W08: Identifying Challenging Topics in Online Statistics Courses


By Pamela Fellers


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Which topics and concepts do students in a first statistics course find most challenging? We can anecdotally identify challenging topics, but data can be utilized to identify and understand student struggles. This poster presents results from an analysis of student usage data for assessment activities throughout an interactive statistics textbook. Student data from three institutions with multiple sections of an online introductory statistics course are examined. Several metrics, such as completion percentage and average number of attempts until correct, are used to identify assessment items students struggled the most and the least to complete. Analyzing aggregate data for courses delivered online provides insights into the topics and concepts students are challenged by. Although specific activities are limited to a single course textbook and an online course format, challenging topics and insights gained will apply broadly and inform future instruction and research.


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