This paper is from Session 1F: Creating an evidence-based society

which comes under Topic 1: Data and context in statistics education: towards an evidence-based society

Other papers under session 1F ... 1F1: Wikis, dynamic charts, videos and other innovative tools to transform... 1F2: What we know and what we should know; examples of ways of helping...

(Wednesday 14th, 11:00-13:00)

Analysis of clustered measurements: a comparison of the performance of foundation year students, 1994 cohort, with those of direct students, 1995 cohort, at the University of Limpopo, South Africa

Presenter

• Maseka Lesaoana (University of Limpopo, South Africa)

Co-author

• Maupi Letsoalo (Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa)

Abstract

In applied sciences, one is often confronted with the collection of correlated data. Dependence between observations from the same study subject renders invalid the usual chi-square tests of independence and inflates the variance of parameter estimates. Disaggregated approaches such as hierarchical linear models which are able to adjust for individual level covariates are suitable in the analysis of such data. We compare the performances of Ex-UNIFY (Foundation Year) students and direct students at first year of Bachelor of Science programme at the University of Limpopo, South Africa. Both aggregated and disaggregated analyses are performed. The results show that Ex-UNIFY students perform better than direct students in their main examination of first year in their Bachelor of Science programme. Disaggregated analysis is able to adjust for individual level covariates, therefore gaining power over aggregated analysis.

Other papers under session 1F ... 1F1: Wikis, dynamic charts, videos and other innovative tools to transform... 1F2: What we know and what we should know; examples of ways of helping...