JSM 2005 - Toronto

Abstract #304693

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Legend: = Applied Session, = Theme Session, = Presenter
Activity Number: 523
Type: Contributed
Date/Time: Thursday, August 11, 2005 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
Abstract - #304693
Title: Statistics and Mathematics: Do Students Differentiate?
Author(s): Sterling Hilton*+
Companies: Brigham Young University
Address: 306A MCKB, Provo, UT, 84602, United States
Keywords: attitudes ; differentiation ; introductory statistics ; mathematics
Abstract:

Little research has been done to determine if students in an introductory statistics course differentiate between statistics and mathematics. We developed a six-item instrument to measure the degree to which a student differentiates between statistics and mathematics (SMD). Responses to the items were on a seven-point scale ranging from 1-Strongly Disagree, to 4-Neutral, to 7-Strongly Agree. Data was collected throughout four years from approximately 12,000 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory statistics course. As expected, a relatively small percentage (7%) of the students differentiated between statistics and mathematics (average score 5+), the majority of students (66%) were neutral (average score 3-5), and 27% of the students didn't differentiate between the two subjects. Using confirmatory factor analysis, a one-factor model was observed to fit the data well (CFI=.98). Concurrent validity of the SMD is considered using structural equation models of attitude data. Finally, we found that students' scores on the SMD were associated with their attitudes toward statistics, their previous math and statistics experiences, and their performance on class exams.

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Revised March 2005