This is a session of Topic 4: Statistics education at the post-secondary level

We know you need to know statistics, do you?

Organizer

• Ayse Bilgin (Australia)

Abstract

Pedagogical literature has been reporting two or three learning approaches over the last half century, namely surface and deep approaches and strategic or achievement approach. Deep approach to learning is more likely to result in better retention, transfer, integration, and application of knowledge and leads to higher quality learning outcomes. On the other hand, a surface approach is characterized by a lack of personal engagement in the learning process, and students focus on rote-learning the material in an unrelated manner and are constrained by specific tasks. A surface approach leads to the misunderstanding of important concepts and poor quality learning outcomes. Conversely, strategic/achievement approaches describe the intentions and activities of students who are primarily focused on achieving the highest possible grades.

This session will provide opportunities for educators/researchers in statistical education from different academic programs, cultural contexts, countries and continents to present and discuss underlying factors for students to choose a deep/surface approach to their statistics learning.

In this session with participants from a range of countries, we will be able to open up discussion(s) to improve students’ learning outcomes in statistics.

Papers