Instructions for Generating Data Reports When Administering the EDSCLS Outside of the Platform
If you choose to use the EDSCLS surveys but prefer administering them via another survey platform, you can still generate scale scores and item frequency reports by either using the EDSCLS survey platform or independently analyzing the data using R code. (See EDSCLS Measures and Appendix F of the EDSCLS User Guide for information about the EDSCLS measures for context.)
This webpage describes how you can format the EDSCLS survey data you collect from an external survey platform (such as Google forms, SurveyMonkey, or another survey collection platform) and generate data reports via the EDSCLS VM or independently via R code.
Formatting Data for Importing into the EDSCLS Platform or To Run R Code
To import data into the EDSCLS platform, the data must be formatted consistently with how the data is exported when one uses the platform to administer the surveys. The following steps describe how to format your data set to prepare for importing. These steps can also be used for formatting data to run the R Code to calculate scale scores.
1. Open the EDSCLS VM data shells (please convert the .xlsx files below to .csv files) you can find when downloading a EDSCLS VM to use as an example for how to structure your data files and open the EDSCLS Codebook to see possible response options for each survey item.
2. Assess whether your existing data file(s) match(es) the format of the EDSCLS data shells and the codebook. If they do not match, reformat your data, making sure to confirm the following is formatted correctly in your file:
- Every single variable is in the exact same order as the data shells.
- All of your variable names match the exact spelling and capitalization as in the data shells.
- If you are importing student or parent survey data, include both the English and Spanish answer columns in your data.
- If no one responded to the survey in Spanish when you administered the surveys via an external platform, fill each Spanish column (indicated with S_VariableName in the data shell), fill in this row with 0 for each respondent.
- Use the response options described in the codebook for each survey, so the numeric values match the correct response option.
- If an item was not responded to, leave the cell blank.
- Leave the RACEETH column blank. This will be calculated by the platform utilizing the responses included for the question SDEMO150.
After confirming your data is formatted correctly, you are ready to use R Code or import your data into the EDSCLS to run your reports.
Importing Data into the EDSCLS Platform
The following steps provide detailed instructions on setting up the EDSCLS platform in order to import the survey data that has been formatted using the instructions above.
- If you do not already have the EDSCLS platform installed, refer to the EDSCLS User Guide in order to set up the EDSCLS platform.
- Within the EDSCLS platform, set up your educational agency information to match the state or district with which you conducted the survey.
- Create a data collection for each survey you plan to import.
- Once the data collections are created, select “Generate” under respondent usernames. Generate a username for each observation (i.e., case) in your survey data. For example, if 450 students completed the student survey, you would generate 450 usernames for the student data collection. Generate the correct number of usernames for each school that participated in the survey.
- Export the generated usernames and copy the usernames into the username column of the data shell. Make sure usernames that are assigned to specific schools match up with respondents from those schools.
- Input the correct 12-digit NCES_ID for each school. Make sure to format the data cell as a text column by selecting NCES_ID, right-clicking, and select “Format Cells…”. Select “Custom” for the “Category” and type 12 zeroes (i.e., “000000000000”) directly into the “Type” text box. Then click the o “OK” button.
- Input the start date and end date of your data collection for each row of respondents. Make sure the date format is in the following format “2023-08-23”
- Save your file as in .csv file format.
- In the EDSCLS platform, select under the survey results section the “Import” button. Then select the relevant data collection you are importing your data into. Click Choose File and select your formatted .csv file and click Import. You will receive a message of how many responses were imported into the data collection if your import was completed properly. If you import the same data collection more than once, this will cause duplicated results.
- Wait overnight while the EDSCLS platform runs the reporting functions.
- Under reports, select Survey Results Reports to see Item Frequency Reports or Scale Score Reports. You may also export your data to confirm all the data was inputted into the platform correctly.
If you have any questions about this process, receive any errors while importing, or would like support through this process, please refer to the EDSCLS User guide for more details or reach out to the EDSCLS Help Desk at edscls@air.org or (866) 730-6735.