Teaching exploratory data analysis using a microcomputer-based telecommunications network

This study investigated the effects of using a microcomputer-based telecommunication network technology in teaching exploratory data analysis to eighth grade students. The effects of employing a technology-based teaching strategy on the achievement and attitudes of students from an urban middle school in an east Central Illinois community were observed in order to determine the influence of this teaching strategy.The analysis of variance and analysis of covariance were used to compare the achievement and attitude of the three groups. The covariates used were previous semester's grades in mathematics, reading and an educational quotient.Pre-treatment differences showed that the pre-algebra students tested significantly better than the mathematics students in mathematics, reading, and on the educational quotient. Post-treatment analysis of the data showed significant differences (p $<$.05) between the network, software and control groups in terms of achievement and attitude. The network group did significantly better than the other two groups on the post-tests. The network group also showed significant improvement in their attitudes towards statistics and computer based statistics instruction. The students who learned statistics using the network projects and software welcomed the change from regular textbook exercises. They enjoyed instructional activities provided by the network projects.The software group showed some positive gain in achievement and attitudes toward statistics after the experiment. In view of the software group's composition (remedial class), this gain was not significant enough when compared with the network group. The control group did significantly better than the software group on the achievement test but not on the attitudes toward statistics instrument.In conclusion, this study showed clearly that students who are given the opportunity to learn exploratory data analysis using an electronic network and computer software obtain higher achievement scores and have more positive attitudes about learning statistics than do student groups restricted to more conventional methods of instruction. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio