Undergraduate Students’ Statistical Literacy: A Survey Study

Abstract

Statistical literacy has been recognized as essential knowledge that all citizens need to possess in today's information-driven society. Undergraduate students require statistical knowhow and skills to apply in their studies and everyday's life. The aim of this study was to assess the level of statistical literacy among undergraduate students in Thailand. The two element model of statistical literacy by Gal (2004), knowledge component (comprised of five cognitive elements: literacy skills, statistical knowledge, mathematical knowledge, context knowledge, and critical questions) and a dispositional component (comprised of two elements: critical stance, and beliefs and attitudes), was used. A survey was administered to 103 undergraduate students of Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University. The results revealed that the undergraduate students had moderate level of overall statistical literacy, knowledge component and a dispositional component. In the knowledge component, the students had high level of literacy skills and mathematical knowledge, moderate level of statistical knowledge and critical questions, and low level of context knowledge. Additionally, in the dispositional component, the students had moderate level of critical stance, and beliefs and attitudes. The practical implications for educators to improve students’ statistical literacy were discussed.