Serena Hoang

Professor Shiring
Math 103
October 16, 2011

Project 1- Class Profile

This project examine and determine the profiles of the students enrolled in Math 103,
Statistics for Elementary Teachers, fall 2011 at Coastline Community Colleges through the use
of statistic data and measurements. Each student was provided with the same list of
questionnaires and was also asked to answer and analyze our result to our classmates with using
various graphs, charts and frequency distributions to aid the study. Along with comparing the
fall semester of 2011 students profile data to my personal profile, I will also compare my
personal profile to a typical student. Every good statistical studies and experiments use sample
data to make inferences about an entire population, therefore the population of this data is
consists of the entire class (26 students) and the sample consisting of myself.

Below are the questionnaires asked and my own personal profile result in order to compare with
to the class and a typical student results.
Gender
Age Bracket
Current Residence Area
Choice of State to Teach
If California, More Specific
Preferred Grade Level to Teach
Number of Semesters to Graduation
Will You Study Beyond a Bachelors Degree
Have You Completed Your Student
Teaching
Do You Like Math
Subject You Like Best
First Choice of Subject Area to Teach
Second Choice of Subject Area to Teach
Third Choice of Subject Area to Teach
Salary Expected for First Teaching
Assignment

Female
20-24
Southern California
California
Southern California
Elementary 1-6
4 or Less Semester
Yes
Yes
Yes
Social Studies
Science
Math
Political Science/Social Studies
$38,000

Gender
There are a total of 26 students in this class
consisting of 4 (15%) males and 22 (85%)
females; I am one of the 22 females in this
class. It is of no great surprise that there
are more female students than there are
male on account of female are more prone
to teaching in elementary schools; considering that this is a statistic class for elementary teacher, there will be much more
female students than male. Consequently,
when compare myself to a typical student
it is not unusual that I am one of the many
females in the class

25
20
15
Male

10

Female

5
0

Gender

Age Distribution
The class is made up of 26 students with the lower class limit being less than 20 years of
age and the upper class limit are the 40 years and over of the age frequency distribution. The age
distribution is broken up into 6 different brackets: < 20, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, >40. There
are 4 students who are less than 20 years old (15%), 6 students (23%) that are in the 20-24, 7
students (27%) in 25-29, follow by 2 students in 30-34 (8%), another 2 students in 35-39 (8%)
and finally 5 (19%) students that are in the 40 years and older age frequency distribution. The
largest age group, a little to my amazement, are the 25-29 group for I had thought that there
would be an abundant of less than 20 years and the 20-24 group students that is likely to enrolled
in community college; though with the mean age of the class is 28.35, the data proved that the
25-29 is the largest age group. However, I am much more astound that there are more 40 years
and older in our class than there are 30-34 and 35-39 group. Considering that I am 24 and fall
into the 20-24, the second largest group, ergo I am not unusual to a typical student taking this
course. Fortunately, from the way the frequency distribution is arranged (such as less than 20
years and 40 and over), we do not have an outlier to skew us from our interpretation of the
data.

Class Age Distribution

8
7

The # of Students

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Age Bracket
<20

20-24

25-29

30-24

35-39

>40

Current Occupancy

Present Residency

15%

4%
SoCal
81%

NorCal
Out of State

The majority of the class is currently

residing in California, specifically the
entire class population except for one
student living out of state. Precisely,
there are 21 students (81%) presently
living in Southern California and 4
students (15%) locating in Northern
California with the one student (4%)
living out of state. I am one of the 21
students who is currently dwelling in
Southern California and with
Southern California consisting of
81% of the population in this data,
comparing myself to a typical student
I would not be consider as unusual.

Desire Location to Teach

Survey shows that the mass population (88%) of this data prefers to remain in California
when choosing a career in education with the exception of one student (4%) who prefers to teach
out of state and 2 students (8%) who are open to teach in any States. Precisely of those who
choose to remain in California to teach, 19 (73%) prefer to teach in Southern California whereas
3 (12%) prefer to teach in Northern California and 4 (15%) students has no preference in the
region the career may suit them. The reason for this possibly could be because with the cost of
living in California and with a teachers salary, the students that have no preference in where
they teach may be due to the fact that they want to explore other regions of this country.
However, the majority of the class wishes to teach in California could be the result that they
already dwells in California. I am one of the 88% of mass population who favor teaching in
California, specifically in Southern California. When comparing myself to a typical student, I
follow in the popular choice in this data.

California Region

Desire Location
20

20
California

15

Open

10

Other

5
0

The # of Students

The # of Students

25

15
SoCal
10

No Preference

5
0

Location

NorCal

Region

Desire Grade Level

As this is a math class for elementary teachers, the popular grade to teach is grade 1-6 with
the total of 17 students (65%). The second popular grade is much less than the highest
distribution are the middle school future teachers with the total of 4 (15%), there are 3 students
(12%) favoring to teach the kindergarten class and there are 2 (8%) students that prefers to
educate the minds of the pre-schools children (other). Again, I am one of the mass populations
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in choosing to teach the elementary school in this class therefore when comparing myself to a
typical student, I am not unusual in this data.

