Contributed Paper C259
In session C7E (Wednesday 11th, 9:30-10:30, Level 3 - Conference Room D)The Effects of Virtual Manipulatives on Statistics Achievement of Undergraduate Students
Authors
Xin Ma (University of Kentucky, United States)Anushka Karkelanova (University of Kentucky, United States)
William Rayens (University of Kentucky, United States)
Presenter
Xin Ma (United States)Abstract
In this experiment (N = 94), one group of undergraduate students enrolled in introductory statistics used traditional concrete manipulatives for learning statistics, while the other group of undergraduate students enrolled in the same course used online virtual manipulatives for learning the same content. After one semester, undergraduate students were compared on their course average scores derived from midterm and final exams as well as homework and recitation. There were no significant differences between the two groups. Although course average scores significantly and positively predicted GPA among these undergraduate students (as a whole) one year later, there were no significant differences between the two groups in GPA. Concrete and virtual manipulatives as different instructional methods share similar short-term and long-term learning benefits.