Statistics and Probability Commons^™

Pre-Service Teachers’ Emerging Views On Educational Equity, Melody Wilson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

An equity-based Statistics course for pre-service mathematics teachers could play a role in the development of pre-service teachers’ equity literacy, encouraging conversations about equity in education and illuminating structural factors that contribute to the educational opportunity gap in the U.S. In the Winter 2019 semester, a faculty team at the author’s university piloted such a course. The course included data explorations dealing with structural inequities by race – one of the most difficult topics to address productively in a teacher preparation course. For the present study, a survey of pre-service teachers’ views on educational equity was administered in a required …

A Comparative Study Of Kendall-Theil Sen, Siegel Vs Quantile Regression With Outliers, Ahmad Farooqi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Researchers in social and behavioral sciences usually interested in study the relationship between a response variable Y_i and one or more independent predictors〖 X〗_i either for the purpose of explanation or prediction. Ordinary Least Square Regression is a parametric approach used to study this kind of relationship. One of the disadvantages of Ordinary Least Square is it does not fit well in the presence of outliers in the response variable Y_i or both in the response variable Y_i and the predictor variable〖 X〗_i, also if the data were sampled from a non-normal distribution. Quantile Regression, Theil-Sen regression, and the modified …

Numeracy And Social Justice: A Wide, Deep, And Longstanding Intersection, Kira Hamman, Victor Piercey, Samuel L. Tunstall

Numeracy

We discuss the connection between the numeracy and social justice movements both in historical context and in its modern incarnation. The intersection between numeracy and social justice encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and quantitative topics, but within that variety there are important commonalities. We examine the importance of sound quantitative measures for understanding social issues and the necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration in this work. Particular reference is made to the papers in the first part of the Numeracy special collection on social justice, which appear in this issue.

Application Of Bradford’S Law Of Scattering On Research Publication In Astronomy & Astrophysics Of India, Satish Kumar, Senthilkumar R.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The present study is focused on examining the application of Bradford’s law of scattering on research articles published in the field of Astronomy & Astrophysics by Indian scientist during 1988-2017. The bibliographic data was retrieved from Web of Science (WoS) bibliographic data base for different period of time. Total 18,877 journal’s article have been published by Indian scientist in the field of Astronomy & Astrophysics during 1988-2017 which was further retrieved and analyzed separately for different blocks of 10 years as well as for 30 years consolidated too. The core journal of the field was identified. The Bradford law of …

Text Analytics Approach To Extract Course Improvement Suggestions From Students’ Feedback, Swapna Gottipati, Venky Shankararaman, Jeff Rongsheng Lin

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In academic institutions, it is normal practice that at the end of each term, students are required to complete a questionnaire that is designed to gather students’ perceptions of the instructor and their learning experience in the course. Students’ feedback includes numerical answers to Likert scale questions and textual comments to open-ended questions. Within the textual comments given by the students are embedded suggestions. A suggestion can be explicit or implicit. Any suggestion provides useful pointers on how the instructor can further enhance the student learning experience. However, it is tedious to manually go through all the qualitative comments and …

Learning Statistics Through Guided Block Play: A Pre-Curriculum In Statistical Literacy, Robert P. Giebitz

Organization, Information and Learning Sciences ETDs

Learning to use data to investigate the world and make decisions has become an essential skill for all citizens. Play and curiosity are powerful motivators for learning. Inquiry – the process of asking questions and seeking answers – can engage the natural curiosity of young learners and motivate early learning. Recent research in statistics education has shown that children as young as 4 and 5 years old can learn to collect, organize, and interpret data they acquire through observation, counting, and measuring in a process of guided inquiry. Guided block play has been used for over 100 years to enable …

A Comparison Of Pre-College Enrichment Program Participants And Non-Participants: College Academic Performance Measures, Sherron Mckendall, Alan Mckendall, Ann Chester

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This paper analyzes College Grade Point Averages (CGPAs), American College Testing Composite (ACTC) scores and Scholastic Assessment Test Total (SATT) scores of over 1,300 undergraduates at West Virginia University (WVU) who participated in the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) to those students who did not (Non-HSTA). Traditionally, pre-college enrichment programs provide academic enrichment to underrepresented youth with the intent of increasing their chances for post-secondary entry and success. Factorial design determined if HSTA participants were better prepared to pursue postsecondary study. Overall, the results reveal that HSTA students outperformed their Non-HSTA counterparts in that there were significant differences in …

Seeing And Understanding Data, Beverly Wood, Charlotte Bolch

Statistics and Probability

No abstract provided.