Desire Grade to Teach

G
r
a
d
e
L
e
v
e
l

3
Kindergarten

17

Elementary (1-6)

Junior High (7-8)

other

10

15

20

The # of Students

Semesters Til Graduation

&
Desire to Study Beyond a B.A. Degree
The data for this category distribution, in my opinion, is quite interesting. I was
astonished that there are students in Math 103 that had already graduated and receive their
degree much less at such a high rate; a total of 6 (23%) students had obtained a degree. While
there are 6 students that had already graduated, it is still the lowest limit in this frequency
distribution. The highest frequency distribution is the expected over 4 semesters left students
with the total of 11 (42%) and there are 9 (35%) students that only have 4 semesters or less until
completion. Interestingly enough, the class has different decision when choosing to study further
than getting a Bachelor. While more than 18 (69%) students decided they will further their
education to obtain a Master and/or Ph.D, I was more amazed that 7 (27%) students decided they
will not pursue higher. It could be for many different reasons whether its financial situation or
not wanting to, but in this day and age it is much wiser to pursue higher than a Bachelor for
easier employment. There is 1 (4%) student who is undecided whether he/she wants to pursue
further. I fall into the 35% students who have 4 or less semesters to go and wishes to preserver
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beyond a Bachelor degree. When comparing myself to a typical student, it is not unusual that I
have 4 or less semester until my completion of a bachelor nor is it unusual that I plan to study
beyond a bachelor for 69% of my class wishes to do so as well.

Semester Le6 un8l Gradua8on

12

The # of Students

10
8
6
Semesters LeT

4
2
0
4 or More

4 or Less

Alread Graduated

Semester

Plan to Study Beyond Bachelor Degree

20

The # of Student

18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Yes

No

Undecided

Completed Student Teaching

The California law requires that every student planning on becoming a teacher must do
field work out in an actual classroom for approximately 45 hours before going into the credential
program. However we get plenty of opportunities in our other classes, besides the teaching prep
class, such as this Math 103 class to observe a teacher in action. There are a large number of
students that had yet to complete their student teaching, a total of 20 (77%) students, maybe
because they have just started the education program and 6 students already have; I am one of
the 23% that already have.

Completed Student Teaching

Yes
23%

No
77%

Like Math
I was a little shock to find how many students actually
likes math because growing up, it was not liked much by
my peers. The reason for this could possibly because as
we now like challenges and we are challenge in everyday
life through the use of mathematics. It could also results
in math being incorporates in our every career that we
chooses and it is more interesting to see it happen in
actuality. There are 18 (69%) students that likes math and
8 (31%) students that do not. I happen to fall in the 69%
because I do like math and comparing myself to a typical
student, I am not unusual to like math.

Likes Math

No
25%

Yes
75%

Subject Favor Most

Subject Prefer
Social Science

4%

Math

19%
23%

0%

Art

4%

27%
23%

History
English
Science

The most popular subject from

Math 103 Fall 2011 is English
favor by 7 students (27%),
following by math and history
at a tie with 6 students (23%)
each, there are 5 students (19%)
who liked any, some, all or
none of the subjects, and social
science and art also have 1
student (4%) each that favors
the subject. Science is not liked
by any of the students which is
sort of peculiar for there bound
to have some that like the
subject.

Subjects to Teach
The distribution for first choice to teach is not that much different than the subject favors
distribution for one tends to want to teach the subject one likes the most. English is most desire
to teach by 8 students and it was the subject most favor therefore it is of no surprise it is also the
highest class limit. Following English is history with 7 students (27%) wishing to teach this
subject, math is favor by 6 students (23%) while 3 students (12%) do not have any preference on
what they would prefer to teach. Lastly, science and art is favor by 1 student (4%) each whereas
social science is not desire by any student. The distribution here fluctuates a little from the
subject most favored for the other in that category liked two or more subject, but has a desire
to teach a specific subject.
The second choice to teach and the third choice is much different than the first for the math
became the highest class limit as the second choice to teach at 10 students (38%) and science (5
students, 19%) is a more popular third choice. This shows that the subject most favor is the
subject the students likely want to teach such as math and English. Since science, art, and social
science is not liked by many students it became it least desire choice to teach. However
throughout, the other choice seems steady possibly could mean that the student picked a
different subject not included such as physical education or special education.
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Subject Choices to Teach

The # of Students

12
10
8
6

First Choice

Second Choice

Third Choice

0
Social Math
Science

Art

History English Science Other

Subjects

Expected Salary
The result for this distribution is very skewed for the lowest limit is $20K and the highest is
$60K. It is difficult to compute this data except we can see that $35K is the most popular choice
at 7 students follow by $40K with the total of 6 students.

Expected Salary
8

The # of Students

7
6
5
4
Expected Salary

3
2
1
0
$20K $25K $27K $30K $35K $40K $45K $50K $60K

Dollars in Thousands

Conclusion
As shown from the aid of the graphs and charts, it plain to see how the result turn out
from a good size sample of how a typical student is like. As this is math class is design for
future elementary school teachers, it is likely that one would find more females in the class than
there are males for more female have the tendency to go into educating the pre-adolescence
minds, therefore a typical student in this field would also be a female. This typical student
would also be between the age of 20-29 years residing in Southern California. The chances are
since this typical student live in Southern California, she will likely want to teach in the same
region she is residing in. Though there would be even chances of her having a 4 semester more
or less. This student would not have yet completed her student teaching, but will pursue beyond
a bachelor degree. The classmate will most likely than not to like math and could favor math to
be her favorite subject even though the chances that she will like math is even along with history
and English. Whatever her favorite subject may be, she will most likely choose that as her first
choice to teach for the data shows that the favor subject and first choice are similar. The chances
are this typical student will expect her salary to be $35K or $40K her first year of teaching.
In comparison to myself with the typical student, I am pretty much like that student. I am
a 24 year old female student residing in Southern California and wish to find employment in
Southern California. I have four semesters or less until I obtain my degree and wishes to study
beyond a bachelor degree. However unlike a typical student, I have completed my student
teaching and favorite subject is not the same as the mass population. Also, my favorite subject
and first choice to teach is different from one another even though both my favor categories are
the least popular. I am like this typical student in that I do believe I will be making $35K my
first year of teaching. It is a great disappointment how little teachers make even after all the
education and training in order to efficiently mold young minds.

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