What’s SPSS?

(11/21)

One day I was asked if I could conduct an SPSS course. I replied, “Yes, I will. By the way, what is SPSS?” I first had to google its meaning. SPSS was a “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences”. I had never used that package. What was worse, I had never studied statistics. This challenge took me back to a work-only mode. I hardly slept two hours a day in order to prepare class notes. My students were faculty who already knew statistics. They taught me how to understand the fundamentals of statistics. In return, I taught them how to use SPSS. Together, we moved forward learning from each other for a semester. Later, some of us formed a team. We started learning other statistical packages like —NVivo, EViews, Excel, R, MatLab, AMOS and many more. Our knowledge was disseminated through many workshops. We also created over 300 free course materials for the public. Andrew Carnegie once said, “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

In this pandemic, the world is just a screen away. The farther we are distanced, physically; the closer we are connected, digitally. We are common people. But together, we can create uncommon results. God be with you!