Ghani, Sazelli Abdul (2004)

425 Pages·2011·33.72 MB·English

Ghani, Sazelli Abdul (2004) A study of student teachers' performance
and psychological characteristics in learning introductory statistics. PhD
thesis.

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Ei
ý.
UNIVERSITY
of
GLASGOW
A Study Student Teachers' Performance
of and
Psychological Characteristics in Learning
Introductory Statistics
by
Sazelli Abdul Ghani
B. Sc. (Math), Dip. Ed., M. Ed. (Math Ed)
A Thesis
Submitted
in Fulfilment Requirements for
the the
of
Degree Doctor Philosophy (Ph. D)
of of
Centre for Science Education, Faculty Education,
of
University Glasgow, 'United Kingdom (Nov 2004)
of
Abstract
Abstract
This learning introductory by teachers,
study seeks to explore the of statistics student
being in Malaysia. Statistics is thought that
the often of as a subject
work carried out
is
is difficult learn the
to and understand, especially when course mandatory.
Undoubtedly, is important to learn
that
many would acknowledge statistics an subject
in days its However, due to
these and age where uses and applications are ubiquitous.
its image it is being taught, these
poor and, possibly, the way a majority of students
be likely learning
may to approach the of statistics with caution or even with
trepidation.
in In first
The for three the
research study this thesis was carried out stages. stage,
for
factors that the learning introductory statistics student teachers
might affect of
investigated. The factors to learning the
were were attitudes related statistics, and
limitation (namely,
effects of the of the student teachers' psychological characteristics
fields
perceptual the degree field dependency In
or and working memory space).
of
factors,
to these in identify
addition teachers' test to
student performances a
in basic descriptive
in
misconceptions
statistics concepts and probability and also
final
their
statistics examination were scrutinised.
The from first indicated that had
results the stage student teachers generally positive
learning but toward the introductory
toward
attitudes statistics not statistics course
described dull too The
which was as or uninspiring and mathematical. student
down lecture
teachers appeared not to cope with the task of taking the notes and
simultaneously trying to understand the statistical concepts to be learned. Student
teachers' in
performance the statistics examination revealed a significant correlation
degree field dependency. From
their their
with working memory although not with of
in basic descriptive
the test,
misconceptions about certain concepts statistics and
identified. These the the test
probability were correlations may reflect nature of
the
materials as much as nature of statistics.
Based findings from first interactive learning
the the
on stage, statistics materials
learning developed in
the the
employing cooperative method were second stage and
I
Abstract
from five
to teachers teacher training
given an experimental group of student colleges.
Another (called from
teachers the the
group of student comparison group) same
taught the but through the traditional lecture A
colleges were same materials method.
based learned both
test the to
post-questionnaire and a on materials were given groups
The degree field dependency for
the the the
after completion of second stage study. of
in both
teachers
student
groups was also measured.
Results from
the that the
post-questionnaire revealed experimental group
favoured learning based interactive
overwhelmingly the units that were on the and
learning lecture
cooperative while the comparison group regarded the method as
being dull It that learning based the
and uninspiring. also appeared statistics on
learning favoured by
cooperative the teachers, the
method was more male student
Non-Mathematics Education field dependent Perhaps,
the teachers.
group and student
better
not surprisingly, the than the
experimental group performed comparison group
in
the test based learning
the
on
materials.
In
the third
stage, opinions were sought from the student teachers in their final
semester of study, concerning their to teach in They
readiness statistics school. also
basic
test in descriptive
sat a multiple-choice about
concepts
statistics and probability.
In
addition, the working memory capacity and the degree of field dependency the
of
The findings
teachers
student were also measured. revealed that the
a majority of
teachers did have in teaching This
student not confidence statistics. probably stemmed
from
the difficulty in
understanding certain statistical concepts and perhaps the
had did
statistics courses that they attended not provide them with a good training.
The findings from
the test that in
also revealed misconceptions some statistical
concepts still persisted and that the student teachers appeared to have forgotten
some,
if
not all, statistical subject matter that they had previously learned in the statistics
lectures. Generally,
these findings indicated the the traditional format
weaknesses of
teaching introductory lecture
of through the
statistics course method.
