Attitudes toward Advanced and Multivariate Statistics When Using Computers / Robert L. Kennedy and Corliss Jean McCallister.

This study investigated the attitudes toward statistics of graduate students who studied advanced statistics in a course in which the focus of instruction was the use of a computer program in class. The use of the program made it possible to provide an individualized, self-paced, student-centered, and activity-based course. The three sections involved in this study were offered in the 2001 spring term. There were complete data for 19 students, most of whom were white females. Fifteen were in advanced statistics, and four were in multivariate statistics. The instrument used was the Statistics Attitude Survey (D. Roberts and E. Bilderback, 1980). Both chi square and Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance indicated that there were differences in the distribution of ranks between the pre-test and post-test survey results. Most of these differences occurred as increases in the rankings marked at each end of the scales. That is, after the course, more students felt more strongly that they agreed or disagreed with statements about some aspects of statistics. Comments from the open-ended evaluation forms may help explain some of the other study findings. It is concluded that offering the course using computers may help improve students' attitudes about certain aspects of statistics. The course syllabus used in the study is appended. (Contains 14 references.) (Author/SLD)

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