scholarly journals COMPARING STUDENT SUCCESS AND UNDERSTANDING IN INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS UNDER CONSENSUS AND SIMULATION-BASED CURRICULA

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-120
Author(s):  
LAURA A. HILDRETH ◽  
JIM ROBISON-COX ◽  
JADE SCHMIDT

This study examines the transferability of results from previous studies of simulation-based curriculum in introductory statistics using data from 3,500 students enrolled in an introductory statistics course at Montana State University from fall 2013 through spring 2016. During this time, four different curricula, a traditional curriculum and three simulation-based curricula, were used. Student success rates and understanding of six key statistical concepts are compared among these curricula using mixed logistic regression. Results indicate that after controlling for salient covariates, differences in student success rates are minimal while student understanding under the simulation-based curricula are similar to or better than student understanding under the traditional curriculum suggesting simulation-based curricula may help increase student understanding of several key statistical concepts. First published May 2018 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 419-440
Author(s):  
MATTHEW D. BECKMAN ◽  
ROBERT C. DELMAS ◽  
JOAN GARFIELD

Cognitive transfer is the ability to apply learned skills and knowledge to new applications and contexts. This investigation evaluates cognitive transfer outcomes for a tertiary-level introductory statistics course using the CATALST curriculum, which exclusively used simulation-based methods to develop foundations of statistical inference. A common assessment instrument administered at the end of each course measured learning outcomes for students. CATALST students showed evidence of both near and far transfer outcomes while scoring as high, or higher than, on the assessed learning objectives when compared with peers enrolled in similar courses that emphasized parametric inferential methods (e.g., the t-test). First published November 2017 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-178
Author(s):  
LAURA ZIEGLER ◽  
JOAN GARFIELD

The purpose of this study was to develop the Basic Literacy In Statistics (BLIS) assessment for students in an introductory statistics course, at the postsecondary level, that includes, to some extent, simulation-based methods. The definition of statistical literacy used in the development of the assessment was the ability to read, understand, and communicate statistical information. Multiple instruments were available to assess students in introductory statistics courses; however, there were no assessments available that focused on statistical literacy. Evidence of reliability and validity were collected during the development of the assessment. Evidence of reliability and validity was high; however, more items with high difficulty levels could increase the precision in estimating ability estimates for higher achieving students. First published November 2018 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBYN REABURN

This study aimed to gain knowledge of students’ beliefs and difficulties in understanding p-values, and to use this knowledge to develop improved teaching programs. This study took place over four consecutive teaching semesters of a one-semester tertiary statistics unit. The study was cyclical, in that the results of each semester were used to inform the instructional design for the following semester. Over the semesters, the following instructional techniques were introduced: computer simulation, the introduction of hypothetical probabilistic reasoning using a familiar context, and the use of alternative representations. The students were also encouraged to write about their work. As the interventions progressed, a higher proportion of students successfully defined and used p-values in Null Hypothesis Testing procedures. First published May 2014 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 487-510
Author(s):  
WARREN PAUL

We used the Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics to (1) evaluate using pre-semester data the Students’ Attitudes Toward Statistics Model (SATS-M), and (2) test the effect on attitudes of an introductory statistics course redesigned according to the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) by examining the change in attitudes over the semester and, using supplementary data from an annual Student Feedback Survey, testing for a change in overall satisfaction following implementation of the redesigned course. We took an exploratory rather than confirmatory approach in both parts of this study using Bayesian networks and structural equation modelling. These results were triangulated with analysis of focus group discussions and the annual Student Feedback Survey. First published November 2017 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-102
Author(s):  
NICOLA JUSTICE ◽  
SAMANTHA MORRIS ◽  
VERONIQUE HENRY ◽  
ELIZABETH BRONDOS FRY

Statistics students’ conceptions of the work of statisticians and the discipline of statistics may play an important role in the topics to which they attend and their interest in pursuing further study. To learn about students’ conceptions, we collected open-ended survey responses from 44 undergraduate students who had completed introductory statistics courses. We used a grounded theory phenomenographical qualitative approach to identify several themes in students’ conceptions. In addition to the test-and-procedure conception, we offer several other themes, such as acknowledgement of variation and the role of ethical integrity. We use a metaphor of painting styles to compare to experts’ conceptions of statistics. By identifying “seeds” of what may be developed into expert conceptions, these preliminary results set possible foundations to explore trajectories that may help shape students’ conceptions of statistics. First published June 2020 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-164
Author(s):  
AMY E. WAGLER ◽  
LAWRENCE M. LESSER

