Creating Helps Studentsto Bloom in Introductory Statistics

Eric MatsuokaCMC3 South Fall Mini-Conference

October 10, 2015

Presentation OutlineMATH 115 (Statistics) at Leeward

Community CollegeImplementing Statistical ProjectsMotivations for Alternatives to Traditional

Printed SubmissionsFacilitating Student CreationsResults

Student Perception Survey ResultsRubric-Based Scores Compared to

Spring 2014 and Fall 2014 Paper Submissions

Discussion, Comments and Questions

MATH 115 (Statistics)3 credits with an elementary algebra

prerequisite (for now)Mostly pre-nursing students and pre-

dental hygiene students with some liberal arts (AA degree), CTE (AS/AAS degree), and unclassified students

2-3 sections per semester taught by me and one other tenured math professor

Our joint decision: focus the student’s attention and work on a statistical term project.

Project EmphasisA term project gets the student to

experience every aspect of the statistical process

Project topics and general methodology are of the students’ choosingAn introductory assignment and small-

group discussion focus on statistical questions and data collection

Initial topics and research methodology are proposed by the student but over- or under-reaches are discussed with the instructor to ensure appropriate and meaningful plans

Project EmphasisRequired progress reports keep students

on task and facilitate student-instructor dialogue

Grading standardsTopic and progress reports submitted on

time and appropriate (possibly after revision)

Topic relevance to course learning outcomes

Depth of researchResearch relevance to topic chosenPresentation of the submission artifactConsistency of conclusions and dataSelf-evaluation

Project EmphasisNot fully a project-based learning

approachThe usual topics are introduced in

the usual order but the motivation for the topics is how they facilitate the students’ projects

Expected coverage is ensured while retaining to a great degree one of the important hallmark of project-based learning that English and Kitsansas (2013) identified: self-regulated learning

Statistical projects are good but Web 2.0 submission options make them better.

Today’s “Digital Native” students grew up with technology and eschew text-based elements of traditional education (Prensky, 2001).

We should leverage the iGeneration’s love of technology (Rosen, 2011).

Flexible options form the core of Universal Design for Learning principles, which facilitate learning for all students (Lancaster, 2008).

Bloom’s Taxonomy has been revised with creating at the highest level

Original (1956)

Figure 2: Hernandez, A. (2011). New Bloom’s Pyramid [jpg]. Retrieved from

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21847073@N05/5857112597

Figure 1: Scienceoftheinvisible. (2007). Bloom’s Taxonomy [jpg].

Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajc1/2061712190

Facilitating Student CreationsMost college students have experience

creating and sharing content on social networking sites but those skills do not automatically transfer to academic settings (Grosseck, Bran, & Tiru, 2011).

Content instructors cannot be expected to be omniscient technologists and can turn to knowledge brokers, who have specialized expertise, for help (Rosen, 2011).

Facilitating Student CreationsLeeward CC’s Educational Media

Center Staff provided substantial assistance to me and my students.Google Sites template created for

students to copy and populateEducational Technologist Rachael

Inake led a hands-on introduction to using Google Sites in a computer classroom.

Facilitating Student CreationsRachael also created a YouTube video that

students could use for later reference.

Figure 3: Inake, R. (2015). Math 115 project Google Site tutorial [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/T-Ea3rn_0xc

Examples of Student Creations

Figure 4: Santiago, D. (2015). The effects of coffee on students [Image, screen capture]. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/a/hawaii.edu/spring-2015-math-115-

diana-santiago/

Examples of Student Creations

Figure 5: Pablo, A. (2015). How many words can you remember? [Image, screen capture]. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/a/hawaii.edu/2015-spring-math-115-project-

anjanette-pablo/

Examples of Student Creations

Figure 6: Nagatori, J. (2015). Superhero statistics [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/qn8lBT_TxJ0

Student responses were positive.Response Survey results (n = 23)

I liked having options for submitting my project 91.3%

Choosing my own topic probably motivated me to work harder on the project than I otherwise might have with an assigned topic.

65.2%

In working on the project, I could better see how topics covered in class are used in the statistical process.

73.9%

Having the option to make a video, web site, or some other format other than a paper got me to think more about what I was doing and how I would present it.

78.2%

The presentation and screencast tutorial by Rachael Inake led me to create, or at least consider creating, a web site for my project submission.

65.2%

Web 2.0 project scores increased over prior semesters’ printed submissions.

Figure 7: Matsuoka, E. (2015). Project mean score comparison [Image].

Eric MatsuokaProfessor and Math Discipline Coordinator

Leeward Community CollegePhone (808) 455-0281

Email ematsuok@hawaii.edu

ReferencesEnglish, M. C., & Kitsantas, A. (2013).

Supporting student self-regulated learning in problem-and project-based learning. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 7(2), 6.

Grosseck, G., Bran, R., & Tiru, L. (2011). Dear teacher, what should I write on my wall? A case study on academic uses of Facebook. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 1425-1430.

Lancaster, P. (2011). Universal design for learning. Colleagues, 3(1), 5.  Retrieved from http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1070&context=colleagues

ReferencesPrensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital

immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.Rosen, L. D. (2011). Teaching the

iGeneration. Educational Leadership, 68(5), 10-15.