A Comparison of Online and Traditionally-Taught Statistics I  at RVCC: A Comparison of Online and Traditionally-Taught Statistics I at RVCC Lance E. Hemlow CAITL In-College Sabbatical, 2002 - 2003


Items that were compared:: Items that were compared: Grades Confidence in Learning Mathematics Effective Motivation in Mathematics Attitude Toward Success in Mathematics Usefulness of Mathematics Mathematics Anxiety


The Fennema-Sherman Scales  (i.e., Attitude Scales): The Fennema-Sherman Scales (i.e., Attitude Scales) Average of the last 5 comparisons on the previous slide Each survey comprised of 60 questions with scores ranging from 1 to 5


Everybody Counts (National Resource Center, 1989) : Everybody Counts (National Resource Center, 1989) “School attitudes are developed long before the students reach undergraduate mathematics.”


“Math is Hard.”: “Math is Hard.” --Teen Talk Barbie


Research Questions : Research Questions Is there a difference between the online and traditionally taught statistics course? Is there a difference between the male and female attitudes for the online and traditionally taught statistics course?


5 Fennema-Sherman Scales : 5 Fennema-Sherman Scales Fennema-Sherman Scales used before and after the semester Scores range from a 1 (negative attitude) to a 5 (positive attitude) Items (questions) are weighted positively and negatively Scaling: A=strong agree, B=Agree, C=Neutral, D=Disagree, E=strongly disagree Positively: A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, E = 1 Negatively: A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, D = 4, E = 5 60 questions per survey x 80 surveys = 4,800 items to score by hand


Example: Suppose you l-o-v-e math!: Example: Suppose you l-o-v-e math! - I hate math A B C D E + I love math A B C D E This student would be scored using E=5 and A=5, since the first question is a negatively stated item, and the second question is a positively stated item. The average score would be 5. This student would have a very positive attitude toward mathematics.


Online: ‘Before’ vs. ‘After’ for both males and females: Online: ‘Before’ vs. ‘After’ for both males and females


Male vs. Female: Online ‘Before’: Male vs. Female: Online ‘Before’


Male vs. Female: Online ‘After’ : Male vs. Female: Online ‘After’


Traditional: ‘Before’ vs. ‘After’ for both males and females : Traditional: ‘Before’ vs. ‘After’ for both males and females


Male vs. Female: Traditional ‘Before’ : Male vs. Female: Traditional ‘Before’


Male vs. Female: Traditional ‘After’: Male vs. Female: Traditional ‘After’


Grade Distributions: Online: Grade Distributions: Online


Grade Distribution: Traditional: Grade Distribution: Traditional


Conclusions: Conclusions Males have a “more positive” attitude toward mathematics than females do The attitudes are independent of the delivery modality for both males and females The males ‘online’ had the highest overall score than any of the comparative groups All other comparisons were not significant (ex., Online Male vs. Traditional Male)


Suggestions for Further Study: Suggestions for Further Study Why do the males have a higher ‘attitude’ score than the females, but females had more A’s ‘online?’ Why did so many females withdraw from the online course? Was it the technology component, or the math itself? What could be adjusted, and when, to change the attitude toward mathematics in females? Why do the males ‘online’ have the highest overall score of any of the categories?