Literature Index

Displaying 2321 - 2330 of 3326

  • Students Understanding of the Logic of Hypothesis Testing

    Author(s):
    Jimenez, A. V., & Holmes, P.
    Year:
    1994
    Abstract:
    Significance testing is one of the most controversial subjects in research (Morrison and Henkel, 1970) and also one of the most misunderstood topics in the learning of statistics (Falk, 1986: Falk and Greenbaum (in print)). In this paper we present the results from a theoretical and experimental study concerning University students' understanding about the logic of statistical testing. The theoretical study discusses epistemological issues concerning Fisher's and Neyman-Pearson's approach to hypothesis testing and their relationship to the problem of induction in experimental sciences. The experiment sample included 436 students from 7 different university majors. Some of these students had a theoretically oriented course in statistics, such as those reading Mathematics, whereas others had a practically oriented course in statistics, such as those reading Psychology. The item presented in this paper is part of a larger questionnaire, which includes 20 items, and refers to the kind of proof provided by the results of a test of hypotheses. Following the analysis of these students' arguments, we identify three main conceptions: a) the test of hypotheses as a decision rule which provides a criterion for accepting one of the hypotheses; b) the test of hypotheses as mathematical proof of the truth of one of the hypotheses and c) the test of hypothesis as an inductive procedure which allows us to compute the "a posteriori" probability of the null hypothesis.

  • Students' Reasoning about the Normal Distribution

    Author(s):
    Batanero, C., Tauber, L. M. & Sánchez, V.
    Editors:
    Ben-Zvi, D. & Garfield, J.
    Year:
    2004
    Abstract:
    In this chapter we present results from research on students' reasoning about the normal distribution in a university-level introductory course. One hundred and seventeen students took part in a teaching experiment based on the use of computers for nine hours, as part of a 90-hour course. The teaching experiment took place during six class sessions. Three sessions were carried out in a traditional classroom, and in another three sessions students worked on the computer using activities involving the analysis of real data. At the end of the course students were asked to solve three open-ended tasks that involved the use of computers. Semiotic analysis of the students' written protocols as well as interviews with a small number of students were used to classify different aspects of correct and incorrect reasoning about the normal distribution used by students when solving the tasks. Examples of students' reasoning in the different categories are presented.

  • Students' achievements in a statistics course in relation to motivational aspects and study behaviour

    Author(s):
    Bude, L., Van De Wiel, M. W. J., Imbos, T., Candel, M. J. J. M., Broers, N. J., Berger, M. P. F.
    Year:
    2007
    Abstract:
    The present study focuses on motivational constructs and their effect on students' academic achievement within an existing statistics course. First-year Health Sciences students completed a questionnaire that measures several motivational constructs: dimensions of causal attributions, outcome expectancy, affect, and study behaviour, all with respect to statistics. The results showed that when the cause of negative events was perceived as uncontrollable, outcome expectancy was negative. When the cause of negative events was perceived as stable, affect toward statistics was negative. Furthermore, negative affect toward statistics and limited study behaviour led to unsatisfactory achievements. Path analysis (Lisrel) largely confirmed the causal relations in a model that was based on attributional and learned helplessness theories. The consequences of these findings for statistics education are discussed.

  • Students' Ambiguity Tolerance as a Success Factor in Learning to Reason Statistically

    Author(s):
    Rob Carver
    Year:
    2007
    Abstract:
    We've probably all observed that some of our students become positively irritated with the uncertainty that remains after solving a problem of statistical inference. This webinar reports on a continuing empirical investigation of the relationship between Ambiguity Tolerance (AT) and students' facility in developing the skills of inferential reasoning. This research uses some validated measures of AT and of statistical thinking to focus on ambiguity tolerance as an explanatory or moderating factor in learning to apply the techniques of inference.
    Location:
    http://www.causeweb.org/webinar/2007-06/

