
I also find it interesting that people who deal with people for a living, wouldn't be glad to deal with someething that actually does what it's supposed to. When I'm working with a family, I can tell each person what to do, how to do it, how to reinforce others doing it, and evenshow them exactly how to do it, step back and watch the fail miserably at doing it. Then I get to start again. With numbers I know that every time I tell 2 to get together with 5 and addd, they will be 7. If I tell to take five away, I'll get -3.
It's the same with statisitics. If I take a data set and apply the tests to it, the numbers will come up the same way. Once you understand what a t-test is, the rest is easy. If only clients were so inclined.
The nice part about it last night in class, for example, is every body likes Ed in class. When in doubt, ask Ed what it means. It's a cheap ego boost, but I like it. Even the Prof thinks I'm good. Last night she suggested that she felt that she was wasting my time in class since I already understood the stuff. I told her that I did get most of it from before but i still was learning. The nice part is she thought that I might even be able to teach the class. Hmmm....
I understand that numbers can be intimidating. So can a large, slobbering dog. But both can be a lot of fun if you just get past that initial fear.
I also find it interesting that people who deal with people for a living, wouldn't be glad to deal with someething that actually does what it's supposed to. When I'm working with a family, I can tell each person what to do, how to do it, how to reinforce others doing it, and evenshow them exactly how to do it, step back and watch the fail miserably at doing it. Then I get to start again. With numbers I know that every time I tell 2 to get together with 5 and addd, they will be 7. If I tell to take five away, I'll get -3.
It's the same with statisitics. If I take a data set and apply the tests to it, the numbers will come up the same way. Once you understand what a t-test is, the rest is easy. If only clients were so inclined.
The nice part about it last night in class, for example, is every body likes Ed in class. When in doubt, ask Ed what it means. It's a cheap ego boost, but I like it. Even the Prof thinks I'm good. Last night she suggested that she felt that she was wasting my time in class since I already understood the stuff. I told her that I did get most of it from before but i still was learning. The nice part is she thought that I might even be able to teach the class. Hmmm....
