“Using Applets and Video Instruction to Foster Students' Understanding of Sampling Variability

Online instructional modules that combine an applet, audio-visual tutorials, and guided discovery questions were created to teach the concept of sampling variability. The modules did contribute to an increase in understanding. However, they are a supplement to, not a replacement for, traditional instruction. The researchers found, using pretests and posttests, that student understanding of sampling distributions increased. There is room for further improvement, which could be accomplished in two ways. A focus on designing for the introductory, rather than advanced, statistics student could be helpful. Also, giving students more feedback could help their performance in later modules.