Evaluation of Supplementary Multimedia Aids to Improve Graduate Nursing Students' Attitude Toward Statistics

• Activity Number: 259
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 1, 2011 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences
• Author(s): MyoungJin Kim*+
• Companies: Illinois State University
• Keywords: Attitude toward statistics ; Multimedia aids ; Nursing students

Abstract

While many nursing students find statistics difficult, the use of research and practice has been integrated in nursing for a long time. Currently, there is a lack of literature on statistical learning for graduate nursing students. The purpose of this descriptive mixed method study is to characterize the change of students' attitude toward statistics in a graduate nursing program from the beginning to course completion, evaluating the supplementary multimedia aids created by a researcher. A volunteer sample of 35 graduate nursing students will be recruited from a 4-year suburban university. Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS) will be used to measure affect, cognitive competence, value, difficulty, interest and efforts. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and dependent sample t-tests. Understanding attitudes toward statistics in nursing students may assist in producing competent nurse researchers. Improved attitudes toward statistics will increase students' understanding of the relevance of statistics in nursing. Therefore, they will have the ability to be better doers and consumers of research for the best practice.