Identifying Addressable Impediments to Student Learning in an Introductory Statistics Course
Scott P. Stevens and Susan W. Palocsay
Computer Information Systems and Management Science Department, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, 22807 {stevensp@jmu.edu, palocssw@jmu.edu}
Abstract
Using performance data on a common test instrument administered to more than 4,000 business statistics students studying under 16 different instructorsover a period of 6.5 years, we identify areas of consistent studentweakness. In addition to verifying difficulties found by earlierresearchers, we document a fundamental problem in students' ability toreason with cumulative probabilities, a problem with implications forsolving problems with both discrete and continuous distributions. Ourperformance data also suggest that it may be useful to view statisticsproblems using a taxonomy based more on solution procedure than ontraditional statistics topics. We employ a new methodology based on clusteranalysis to identify areas where the observed student difficulties may beparticularly addressable. Finally, we offer some preliminary findings on howthese problems may be addressed with practical teaching suggestions based onthe approaches employed by our more successful instructors.
Key words
statistics education; assessment; statistical reasoning;problem-solving skills
History
Received: September 2010; accepted: January 2011.
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Supplementary Material
Discrete_Distribution_Lights.xls
Citation Information
Stevens, S. P., S. W. Palocsay. 2012. Identifying addressable impediments to student learning in an introductory statistics course. INFORMS Trans. Ed. 12(3) 124–139. Available online at http://ite.pubs.informs.org/.