Teaching Statistics Using Short Stories: Reducing Anxiety And Changing Attitudes


Book: 
Proceedings of the sixth international conference on teaching statistics, Developing a statistically literate society
Authors: 
D'Andrea, L. & Waters, C.
Editors: 
Phillips, B.
Category: 
Pages: 
Online
Year: 
2002
Publisher: 
International Statistical Institute
URL: 
http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~iase/publications/1/8a2_dand.pdf
Abstract: 

This paper presents the results of a pilot study investigating the use of short stories in teaching introductory statistics to positively affect statistical anxiety and attitudes toward statistics. The Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS) and the Attitude Toward Statistics (ATS) scale were given to 17 graduate students at the beginning and end of the semester course. Results suggest a significant decline in statistical anxiety and a positive change in attitudes toward statistics courses, but no significant change in negative attitudes toward the field of statistics.

The CAUSE Research Group is supported in part by a member initiative grant from the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics and Data Science Education