Abstract
This article details what resulted when I re-designed my undergraduate statistics course to allow failure as a learning strategy and focused on achievement rather than performance. A variety of within and between class t-tests are utilized to determine the impact of unlimited test and quiz opportunities on student learning on both quizzes and subsequent assignments in two undergraduate statistics courses (one a 15-week hybrid and one a 6-week online course). The results show that the previous DFW rate was reduced, and no significant difference in outcomes was found between the two different course modalities. Furthermore, students achieved significantly higher on their last quiz and test attempts on every instrument in both semesters, with large effect sizes. Corresponding assignments showed students achieved significantly higher than the mean first attempt, but significantly lower than final mean quiz attempt scores, showing that some knowledge was not carried over to application. The article concludes by evaluating the results of unlimited testing with minimum standards and the limitations of the study and the pedagogical model.
Highlights
This article details what resulted when I re-designed my undergraduate statistics course to allow failure as a learning strategy and focused on achievement rather than performance
I seek to add to a growing body of “teaching statistics” literature after completely overhauling my undergraduate statistics course
The literature on teaching statistics is briefly reviewed, followed by the contextual and structural changes made to the course predicated upon allowing failure as a learning tool and a focus on student achievement rather than performance
Summary
This article details what resulted when I re-designed my undergraduate statistics course to allow failure as a learning strategy and focused on achievement rather than performance. Several recurrent themes emerge from the literature on teaching basic statistics: motivating students is important, addressing their math anxiety is essential, dealing with performance extremes is expected, overcoming high attrition and failure rates is desired yet difficult, and their exists evidence of limited student ability to grasp difficult concepts and uneven performance across majors (Connors, McCown and Roskos-Ewoldsen, 1998; Chermak and Weiss, 1999; Bushway and Flower, 2002; Proctor, 2006; Forte, 1995; Elliott, Choi and Friedline, 2013, Pan & Tang, 2005). One approach focuses on the learning process relative to enhancing the traditional exchange of information, including strategies such as activity-based learning, mastery-based learning, peer-led team learning, group projects, peer, group and professional tutoring, and learning through technology (Connors, McCown and Roskos-Ewoldsen, 1988; Chermak and Weiss, 1999; Bushway and Flower, 2002; Delucchi, 2007; Curran, Carlson & Celotta, 2013)
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