The interaction between language and the learning of statistical concepts has been receiving increased attention. The Communication, Language, And Statistics Survey (CLASS) was developed in response to the need to focus on dynamics of language in light of the culturally and linguistically diverse environments of  introductory statistics classrooms. This manuscript presents a cross-cultural evaluation of the characteristics of the CLASS III (third generation of the  instrument) and provides a user-friendly cross-culturally valid version of the CLASS. Mixed methods are employed to investigate further characteristics of the CLASS III and provide a scale (CLASS IV) that may be utilized in diverse settings. These research results have implications for instructors, professional developers, and researchers to improve instruction with culturally and linguistically diverse  student populations. First published May 2018 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives


2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-59
Author(s):  
AUÐBJÖRG BJÖRNSDÓTTIR ◽  
JOAN GARFIELD ◽  
MICHELLE EVERSON

This study explored the use of two different types of collaborative tests in an online introductory statistics course. A study was designed and carried out to investigate three research questions: (1) What is the difference in students’ learning between using consensus and non-consensus collaborative tests in the online environment?, (2) What is the effect of using consensus and non-consensus collaborative tests on students’ attitudes towards statistics?, and (3) How does using a required consensus vs. a non-consensus approach on collaborative tests affect group discussions? Qualitative and quantitative methods were used for data analysis. While no significant difference was found between groups using the two collaborative testing formats, there was a noticeable increase in students’ attitudes across both formats towards learning statistics. This supports prior research on the benefits of using collaborative tests in face-to-face courses. First published May 2015 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives


2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
NATHAN TINTLE ◽  
KYLIE TOPLIFF ◽  
JILL VANDERSTOEP ◽  
VICKI-LYNN HOLMES ◽  
TODD SWANSON

Previous research suggests that a randomization-based introductory statistics course may improve student learning compared to the consensus curriculum. However, it is unclear whether these gains are retained by students post-course. We compared the conceptual understanding of a cohort of students who took a randomization-based curriculum (n = 76) to a cohort of students who used the consensus curriculum (n = 79). Overall, students taking the randomization-based curriculum showed higher conceptual retention in areas emphasized in the curriculum, with no significant decrease in conceptual retention in other areas. This study provides additional support for the use of randomization-methods in teaching introductory statistics courses. First published May 2012 at Statistics Education Research Journal: Archives


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-45
Author(s):  
KELLY FINDLEY ◽  
ALEXANDER LYFORD

Researchers have documented many misconceptions students hold about sampling variability. This study takes a different approach—instead of identifying shortcomings, we consider the productive reasoning pieces students construct as they reason about sampling distributions. We interviewed eight undergraduate students newly enrolled in an introductory statistics course. Taking a grounded theory style approach, we identified 10 resources that students used when reasoning about the sampling distribution for the average within two contexts: penny years and dice rolls. Students had varied success in their responses as they made choices about how to represent their resources in their constructions. Successful constructions exemplified careful blending of resources, while less  successful constructions reflected disjoint perceptions and tensions between seemingly conflicting resources. Our findings stress the importance of framing students as capable reasoning agents by describing student resources that were used while solving tasks related to sampling distributions. We also discuss the influence of context and problem setting in students’ reasoning and resource elicitation. First published May 2019 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
REBECCA AWUAH ◽  
KRISTEL M. GALLAGHER ◽  
LISA C. DIERKER

To evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary, project-based course in introductory statistics, this exploratory study examined learning experiences, feelings of confidence, and interest in future experiences with data for undergraduate students in Ghana, West Africa. Students completed a one-semester, introductory statistics course utilizing the Passion-driven Statistics curriculum. Results showed more than half of the students put more effort into the course and found the material more challenging compared to other courses, while nearly three-quarters reported interest in one or more follow-up courses. Importantly, students also reported increased confidence in a variety of applied statistical skills. These findings demonstrate the positive impact of a multidisciplinary, project-based curriculum on undergraduate students in Ghana, West Africa and demonstrate the potential for its global portability. First published December 2020 at Statistics Education Research Journal: Archives


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