Transforming Elementary Statistics To Enhance Student Learning

Abstract

Undergraduate students often leave statistics courses not fully understanding how to apply statistical concepts (M. Bonsangue, 1994). In order to enhance student learning and improve the understanding and application of statistical concepts, an elementary statistics course was transformed from a lecture-based course into one that integrates technology with active and collaborative learning methods. The redesigned course is more student-centered than instructor-centered. Students have one session each week in a large group meeting, and two sessions in a computer laboratory. The organizing center for the new course is a Web site developed by the institutions Center for Academic Computing. The effect of these changes was evaluated using a combination of preand postcontent knowledge tests for 340 students in the traditional format and 140 in the new design. The overall result of these changes shows that student performance on the content test was higher in the redesigned classes than in the traditional course. (Contains 4 tables, 4 figures, and 18 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the ori inal document. Transforming Elementary Statistics to Enhance Student Learning Jill L. Lane* Maja Aleksic Schreyer Institute for Innovation in Learning The Pennsylvania State University PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY