Howard Webb

Data Analysis

Photofinishing Lesson

EDUC450

April 20, 2018

The data analysis visible in the graphs below illustrates the current performance of students in a
Photography II class at Rocky Mountain High School. I recently taught a lesson on the materials and
techniques of dust-spotting black and white photographs. The students in the class are utilizing this
knowledge as they produce and prepare their prints for submission and assessment. There is no specific
deadline for the completion of this work. Some students are performing the spotting process as they
produce each piece of work. Others are collecting a series of prints before they begin the process. The
information below provides an indication about how the students in the class are performing according
to the assessment criteria of the lesson plan. It may also suggest a pattern in how specific subsets of
students are approaching the content of this lesson.

Current Performance by Grade Level

25

20

15

10

0
Grade

10 11 12

(Above) This graph illustrates an average score of the lesson assessment criteria for the
students in this class, grouped by grade level. The average scores for each student assess the
student’s ability and performance in the production of relatively clean prints; the student’s
demonstrated knowledge of the causes of spotting blemishes in photographic prints; and the
student’s performance using the spotting materials and techniques at this point. As noted
earlier, not all students have completed this process at this point. These averages will fluctuate
up until the final assignment in submitted.
 Current Performance According to Gender
23.5
23
22.5
22
21.5
21
20.5
20
19.5
19
18.5
18
Gender

Female Male

(Above) This graph illustrates the average assessed grade for students in the photography II
class according to gender. Despite the graph’s appearance, the students in each category are
performing at a similar level.

What is not immediately apparent from this graph is the fact that the female students in the
class appear to be waiting to complete the spotting process until later more often than the
male students. This trend accounts for a higher level of zero performance in the spotting
process itself among female students. 83% of the female students have not completed the
spotting process using prints that are being assessed for a grade. These female students are
generally producing high quality prints that require little correction. The female students in
the class also perform high in terms of demonstrating an understanding of the factors that
contribute to dust spots and exposure errors. As these students begin to dust-spot their
prints, the average rates of performance will shift dramatically.
 Students who have and have not completed independent
spotting work at this point
14

12

10

Have Spotted Prints Have Not Yet Spotted Prints Students with Special Circumstances

(Above) This graph signifies the number of students in the photography II class who have
dust-spotted prints independently at this point. As noted earlier, a significantly higher
percentage of male students have opted to spot photos at this point. 73% of male students
have independently spotted photographs compared to on 17% of female students.

Discussion with students indicates that most students understand the spotting process,
regardless of gender. The choice to wait to complete the work may reflect a peer structure,
a discrepancy in the level of confidence, a gender-based tendency toward efficiency, or
another unknown. If this trend does not even out soon, a refresher lesson or other
corrective measure will be taken to achieve greater uniformity.