Learning SPSS: Tutorials & Games

www.P2L.io

By Robert Kelley, Ph.D.

About

• Six SPSS Tutorials & Games

  • Data Entry (2)

  • Summarizing Results (3)

  • Hypothesis Testing (1)

• Free, Online at www.P2L.io, and Mobile Device Friendly

Possible Approach for SPSS

Move through individual activities from greatest to least amount of scaffolding

• Interactive Tutorial (Covers SPSS and APA style)

• SPSS Game (Limited hints to promote mastery; auto-graded in Canvas LMS)

• Using SPSS, follow a step-by-step guide (e.g., book or video)

• Given a scenario and data set, analyze the data and write up the results APA style

Six Games

• Defining a New SPSS project (2)

• Descriptive Statistics, Tables, & Graphs

  • Nominal & Ordinal Variables (1)

  • Scale Variables (1)

  • Correlations - Pearson's r (1)

• Hypothesis Testing

  • Single Sample t Test

Multiple Instructional Methods

• Interactive Tutorial

• Game Mode

• Video Tutorial

• SPSS Step-by-Step Book

• Slides (Matches the Tutorial)

• Equivalent Text

For these materials, email rkelleymcc@gmail.com

Students Report

• Enjoy the games

• Excited about mastery

• Creating "muscle memory" for the flow of steps for the analysis

• Increased confidence and familiarity with SPSS

Recommended

• A fun, game-like introduction to SPSS

• Supports learners of all levels

• Additional scaffolding matters, especially for online students

• Also great as a quick refresher

Student Comment

"The SPSS tutorials and games make a huge difference in learning SPSS. It gives you a lot of practice and allows you to also practice hands on with the games. I also think it is helpful that you can play the games multiple times which gives you more practice. The tutorials are also helpful and provide great information." - Feedback

Screenshots Displayed on the Poster

• Screenshot of the SPSS Tutorial.  The title is "Specify Happiness Measure."  The instructional text reads, "The values for a scale variable are numbers that can be added, subtracted, multiplied, divided, etc.  The tutorial shows the SPSS screen where the variable's measure is being selected (as scale, ordinal, or nominal).  There is a golden rectangle box placed around the option 'Scale' (indicating what the user is to select). The instructions read, "Specify the variable Happiness as scale.  Below the SPSS Tutorial screenshot, it reads "Navigate through a sequence of screenshots "as if" using the SPSS software package.

• Screenshot of the SPSS Game.  The title is "SPSS Now Tutorial".  The game shows the SPSS screen where the variable's measure is being selected (as scale, ordinal, or nominal).  Below it states, "Happiness Measure is Scale.  Click on the above screenshot as if using the application.  Hints remaining: 4".  There is a button to switch back to tutorial mode.  The caption for this SPSS Game screenshot reads, "Game mode with four hints remaining."