Data-Based Decision Making
Value the use of data as the starting point for professional work
ED690 – Methods of Inquiry
Artifact – Online Dating Case Study
ED690 – Methods of Inquiry
Artifact – Online Dating Case Study
Context
During EDTEC 690, two teammates and I conducted a Literature Review on Online Dating followed by a Case Study on Online Dating in the Gay and Lesbian Community. We began the Case Study viewing profiles on a few different dating websites but in the end decided to use Matchmaker.com. Matchmaker is a popular online dating site and allowed us to search for profiles at no cost.
We collected data on groups of users, ages 26-35 and 56-65, but soon found that to be too large of a sample. As a result we restricted the study to the homosexual community. Our assumption was that this community would make better use of the online dating service due to a lack of dating resources elsewhere in our society.
We sampled 10 profiles of each community and age group. We then analyzed these profiles to find trends in the data that could tell us more about online dating in the homosexual community. I admit that I was skeptical at first. I was not sure we would be able to find trends and even if we did, I was not sure what that would tell us.
Outcomes
Once each of us collected our individual data, we compiled all of the data points and my skepticism was replaced by excitement. From the initial profile analysis we were able to come up with the hypothesis that older users take online dating more seriously and invested more time than younger users. To test this theory the researchers looked at a few characteristics of the profiles such as:
• Word Count
• “I” Usage
• Extroverted/Introverted personality
• Photo used
• Political and Religious affiliation
We collected the data and we used Analyze-it software to help interpret the data. We were able to use the early data as to throw out a few of the initial theories that we had, but the “Word Count” and “I usage” data we collected showed some significant differences across the various groups
We found some interesting information in the Word Count, and “I” usage, and the “I” usage ratio.
• The older users had higher word counts than the younger groups.
• The younger gay male group had the highest % of “I” usage.
During EDTEC 690, two teammates and I conducted a Literature Review on Online Dating followed by a Case Study on Online Dating in the Gay and Lesbian Community. We began the Case Study viewing profiles on a few different dating websites but in the end decided to use Matchmaker.com. Matchmaker is a popular online dating site and allowed us to search for profiles at no cost.
We collected data on groups of users, ages 26-35 and 56-65, but soon found that to be too large of a sample. As a result we restricted the study to the homosexual community. Our assumption was that this community would make better use of the online dating service due to a lack of dating resources elsewhere in our society.
We sampled 10 profiles of each community and age group. We then analyzed these profiles to find trends in the data that could tell us more about online dating in the homosexual community. I admit that I was skeptical at first. I was not sure we would be able to find trends and even if we did, I was not sure what that would tell us.
Outcomes
Once each of us collected our individual data, we compiled all of the data points and my skepticism was replaced by excitement. From the initial profile analysis we were able to come up with the hypothesis that older users take online dating more seriously and invested more time than younger users. To test this theory the researchers looked at a few characteristics of the profiles such as:
• Word Count
• “I” Usage
• Extroverted/Introverted personality
• Photo used
• Political and Religious affiliation
We collected the data and we used Analyze-it software to help interpret the data. We were able to use the early data as to throw out a few of the initial theories that we had, but the “Word Count” and “I usage” data we collected showed some significant differences across the various groups
We found some interesting information in the Word Count, and “I” usage, and the “I” usage ratio.
• The older users had higher word counts than the younger groups.
• The younger gay male group had the highest % of “I” usage.
Lessons Learned
I have never liked working with numbers, but this project enlightened me. I went out of my way in high school and college to avoid any classes associated with statistics and data, so needless to say I was dreading this class. Once we got into the Case Study and started analyzing the data, I was amazed at what we found. It opened up my mind to the power of taking seemingly unrelated and insignificant data, finding correlations and telling a story with the data. This project had a big impact on how I work with data today
This project showed me that data can be gathered from places that I would not have thought to gather it, and that the data gathered can lead to new information. This case study concentrated on the gay and lesbian community of Southern CA and their use of one dating site. Today with so many more people online, similar methods to the ones we used could be used to gather data on just about any site or perhaps across multiple sites or Social Networks. Data is a powerful tool and can be used to help steer Educational Technology into the future by gathering data on online users to find their needs and commonalities that may not be apparent to us today.
I had not previously thought about the huge impact that the internet had on dating. Before the internet dating circles were generally restricted to proximity and even then it was restricted even further to common social circles. Today, daters have so many more choices and are only limited by the pool of people using the same sites that they are.
I believe that the success and advantages in Online Dating will begin to replicate in other areas of the Web, Social Media being the first. Online Dating changed the world of dating by giving people more choices and taking proximity out of the equation. The same is already happening in Distance Education and Social Media. Learners are no longer limited to the training and experts within certain proximity. They can search for the best resource to learn what they need to and collaborate with experts on topics across the world. Similar to online dating, there is a lot to sift through to find what is right for you, but you are more likely to find a “perfect fit” rather than settling for what’s at the local bar or local library.
I have never liked working with numbers, but this project enlightened me. I went out of my way in high school and college to avoid any classes associated with statistics and data, so needless to say I was dreading this class. Once we got into the Case Study and started analyzing the data, I was amazed at what we found. It opened up my mind to the power of taking seemingly unrelated and insignificant data, finding correlations and telling a story with the data. This project had a big impact on how I work with data today
This project showed me that data can be gathered from places that I would not have thought to gather it, and that the data gathered can lead to new information. This case study concentrated on the gay and lesbian community of Southern CA and their use of one dating site. Today with so many more people online, similar methods to the ones we used could be used to gather data on just about any site or perhaps across multiple sites or Social Networks. Data is a powerful tool and can be used to help steer Educational Technology into the future by gathering data on online users to find their needs and commonalities that may not be apparent to us today.
I had not previously thought about the huge impact that the internet had on dating. Before the internet dating circles were generally restricted to proximity and even then it was restricted even further to common social circles. Today, daters have so many more choices and are only limited by the pool of people using the same sites that they are.
I believe that the success and advantages in Online Dating will begin to replicate in other areas of the Web, Social Media being the first. Online Dating changed the world of dating by giving people more choices and taking proximity out of the equation. The same is already happening in Distance Education and Social Media. Learners are no longer limited to the training and experts within certain proximity. They can search for the best resource to learn what they need to and collaborate with experts on topics across the world. Similar to online dating, there is a lot to sift through to find what is right for you, but you are more likely to find a “perfect fit” rather than settling for what’s at the local bar or local library.