It be
should pointed out that these derived from this be
all conclusions study must
treated tentatively due to the limitations this The has highlighted
of research. study
few for further have been
several problems
and a suggestions work made.
II
Acknowledgement
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I
Many have this thesis to
people contributed to the completion of and wish express
heartfelt Space does to
to them. not allow me mention everyone
my appreciation all of
bodies deserve
by but individuals that
name there are a number of and recognition.
Public Services
First I like to
of all, would to express my gratitude my sponsors,
Department Malaysia Sultan Idris Education University
which provided me
of and
here in
fully leave to the
the pursue my research study
with scholarship and paid study
Dr. Norman
United Kingdom. My to
sincerest gratitude also goes my supervisor,
Reid, introduced beauty doing through the
who me to the of research, guided me all
hand
the
various stages of my research and provided a steady and supportive over past
three fruitful I like to thank Professor Rex Whitehead for his
years. would also
improve
suggestions to the thesis.
I
also wish to thank my colleagues in the Centre for Science Education (especially
those who preceded me; Lekoko, Abdullah, Iqbal and not forgetting all the lovely
ladies) knowledge
who were always willing to their the
share expertise and and made
My flatmates
Centre Bert-Jan,
a special place. of various nationalities, especially also
deserve for the My deepest love
a mention camaraderie and commiserating. and
importance
fondness the
goes to my mother who stressed of education at an early age
had hardships I Also,
and to endure many when was growing up. my sisters and their
in
families
who took turn to care after our mother my absence.
lecturers
Finally, this thesis be the teachers
would not possible without and student of
Sultan Idris Education University five teacher training in Malaysia
and other colleges
in this They helpful they
who participated study. were very cooperative and although
had find in Therefore, big
to to the time
struggle an exam-oriented environment. a
thank to them.
you all of
III
Contents
CONTENTS
Abstract I
Acknowledgement III
List Figures XI
of
List Tables XIII
of
CHAPTER ONE Introduction to the Research Study
-
1.1 The Purpose Research Study 1
the
of
1.2 Sultan Idris Education University 3
1.2.1 The Faculty Of Science Technology 4
and
1.2.2 The Bachelor Education (B. Ed) Programmes 4
of
1.3 The Introductory Statistics Course 5
1.4 The Structure
the Thesis 6
of
CHAPTER TWO Statistics
Education
Society
- and
2.1 Introduction
8
2.2 A Brief history Statistics Probability
of and 10
2.3 What is Statistics?
11
2.4 The Place Statistics Education Within the Curriculum
15
of
2.4.1 The Development Statistics Education in the Primary Schools
16
of
2.4.2 The Development Statistics Education in the Secondary 18
of
Schools
2.4.3 Statistics in Post Education 20
secondary
2.5 Summary
21
CHAPTER THREE Teaching Learning Statistics: The Problems
and
-
3.1 Introduction
22
3.2 Suitability
Teachers 22
of
IV
Contents
24
3.3 Teachers' Attitudes Toward Statistics
25
3.4 What Teach?
to
26
3.4.1 What Teach Primary Level?
to
at
27
3.4.2 What Teach Secondary Level?
to
at
Statistics Course 29
3.4.3 What Should be Contents Introductory
the
of
Tertiary Level?
