Literature Index

Displaying 431 - 440 of 3326
  • Author(s):
    Garfield, J. B., & Gal, I.
    Year:
    1999
    Abstract:
    The interaction between new curricular goals for students and alternative methods of assessing student learning is described. Suggestions are offered for teachers of statistics who wish to re-examine their classroom assessment practices in light of these changes. Examples are offered of some innovative assessment approaches that have been used in introductory statistics courses, and current challenges to statistics educators are described.
  • Author(s):
    Hubbard, R.
    Year:
    1997
    Abstract:
    Because assessment drives student learning, it can be used as a powerful tool to encourage students to adopt deep rather than surface learning strategies. Many standard assessment questions tend to reinforce the memorization of procedures rather than the understanding of concepts. To counteract this trend, some techniques for constructing questions that test understanding of concepts and that address specific goals of statistical education are described and illustrated with examples.
  • Author(s):
    Onwuegbuzie, A. J.
    Year:
    2001
    Abstract:
    The current assessment reform movement in statistics encourages instructors to think more broadly about cognitive measures which assess student learning. In response, statistics instructors have begun incorporating innovative methods of assessment into their courses, the most common of these procedures being athentic assessment, performance assessment, and portfolio assessment. Thus, this paper will provide a typology of different effective ways of assessing performance in statistics classess for the various contexts (e.g., undergraduate vs. master's vs. doctoral), content (e.g., measurement vs. evaluation vs. research design), and pedagogical styles (e.g., web-based vs. traditional; theory vs. concepts vs. application).
  • Author(s):
    PECK, Roxy and CHANCE, Beth
    Year:
    2007
    Abstract:
    With the growing focus on assessment and accountability, programs at many universities are now expected to define learning goals and objectives at the program level (as opposed to the course level) and to devise strategies for assessing whether these goals and objectives are being met. This paper will look at the role of assessment at the program level and how the resulting information about student learning can be used to make informed decisions about curriculum.
  • Author(s):
    Nash, J. C.
    Abstract:
    This paper discusses the properties and characteristics that software should have (i.e., software that will support learning in statistics) and the features of software that aid teaching and learning.
  • Author(s):
    Garfield, J. & Chance, B.
    Year:
    2000
    Abstract:
    There have been many changes in educational assessment in recent years, both within the fields of mesurement and evaluation and in specific disciplines. In this article, we summarize current assessment practices in statistics education, distinguishing between assessment for different purposes and assessment at different educational levels. To provide a context for asessment of statistical learning, we first describe current learning goals for students. We then highlight recent assessment methods being used for different puposes: indicvdual student ecvaluation, large-scale group evaluation, and as a researc tool. Example of assessment used in teaching statistics in primary schools, secondary schools, and teriary schools are given. We then focus on 3 examples of effetive uses of assessment and conclude with a description of some current assessment challenges.
  • Author(s):
    Clark, M.
    Year:
    1994
    Abstract:
    In New Zealand, end-of-course examination based assessment is rooted in our past and while it may have served the past well, it is clear that it does not adequately serve our present needs. In 1991 the Education Subcommittee of the New Zealand Statistical Association suggested that these examinations may not be valid (unbiased) or reliable (have low variability) measures of ability. Further there is a growing concern that our examinations do not function equitably across all groups of students, and that they do not adequately measure either those skills needed by the general population for their everyday needs, or the skills needed to contribute to the country's economic growth. The debate on assessment procedures has, in part, arisen because of the differential performance of girls and boys in traditional mathematics examinations. In New Zealand a number of analyses of secondary school mathematics examination performance have been done (Stewart, 1987; Reilly et al, 1987; Forbes, 1988; Morton et al, 1988 and 1989; Forbes et al, 1990). These results all show a greater range of achievement within each gender than between the genders but typically the top grades are dominated my males. There are a number of forms of assessment in current use in statistics. Some types of assessment may unfairly advantage one group of students over another. A limited amount of research has been done comparing assessment methods to determine those which may best suit women, Maori (indigenous New Zealanders), or ethnic minorities. Women themselves cannot be classified as just one group. Forbes (1992) showed that a reduction in gender differences in performance in mathematics of one group of the New Zealand population (European) does not necessarily lead to a similar reduction in another group (Maori).
  • Author(s):
    WELDON, K. Larry
    Year:
    2007
    Abstract:
    Several researchers have recommended the inclusion of writing exercises in statistics courses. This<br>paper describes the initiation of a course designed to provide statistics students with experience in<br>writing about statistics ideas and results. The curriculum for the new course specifies the procedure for<br>the course, but leaves the statistics content open. Assessment of an "experience" course like this is<br>quite different from assessment of a "statistical techniques" course. A principal aim of the course is to<br>improve students' ability to explain statistical techniques verbally. The process of verbalization is<br>helpful in promoting a deeper understanding of techniques already introduced in earlier courses.<br>This paper describes the strategies used to adapt assessment to this new kind of statistics course. A<br>protocol for marking revised reports as well as checking for authorship is described, as are the<br>component weightings for student grades in the course.
  • Author(s):
    Amy G. Froelich, W. Robert Stephenson, and William M. Duckworth
    Year:
    2008
    Abstract:
    As part of an NSF funded project we developed new course materials for a general introductory statistics course designed to engage students in statistical discovery. The materials were designed to actively involve students in the design and implementation of data collection and the analysis and interpretation of the resulting data. Our overall goal was to have students begin to think like statisticians, to construct ways of thinking about data collection and analysis, to solve problems using data in context. During their development, the materials and related activities were field tested in a small special section of an introductory statistics course for two semesters. This field testing was a ``proof of concept,'' that is that the materials could work in the laboratory setting and that the materials showed promise for improving students' learning. As a first step in evaluating these materials, students who enrolled in regular sections of the introductory course were used as a comparison group. In this paper, the development and use of the course materials will be discussed briefly. The strategy for evaluating the materials while they were being developed and analysis of students' performance on common assessment questions and the course project will be presented. In addition, the relationship between student attitudes toward statistics and students' performance will be examined.<br><br>``Declare the past, diagnose the present, foretell the future; practice these acts
  • Author(s):
    Peter Martin
    Year:
    2008
    Abstract:
    The training of industrial or business personnel in using various statistical tools to enhance<br>quality control programs presents a challenge to all concerned. The trainer needs to be familiar<br>with the features underlying adult learning as well as the workplace context within which the<br>training will apply. The training material needs to be relevant to participants' work practices if<br>commitment is to be achieved. In addition, there seems to be an increasing interest in assessing<br>the knowledge and skills of the trainees participating in such programs. As such, the traditional<br>forms of assessment, such as written assignments and examinations, are of little practical use in<br>settings where the primary focus is upon using the tools to improve processes to save dollars. This<br>presentation will describe the procedures used to assess trainees who recently participated in<br>such a training program, specifically with respect to their participation, knowledge gained and<br>application.

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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