  • Students' Attention to Variability when Comparing Distributions

    Author(s):
    Shaughnessy, J. M., Ciancetta, M., Best, K. & Canada, D.
    Editors:
    Starkings, S.
    Year:
    2004
    Abstract:
    In the past, K-12 mathematics students' exposure to statistical concepts has been rather impoverished, consisting primarily of measures of center-mean, median, mode-and perhaps some graphical representations of data. Both the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards (NCTM, 1989) and the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000) advocate for a much wider and deeper role for statistics in school mathematics, including reasoning about data in context and making data-based decisions. An understanding of the role of variability in various contexts-e.g., in sampling, in data sets, and in probability experiments-is one of the critical components students need for statistical reasoning. The research reported here on students' conceptions of variability is part of a three-year NSF grant The Development of Secondary Students' Conceptions of Variability (Shaughnessy, 2003).
    Location:
    RISE

  • Students' attitudes toward statistics (STATS)

    Author(s):
    Sutarso, T.
    Year:
    1992
    Abstract:
    The purposes of this study were to develop an instrument to measure students' attitudes toward statistics (STATS), and to define the underlying dimensions that comprise the STATS. Six factors seem applicable: students' interest and future applicability, relationship and impact of the instructor, attitude toward statistical tools, self-confidence, parental influence, and initiative and extra effort in learning statistics.

  • Students' Attitudes toward Statistics: Implications for the Future

    Author(s):
    Mills, J. D.
    Year:
    2004
    Abstract:
    The emergence of a reform movement in statistics education has influenced the teaching and learning of statistics over the past few decades. The teaching of statistics concepts and courses in elementary and secondary education as well as the implementation of technology into the statistics classroom are important changes involved in this movement. Considering the changes in instruction and learning over the past few years, the purpose of this paper was to describe the attitudes of students enrolled in a reformed course. Although previous research has suggested that student attitudes toward statistics have been negative, the overall results suggested that students in introductory statistics courses today have more positive attitudes toward statistics than negative. Important variables related to statistics achievement such as mathematics ability, statistics experience, student confidence, and gender continue to influence student attitudes. Implications from the findings of this study might suggest that the collaborative effort from researchers and teachers to improve the teaching and learning of statistics over the past few years reveals optimistic results.

  • Students' conceptions of probability

    Author(s):
    Garfield, J. B., & delMas, R. C.
    Editors:
    Vere-Jones, D., Carlyle, S., & Dawkins, B. P.
    Year:
    1991
    Abstract:
    The focus of this paper is on the first and third stages of the model, both of which depend on designing ways to identify misconceptions. In previous studies, researchers have used changes in performance on individual items to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional interventions. The instrument designed and used in this study differs from previous instruments, not in the content of the items, but in the way responses to items are analysed. Instead of considering responses to single items, pairs of items are designed so that meaningful error patterns can be identified. The identification of error patterns allow assessment that goes beyond the reporting of gain scores. Once error patterns are identified, an intervention can be evaluated according to the types of misconceptions (i.e. error patterns) that are affected.

  • Students' Conceptions of Statistics: A Phenomenographic Study

    Author(s):
    Reid, A., & Petocz, P.
    Year:
    2002
    Abstract:
    This paper reports on the results of an empirical study of students' conceptions and understanding of statistics. Six qualitatively different conceptions are described, ranging from fragmented to inclusive views. Students expressing the more inclusive and holistic conceptions approach their study of statistics through a focus on 'higher-order' statistical thinking. Students expressing limited and fragmented views may not be able to understand the complexity or applications of the discipline. This paper describes the use of a qualitative methodology - phenomenography - that aims to explore the qualitatively different ways in which a group of people experience a specific phenomenon, in this case statistics. It also describes an overarching framework, the "Professional Entity," that relates students' understanding of statistics and their perceptions of working as a statistician. Investigating and describing the ways in which students learn statistics, how they understand statistics, and how they perceive their own work will enable teachers to develop curricula that focus on enhancing the student learning environment and guiding student conceptions of statistics.
    Location:
    http://www.amstat.org/publications/jse/v10n2/reid.html

  • Students' conceptions of the logic of hypothesis testing

    Author(s):
    Jimenez, A. V.
    Year:
    1996
    Abstract:
    In this paper we present the results from a theoretical and experimental study concerning university students' conceptions (Artigue, 1990) about the logic of statistical testing.

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