at
31
3.5 How Teach?
to
3.6 Students' Beliefs Attitudes in Learning Statistics 35
and
39
3.7 Difficulties in Learning Statistics
3.7.1 Difficulties Misconceptions in Descriptive Statistics 40
and
43
3.7.2 Difficulties Misconceptions in Probability
and
3.8 Conclusion 50
CHAPTER FOUR Learning
for Understanding
-
4.1 Introduction 52
4.2 What is Learning? 53
4.3 What is Understanding? 55
4.4 Approaches Learning 58
to
4.5 Adult Learning Model 59
4.6 Ausubel's Meaningful Learning Model 61
4.6.1 Rote Meaningful Learning 62
and
4.6.2 Reception Discovery Learning 63
and
4.6.3 Subsumption Theory 64
65
4.6.4 Advance Organisers
65
4.7 Information Processing Model
68
4.7.1 Sensory Memory (Perception Filter Sensory Register)
or
V
Contents
68
4.7.2 Short-Term Memory (Working Memory)
71
4.7.3 Long-Term Memory
72
4.7.4 What Happens When Working Memory is Overloaded?
74
4.7.5 Working Memory Achievement
and
75
4.8 Conclusion
Cognitive
CHAPTER FIVE Field Dependence/Independence
-
Teaching Strategies
Style Learning
of and
76
5.1 Introduction
76
5.2 What Cognitive Styles?
are
78
(FDI)
5.3 Field Dependence Field Independence
and
81
5.3.1 Measurement Field Dependency Levels
of
5.3.2 Characteristics Individuals 82
Field Dependent/Independent
of
5.3.3 Field Dependency 84
Academic Achievement
and
5.3.4 Field dependency Memory 86
and
5.3.5 Implications Field Dependence/ Field independence for 88
of
Learning
Teaching
and
90
5.4 Lecturing
5.4.1 Strengths Lecture Method 90
the
of
91
5.4.2 Weaknesses Lecture Method
the
of
92
5.5 Cooperative Learning
94
5.5.1 Elements Cooperative Learning
of
95
5.5.2 Why Use Cooperative Learning?
97
5.5.3 What Problems in Implementing Cooperative
the
are
Learning?
98
5.6 Conclusion
VI
Contents
CHAPTER SIX Exploratory Study: The First Experiment
-
6.1 Introduction 100
6.2 The Study Sample 100
6.3 The Study Instruments 101
6.3.1 Validity Reliability Study Instruments 102
the
and of
6.3.2 Questionnaire 103
6.3.3 The Digit Span Test 106
6.3.4 The Hidden Figures Test 107
6.3.5 Structural Communication Grids 109
6.4 The Research Questions 111
6.5 Results Discussions from Questionnaire Survey 112
the
and
6.5.1 Comparisons
between Gender between Programmes Study 117
and of
6.6 Analysis
Statistics
of the Examination Scores 120
6.6.1 Comparisons between
Gender
between Programmes Study 120
and of
6.6.2 Relationships between the Statistics Examination Scores 121
and
Student Teachers' Attitudes
6.7 Analysis Results from SCG Test
the the 122
of
6.7.1 Comparisons between Gender between Programmes Study 127
and of
6.7.2 Relationships between Statistics Examination Scores 128
and
SCG Test Scores
6.8 Results from the Digit Span Backward Test (DSBT) 128
6.8.1 Comparisons between Gender between Programmes Study 129
and of
6.8.2 Relationships between DSBT Scores Other Assessment Scores 129
and
6.8.3 The Working Memory Capacity Categories 130
6.9 Results from the Hidden Figures Test (HFT) 131
VII
Contents
6.9.1 Comparisons between Gender between Programmes Study 132
and of
6.9.2 Relationships between HFT Scores Other Assessment Scores 133
and
6.9.3 The Field Dependency Categories 133
6.9.4 The Joint Field Dependency Working MemoryCapacity 135
and
Categories
6.9.5 Relationship between Field Dependency Groups Attitudes 137
and
Toward Learning Statistics
6.10 Conclusions 139
CHAPTER SEVEN Research Study Two: Field Experiment
-
7.1 Introduction 141
7.2 The Learning Units 142
7.3 Experimental
Design 144
7.4 The Study Sample
145
7.5 The Study Instruments
146
7.5.1 Pre-Test Post-Test Questionnaires
146
and
7.5.2 Structural Communication Grid (SCG) Test
147
7.6 The Data Collection Procedures
148
7.7 The Research Questions
149
7.8 Results Discussions from Pre-Questionnaire Survey
the 150
and
7.8.1 Comparison by Gender
155
7.8.2 Comparison by Programmes Study 156
of
7.9 Results Discussions from the Post-Questionnaire Survey 158
and
7.9.1 Comparison by Gender 164
7.9.2 Comparison by Programmes Study 165
of
7.10 Analysis
the Results from SCG Test 166
of the
7.10.1 Comparison by Gender 172
VIII