By Christine Vasallo There are a bevy of data analysis tool (DAT) options out there for Introductory Statistics instructors and their students—some are strictly online (Internet connection required), whereas others are desktop applications. Deciding which tool will enhance, not inhibit, a student’s comprehension of Intro Stats concepts takes some heavy analysis of its own.
Guest contributor: Michael Saver, Cengage Statistics Over the past few years, the Statistics team at Cengage has been involved in research with thousands of instructors and students, listening intently to the needs on both sides. We’ve learned a great deal about how students approach their Statistics courses and how instructors teach it. Coincidentally enough, we’ve found that both are looking for a lot of the same things. Here are three of our biggest takeaways from the research that helped shape our new Stats in Practice videos, one of the key features in WebAssign.
Confidence, momentum and audacity: these are three things that college students need to be successful learners. While math is often referred to as the universal language, it can present a barrier to students on their education and life journey. In fact, a recent survey found that 76 percent of students find math difficult. We’re here to help you create learning experiences that build confidence and elevate learning.
In 2014, the Cengage Learning Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics Teams set out to better understand the unmet needs of students and instructors. We interviewed, observed, surveyed, conducted usability tests, and met with thousands of students and instructors from around the country. Along the way we developed a deeper appreciation and understanding of how quantitative courses are taught and learned, the main challenges that students and instructors typically encounter, and how technology is used to accomplish course outcomes. Our initial research revealed that today’s instructors and students in math, statistics, and physics demand more from technology than they did 20 Read More…
Professor Kimberly Benien’s Elementary Statistical Methods online class at Wharton County Junior College uses Aplia. Elizabeth Garcia and Kevin Garbs are nursing students who both claim to not be strong in math, but found Aplia helped them through their statistics course. Elizabeth is a full-time student who will graduate soon. Her goal is to work in nursing a few years, then return to school to earn her master’s degree. Kevin is a part-time student pursuing an associate’s degree in pre-nursing. He intends to get his RSN degree.
What do students want from math and science courses? What do they expect from the technology used in the classroom?
Our infographic “Closing the Gap in STEM Education: The Appeal of Technology in the Classroom,” shows the challenges students face… as well as the resources (and support) they believe would help them succeed in their courses.
Two recent studies by Cengage Learning identify the four unique types of students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses, and the three types of instructors who teach them.
From self-reliant doers and resourceful strugglers to tech-savvy instructors, find out which group matches your personality.
Seventy eight students using Enhanced WebAssign® at the University of West Florida and the University of Georgia were given a survey to collect their feedback and impressions. Students were enrolled in Introductory Statistics, Elements of Statistics, and Mathematics Modeling courses.
Overall, these students would give Enhanced WebAssign high marks; 95% of them would grade their experience with Enhanced WebAssign with an “A” or “B”.
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Contributor: Kimberly Benien, Wharton County Junior College (Wharton, Texas).
Whether I am designing a face-to-face course or an online course, student engagement is a top priority. Experience and reflection has shown me that students who are engaged in class and in the content are more likely to develop their own understanding and successfully transfer the learning to a more difficult concept, and eventually the next course. Technology helps me achieve my goal: to engage students where they are with technologies that they will use. Remember, only when students find value in it will they use it.
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Going into her second year at Wharton County (TX) Junior College, Alexandra Garcia puts in a typical student course load of 12 average credit hours per semester. Her goal is to become a registered nurse, but first she must complete her associate’s degree, then her bachelor’s degree. The math-intensive curriculum includes Statistics, an online/lecture hybrid course for which Alexandra uses Aplia.
In addition to being a full-time nursing student, Alexandra has the responsibilities of a family, as well as a work-study course, which demands 12 hours a week covering three days. For her, balancing time between family, school and homework is a major challenge.
Alexandra’s Intro to Statistics instructor assigned Aplia to the class; the online solution came with the textbook (Brase and Brase’s Understanding Basic Statistics, Sixth Edition) as part of a package. She noted right away that Aplia offered a variety of ways to do the same Statistics problem, with variant wording to challenge learners. Alexandra was also impressed by Aplia’s step-by-step process and instant feedback. For her, Aplia provided an opportunity for extra practice.
By allowing Alexandra more and varied practice opportunities, Aplia helped her analyze Statistics problems with more confidence. Answering simple questions led to better results tackling the difficult ones.
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