Teaching and Learning Statistics: A Case Study of Improving a Statistics Course

• The teaching and learning of statistics in higher education presents several challenges: abstract concepts, lack of pre-knowledge, statistical anxiety and students’ motivation. Still, knowledge of statistics is relevant for several reasons: students need to understand research in their field, it is important with statistically literate citizens for society, and there is utility and relevance of statistics for various professions. The present study considers how a statistics course can be designed to support student learning. A focus group study was carried out with five students who had taken a statistics course in order to investigate their understanding and reflections on learning. Students’ challenges are discussed in relation to guidelines from the literature of how statistics courses should be designed. Methodological reflections on using focus groups in educational research is offered.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Data- och informationsvetenskap -- Människa-datorinteraktion (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Computer and Information Sciences -- Human Computer Interaction (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogiskt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogical Work (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Didaktik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Didactics (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Lärande (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Learning (hsv//eng)

Keyword

statistics

applied statistics

statistics learning

statistics teaching

method course

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)