Demonstrating The Efficacy Of The Health Sciences And Technology Academy: Using Archival Standardized Test Scores To Analyze An Ost College-Preparatory Program For Underserved Youth, Feon Smith, Sherron Mckendall, Ann Chester, Bethany Hornbeck, Alan Mckendall

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

To combat educational and health disparities, out-of-school-time (OST) STEM enrichment programs provide services to underserved youth to encourage them to pursue college and health careers. This article describes a study conducted to determine if the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) program participants who receive year-round educational interventions to prepare them for STEM and health sciences majors performed better on the West Virginia Educational Standards Test (WESTEST2) than non-participants. This study provides descriptive and inferential statistics, specifically one-way ANOVAs with one-to-one matching based on grade level, gender, race, and GPA at the end of the 8th grade year for 336 …

Secondary Data Analysis Project, Jonathan M. Gallimore

SF 420 PR - Gallimore - Fall 2018

This activity is designed to give students an opportunity to apply what they have learned in statistics to a real dataset.

This activity will help students apply what they have learned in statistics to real world data and answer their own research questions. Students will also practice reporting their results in a paper using APA format.

Quantitative Jeopardy Feud, Jonathan M. Gallimore

MSF 600 PR - Gallimore - Fall 2018

This activity - Quantitative Jeopardy Feud - is a method for using a game as a final exam.

Calculus Of The Impossible: Review Of The Improbability Principle (2014) By David Hand And The Logic Of Miracles (2018) By Lásló Mérő, Samuel L. Tunstall

Numeracy

David J. Hand. 2014. The Improbability Principle: Why Coincidences, Miracles, and Rare Events Happen Every Day (New York, NY: Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux) 288 pp. ISBN: 978-0374175344.

Lásló Mérő. 2018. The Logic of Miracles: Making Sense of Rare, Really Rare, and Impossibly Rare Events (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press) 288 pp. ISBN: 978-0300224153.

David Hand and Lásló Mérő both grapple with the occurrence of seemingly impossible events in these two popular science books. In this comparative review, I describe the two books, and explain why I prefer Hand's treatment of the impossible.

Application Of The Fusion Model For Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment With Non-Diagnostic Algebra-Geometry Readiness Test Data, Robert H. Fay

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study retrofitted a Diagnostic Classification Model (DCM) known as the Fusion model onto non-diagnostic test data from of the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Algebra and Geometry Readiness test post-test used with Transition Mathematics (Third Edition, Field-Trial Version). The test contained 24 multiple-choice middle school math items, and was originally given to 95 advanced 6th grade and 293 7th grade students. The use of these test answers for this study was an attempt to show that by using cognitive diagnostic analysis techniques on test items not constructed for that purpose, highly predictable multidimensional cognitive attribute profiles for …

Development Of A Tool To Assess Students’ Conceptual Understanding In Introductory Statistics, Nathan L. Tintle, Jill Vander Stoep

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Few tools exist to assess students’ conceptual understanding in post-secondary, introductory statistics courses. The CAOS test is widely considered to be the gold standard, but was first published in 2007 and does not necessarily reflect some of the changes in student learning at the secondary level. Furthermore, it may not be sensitive enough to measure student conceptual understanding in modern post-secondary statistics courses (e.g., simulation-based inference). In this paper we will describe the process of developing a new instrument which uses some CAOS items, as well as additional new items to improve validity and reliability. We will share the validity …

Student Gains In Conceptual Understanding In Introductory Statistics With And Without A Curriculum Focused On Simulation-Based Inference, Beth Chance, Stephanie Mendoza, Nathan L. Tintle

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Using “simulation-based inference” (SBI) such as randomization tests as the primary vehicle for introducing students to the logic and scope of statistical inference has been advocated with the potential of improving student understanding of statistical inference, as well as the statistical investigative process as a whole. Moving beyond the individual class activity, entirely revised introductory statistics curricula centering on these ideas have been developed and tested. In this presentation we will discuss three years of cross-institutional tertiary-level data in the United States comparing SBI-focused curricula and non-SBI curricula (roughly 15,000 students). We examine several pre/post measures of conceptual understanding in …

Applying Conditional Distributions To Individuals: Using Latent Variable Models, Feng Ji

