This paper is from Session 4B: Use of student response systems in teaching statistics at the university level

which comes under Topic 4: Statistics education at the post-secondary level

Teaching data analysis in large classes using clicker assessment

Presenter

• Michael Forster (University of Auckland, New Zealand)

Abstract

A search of the statistical education literature on “engagement”, “active learning” and similar terms yields multiple papers. A common thread of these papers is getting students involved in the “process of statistics” by getting them to design observational studies, experiments and survey instruments, and to collect data in class, to bring to class or for use in small-group projects. The idea underlying these activities appears to be that if students are involved in the process of statistics they will better learn and understand the subject. Since 2011, I have been experimenting with clickers in large second and third year classes in data analysis. When clickers are used for in-class assessment, I have found that attendance, performance, enjoyment and student evaluations all show positive improvements. In this paper I look at some qualitative and quantitative results of various clicker models.