The Use of Self Assessment Tests in Statistics Education

Author(s):

Kairi Osula(presenting / submitting)Katrin Niglas

Conference:

ECER 2011

Network:

21. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

ERG SES F 01, Parallel Session F 01

Paper Session

Time:

2011-09-13

09:00-10:30

Room:

J 25/10,G, 25

Chair:

Monica Rosén

Discussant:

Martin Goy

Contribution

This presentation will give an overview of the design-research study, where the aim was to enhance the quality of learning by introducing self assesment tests the students can use before taking an exam on the course Statistics and Data Analysis.

The course covers descriptive statistics and basics of interferential statistics. Teaching methods on the course are based on active learning and the focus of the course is on developing students’ ability to understand practical examples from real life and statistical problems connected to them. Thus, the basic stress on the course is laid on analyzing and interpreting data from real life, as well as developing statistical thinking, while majority of the analysis is computer-based. Despite the fact that the course is systematically developed and improved over the years and the student feedback is very high, the students don’t achieve as good results on their exams as expected. Hence the basic problem of this research: how to guarantee the students better support while preparing for the exam?

According to the given central problem the aims of this research are the following:

* Describe the role of assessment, feedback and self-control tests in the process of learning;

* Compile experimental self-control tests on one topic on the course „Statistics and Data Analysis“;

* Study the efficiency of self-control tests in real context through user research;

* Formulate the results of the analysis on self-control tests and bring out suggestions for improvement for the future.

Method

As the overal methodological framework the principes of design research were implemented in this study as the main aim for the project was to design and develop computer-based self assesment tests which would support students in a best way in their independent learning before taking an exam in statistics and data analysis. In the study one full cycle of the ADDIE model was implemented and reported including: 1. Analysis – thorough analysis of the context, problem, needs of the students as well as available theoretical materials and empirical results of the relevant previously published studies. 2. Design – the choice of the learning media, most critical topics to be covered by the self assessment tests, forms for questions and answers in the tests, etc. 3. Development – composing exercises for the tests and developing the web-based environment 4. Implementation – practical use of the tests by the group of students participating of the course Statistics and Data Analysis 5. Evaluation – survey for the students was introduced to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the implemented self-assessment tests. Evaluation here is not summative but meant to inform the next cycle of design and development.

Expected Outcomes

To fulfill the aims of the study large amount of literature connected to the teaching of statistics and principes of assessment was thoroughly studied. The suitability of self-control tests as additional support for the preparation to the exams was assessed on the basis of the obtained material. An experimental self-control test with commentaries on one topic of the course „Statistics and Data Analysis“ was compiled in the framework of the project. It was tested and evaluated by participated students. All the feedback and opinions collected were supportive and positive. The following was brought out: * Self-control tests gave a good overview of the topic and made the preparation for the exam easier; * The immediate commentaries were very useful otherwise it would have been impossible to understand the right answer and the students wouldn’t have bothered themselves to find it; * Tests helped to reinforce the material and motivated to study. The results of this study have potential for broader aplication than just the course of „Statistics and Data Analysis“ as the use of self assessment tests can facilitate learning of many topics and easy web-based tools used for development of the test environment are easily accessible for the educators.

References

Bangert-Drowns, R. L., Kulik, C.-L. C., Kulik, J. A., & Morgan, M. The instructional effect of feedback in test-like events. Review of Educational Research. 1991, 61, 213-238. Berry, R. Entwining feedback, self, and peer assessment. (impact of assessment on learning) Academic Exchange Quarterly Publication. 2005, 9 (3), 225-230. Capper, J. Testing to learn – learning to test. Newark (Del.) : International Reading Association : Washington (D.C.) : Academy for Educational Development, c1996 Dihoff, R.E., Brosvic, G.M., Epstein, M.L, Cook, M.L., Provision of feedback during preparation for academic testing: learning is enhanced by immediate but not delayed feedback. The Psychological Record, Vol. 54, 2004. Gibbs, G; Simpson, C. Does your assessment support your students' learning? Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. http://isis.ku.dk/kurser/blob.aspx?feltid=157744 Jolliffe, F.R. Assessment of the Understanding of Statistical Concepts. ICOTS 3,1990. http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~iase/publications/18/BOOK1/C9-3.pdf Lipson, K. Assessing understanding in statistics. The Proceedings of the ISI / IASE Satellite on Statistics Education and the Communication of Statistics, 2007 http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~iase/publications/sat07/Lipson.pdf Murphy, P. (2007). Assessing assessment: a formal study of the benefits of assessment in a final year undergraduate statistics course. The Proceedings of the ISI / IASE Satellite on Statistics Education and the Communication of Statistics, 2007. http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~iase/publications/sat07/Murphy.pdf Niglas, K. Uurimismeetodid : loengukonspekt. Tallinn : Tallinna Ülikool, 2007 http://minitorn.tlu.ee/~katrin/cmsSimple/uploads/UM_loengI_IIjaIIIosa.pdf Niglas, K; Osula, K. University-Level Data Analysis Courses With The Emphasis On Understanding And Communication Of Statistics – A Ten Years Action Research Project. The Proceedings of the ISI / IASE Satellite on Statistics Education and the Communication of Statistics, Sydney, 2005. http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~iase/publications/14/niglas.pdf Peer and Self Assessment. [WWW] http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/AcademicStudentAffairs/CentreforEducationalDeve lopment/Resources/PeerandSelfAssessment/ Schau, C; Mattern, N. Assessing Students’ Connected Understanding of Statistical Relationships. https://app.gen.umn.edu/artist/articles/Schau.pdf

Author Information

Kairi Osula (presenting / submitting)

Tallinn University

Institute of Informatics

Tallinn

Katrin Niglas

Tallinn University

Informatics