Theses and Dissertations

This study proposes a new method to interpret individual results of psychological test batteries. The Mahalanobis distance is a commonly-used measure of how unusual an individual’s profile of scores is compared to a population of score profiles. In models in which there is a set of predictors and a set of dependent variables (e.g., cognitive abilities predicting academic abilities), it is useful to distinguish between a profile of dependent scores that is unusual because its profile of predictor scores is unusual and a profile of dependent scores that is unusual even after controlling for the predictors. The conditional Mahalanobis distance …

Evaluating Preexisting Qualitative Research Data For Secondary Analysis, Victoria Sherif

Educational Leadership Studies Faculty Publications

In this article, I explore the nature of secondary analysis and provide a brief history of the method. Qualitative secondary analysis is a relatively under-used method in education and the social sciences, often due to the lack of easily accessible, relevant, trustworthy, and complete data. I address some of the potentials and limitations that influence its use and explore criteria for assessing the quality and sufficiency of preexisting qualitative research data. Qualitative secondary analysis has important implications for qualitative researchers, students and practitioners interested in generating new knowledge via unobtrusive, reliable, valid, and time/cost effective research through the wider use …

Initial Evidence Of Construct Validity Of Data From A Self-Assessment Instrument Of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack) In 2-Year Public College Faculty In Texas, Kristin C. Scott

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) has been studied in K-12 faculty in the U.S. and around the world using survey methodology. Very few studies of TPACK in post-secondary faculty have been conducted and no peer-reviewed studies in U.S. post-secondary faculty have been published to date. The present study is the first reliability and validity of data from a TPACK survey to be conducted with a large sample of U.S. post-secondary faculty. The professorate of 2-year public college faculty in Texas will help their institutions meet the goals of the state’s higher education strategic plan, 60x30TX. In order to do …

Using Random Forests To Describe Equity In Higher Education: A Critical Quantitative Analysis Of Utah’S Postsecondary Pipelines, Tyler Mcdaniel

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

The following work examines the Random Forest (RF) algorithm as a tool for predicting student outcomes and interrogating the equity of postsecondary education pipelines. The RF model, created using longitudinal data of 41,303 students from Utah's 2008 high school graduation cohort, is compared to logistic and linear models, which are commonly used to predict college access and success. Substantially, this work finds High School GPA to be the best predictor of postsecondary GPA, whereas commonly used ACT and AP test scores are not nearly as important. Each model identified several demographic disparities in higher education access, most significantly the effects …

Elementary/Middle School Pre-Service Teachers’ Understanding Of Variability And The Use Of Dynamical Statistical Software, Yaomingxin Lu

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

A primary purpose of the study was to examine the effects of using dynamical statistical software (DSS) on prospective teachers’ (PSTs) understanding of statistical concepts, especially variability. Data were collected from PSTs enrolled in a probability and statistics course designed for prospective K-8 teachers. After initial analysis of the data using coding and classification schemes, we found the need to develop a more targeted framework to analyze students’ different levels of understanding. The variability framework (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2005) and the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy were then used in combination to develop a revised framework in order …

College Students’ Personality Traits In Relation To Career Readiness, Shelby R. Overacker, Carly E. Kalis, Francesca Coppola

Student Publications

This study examined sixty-one Gettysburg College juniors and seniors (31 males, 30 females) to measure how the Big Five personality traits, and whether a student has Type D characteristics, determines if a student is career ready. We collected data through an in-person survey, with questions about personality traits, ambition, career readiness, and demographics. Regression was used to statistically analyze our first hypothesis. The results found that there is a significant positive association between conscientiousness and career readiness, but there is no significant association between extraversion and career readiness. For the second hypothesis, a mediation model was used. We found that …

Updated Guidelines, Updated Curriculum: The Gaise College Report And Introductory Statistics For The Modern Student, Beverly Wood, Megan Mocko, Michelle Everson, Nicholas J. Horton, Paul Velleman

Publications

Since the 2005 American Statistical Association's (ASA) endorsement of the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) College Report, changes in the statistics field and statistics education have had a major impact on the teaching and learning of statistics. We now live in a world where "Statistics - the science of learning from data - is the fastest-growing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) undergraduate degree in the United States," according to the ASA, and where many jobs demand an understanding of how to explore and make sense of data. In light of these new reports and other …

Influences Of Tenure Among Church Of God Of Prophecy Pastors, Florida District, Romeika Ferguson-Adderley

