📚 Geographical & Demographic Analysis of Georgia Educational Institutions - Using R

Project Overview

This project analyzes various dimensions of educational institutions in the state of Georgia, USA. The analysis focuses on geographical distribution, types and controls of institutions, the prevalence of degree-granting statuses, and a special focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Additionally, it explores trends in student enrollment over recent years.

Project Goals

Visualize the Geographical Distribution: Map educational institutions to identify densely populated educational regions.
Analyze Institution Types and Controls: Understand the landscape of institutional governance and types in Georgia.
Evaluate Degree-Granting Institutions: Assess how many institutions grant degrees and their distribution.
Focus on Special Institutions: Specifically, analyze the role and distribution of HBCUs within the state.
Study Enrollment Trends: Look at how enrollment numbers have changed over time and what that might indicate about educational demand.

Technologies Used

R: Primary tool for data cleaning, analysis, and visualization.
Tidyverse (dplyr, ggplot2): Used for data manipulation and creating complex visualizations.
sf and urbnmapr: For managing and visualizing spatial data.

Analysis

The analysis began with data cleaning where data from two different CSV files was standardized, merged, and filtered to focus on relevant attributes. Key steps in the data analysis included:

Data Preparation: Cleaning and preprocessing data to ensure accuracy in analysis.
Mapping: Using spatial data to visualize the distribution of institutions across Georgia.
Aggregation and Summarization: Grouping data to summarize institution types, control, and degree-granting status.
Trend Analysis: Evaluating changes in enrollment figures to identify trends.

Detailed Questions

Q1: What is the geographical distribution of educational institutions in Georgia?

Analysis: An interactive map showcases the spread and concentration of institutions across different counties.

Q2: How are institutions categorized by type and control?

Analysis: Bar charts and pie charts detail the breakdown of public vs. private institutions and various levels such as university or community college.

Q3: What proportion of institutions in Georgia are degree-granting?

Analysis: A pie chart visualizes the percentage of institutions that are authorized to grant degrees.

Q4: How many HBCUs are there in Georgia and what is their impact?

Analysis: Summarization of the number and influence of HBCUs, including their educational significance.

Q5: Which counties have the highest number of educational institutions?

Analysis: A bar chart ranks the top 10 counties by the number of institutions, highlighting regions with the highest educational presence.

Q6: How have enrollment trends changed over recent years in Georgia?

Analysis: Line graphs depict the enrollment changes from 2019 to 2021, providing insights into demographic shifts and educational demands.

Results

Interactive Map

An interactive map highlights educational institutions across Georgia, showing concentrations and geographic dispersal.

Institution Characteristics

Various charts illustrate the distribution of institution types and controls:

Bar charts show the number of institutions by type and control.
Pie charts detail the proportion of degree-granting institutions.

Enrollment Trends

Line graphs demonstrate enrollment trends from 2019 to 2021, segmented by the level of study. These trends offer insights into the changing demand for different educational programs.

Conclusion

The project revealed in-depth insights into the educational landscape of Georgia. Notably, the analysis showed a substantial number of HBCUs, reflecting their critical role in the state’s higher education. Moreover, an increase in undergraduate enrollment suggests a growing demand for higher education in Georgia. Future analysis could extend to predictive modeling of enrollment trends and economic impacts of these institutions.

Future Work

Suggestions for further analysis include:

Predictive Analysis: Using historical data to forecast future enrollment trends.
Economic Impact Study: Examining the contribution of educational institutions to local economies.