At this point I have collected a weeks worth of data, I have found it difficult to collect the data during most subjects but it has been most difficult during math. I have only collected quantitative data so far I am still looking for the time to collect my qualitative data. I have just been using tally marks to collect data at this point and have not figured out a solid way to analyze it. I am planning to use a spreadsheet and some type of graph to analyze my data.
I have recently changed my math time to which makes it more difficult for me to collect data during that time. When I made the plan for the study, I was teaching math whole-class, now I am teaching it in ability groups while my other groups rotate to math work places (games) and IXL math on the computers. This change has reduced disruptions in the class and while I am teaching the smaller groups, they are more focused and therefore those disruptions are greatly reduced. I am thinking that I need to observed during a different time of days and not do math anymore. Any thoughts or feedback would be helpful.
I have my tally sheets and now I am trying to figure out how to organize the data. I am planning to put it into excel so that I can do more with it. I am also planning to begin collecting my qualitative data next week. If anyone has any suggestions on other ways to organize data I am open to suggestions. Also, if there are other great programs besides excel, I would like to hear about those.
mmickelson01 
It seems like a lot of us are unsure about how to record/show data officially, or that we have data and are not sure what to do with it! My dilemma is that I have information and I’m not sure that it qualifies as official “data” and I have never done real qualitative research before.
Maybe you can do pie charts that show behaviors amongst your leveled math groups and how things vary between the groups? I did a web search and you can probably find some good resources for graphing your data (besides Excel). Here is the link to a site that looks like it’s free to use and is a simple way to create easy chart: http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/
Thank you for the information Stacy. I will check that website out. Good luck with your research.
I think that you can still continue doing your data collection during math time, even though there are fewer disruptions. I think that that would be something to put in your summary/analysis of your project though, the fact that smaller, ability-based groups seems to greatly reduce the number of disruptions.
I was a feeling confused myself this week about how much/how important quantitative data and was told at our twitter session to more or less drop the numbers and focus on qualitative data and observations. So while the tally marks that you are doing is great I wouldn’t stress too much about them. Maybe when you collect qualitative data, there is a way you can ask students about how they feel in groups vs whole class, maybe as an survey question or something?
I agree with Ben, if possible, I would keep collecting data during Math. Since your goal is to reduce disruptions in class it is a notable strategy if the smaller group instruction has decreased the amount of disruptions. If you continue to collect data at this time you will be able to see if it is actually the group size that is helping or or if it was just the new method of the instruction. Good luck!
I agree with Ben and Andrea that you should continue collecting data during math. Not only will this allow you to see if the change in behavior is due to the change in instruction methods, but it will keep your data as valid as possible.