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The factors that influence pastoral tenure are varied and complex, especially as men and women serve congregations with growing diversities and needs. However, in the past 30 years, the research on pastoral tenure typically examined congregations that were Protestant in organizational belief and structure. Little research on pastoral tenure among Pentecostal churches could be found in the current body of literature. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to investigate the factors that influence pastoral tenure within three regional/subcultural areas of the state of Florida for the Pentecostal denomination of the Church of God of Prophecy (COGOP). All lead …

A Study Of Flight Simulation Training Time, Aircraft Training Time, And Pilot Competence As Measured By The Naval Standard Score, Aaron D. Judy

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationships between US Navy T-45C flight simulation training time, actual aircraft training time, and intermediate and advanced jet pilot competence as measured by the Naval Standard Score (NSS). Examining the relationships between US Navy T-45C flight simulation time and actual aircraft flight time may provide further information on flight simulation training versus actual aircraft training to aviation authorities, flight instructors, the military aviation community, the commercial aviation community, and academia. The study was non-experimental, correlational, causal-comparative with an emphasis upon the establishment of mathematic and predictive relationships using archival data from …

Building A Better Risk Prevention Model, Steven Hornyak

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation chronicles the work of Houston County Schools in developing a risk prevention model built on more than ten years of longitudinal student data. In its second year of implementation, Houston At-Risk Profiles (HARP), has proven effective in identifying those students most in need of support and linking them to interventions and supports that lead to improved outcomes and significantly reduces the risk of failure.

Models As Weapons: Review Of Weapons Of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality And Threatens Democracy By Cathy O’Neil (2016), Samuel L. Tunstall

Numeracy

Cathy O’Neil. 2016. Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy (New York, NY: Crown) 272 pp. ISBN 978-0553418811.

Accessible to a wide readership, Cathy O’Neil’s Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy provides a lucid yet alarming account of the extensive reach of mathematical models in influencing all of our lives. With a particular eye towards social justice, O’Neil not only warns modelers to be cognizant of the effects of their work on real people—especially vulnerable groups who have less power to fight back—but also encourages laypersons to take initiative …

Students’ Interpretations Of Categorical Data Using Dynamic Graphical Representations, Adam Eide

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Statistical association is an important concept in statistics. An exploratory study examined how students reason about statistical association utilizing graphical representations constructed with CODAP, a dynamic statistical graphing software. Task-based interviews were conducted with three 6th grade students prior to formal instruction. Students’ conceptions of a statistical relationship, proportional reasoning skill level, ability to interpret bivariate categorical graphs (particularly segmented bar graphs and two-way binned plots), and ability to identify association of two categorical variables were all investigated through interview tasks and responses to inquiry. Students were found to have developing proportional reasoning skills and struggled to correctly define and …

Engaging Students In The Practice Of Statistics Through Undergraduate Research, Debra L. Hydorn

Mathematics Articles

As statisticians, we engage in a variety of activities, some of which are regularly integrated into our undergraduate courses. However, the individual courses that comprise a mathematics or statistics degree program might not provide students with experiences in the broader range of activities that define the practice of statistics. To remedy this situation, faculty can consider developing and mentoring undergraduate research projects. This article briefly discusses the skills that comprise statistical practice along with some course and program options for helping students to develop these skills. Then, types of undergraduate research projects in statistics are described to help faculty generate …

Using Data Mining To Model Student Achievement On The 4th Grade Timss 2015 Mathematics Assessment: A Five Nation Sudy, Annette M. Siemssen

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Data mining has been successfully used by financial and retail companies since the mid-1960's to create predictive models and reveal unexpected relationships. However, it remains underutilized as a tool in educational research. Large-scale standardized assessment programs such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) provide vast amounts of data with the potential for providing new insights in education. Five nations, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Germany, Kuwait, and Kazakhstan were selected based on General Response Style theory to represent a spectrum of cultural backgrounds, from acquiescent to midpoint to individualistic (Hastedt, D. & van de …

Facilitators And Outcomes Of Stem-Education Groups Working Toward Disciplinary Integration, Anna E. Bargagliotti

Mathematics, Statistics and Data Science Faculty Works

There is a growing societal recognition of the need for transdisciplinary scholarly collaboration which can enhance undergraduate physics, science, and engineering education. A regional conference/network with 100 university education researchers in physics and other STEM fields was formed to address three themes (problemsolving, computational thinking, and equity) with multiple goals including to strive for transdisciplinary publications. As part of an ongoing participant observation study, phone interviews were conducted 3-4 months later. One year later, publications that were completed as a result of the conference were analyzed for their disciplinary integration. The papers showed evidence of interdispliciplanry collaboration but transdiciplinary collaboration …