Statistical Data Analysis

The Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) was funded by the American Statistical Association (ASA) to develop ASA-endorsed guidelines for assessment and instruction in statistics. In the College Report GAISE issued the following recommendations for teaching statistics: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Emphasize statistical literacy and develop statistical thinking Use real data Stress conceptual understanding rather than mere knowledge of procedures Foster active learning in the classroom Use technology for developing conceptual understanding and analyzing data Use assessments to improve and evaluate student learning

In addition to the teaching recommendations, GAISE has also provided guidelines which outline what it means to be statistically educated. These guidelines are broken into five broad categories which GAISE believes will produce statistically educated students. The categories and the recommendations within each category are as follows: Students should believe and understand why: Data beat anecdotes. Variability is natural and is also predictable and quantifiable. Random sampling allows results of surveys and experiments to be extended to the population from which the sample was taken. Random assignment in comparative experiments allows cause and effect conclusions to be drawn. Association is not causation. Statistical significance does not necessarily imply practical importance, especially for studies with large sample sizes. Finding no statistically significant difference or relationship does not necessarily mean there is no difference or no relationship in the population, especially for studies with small sample sizes. Students should recognize: Common sources of bias in surveys and experiments. How to determine the population to which the results of statistical inference can be extended, if any, based on how the data were collected.

How to determine when a cause and effect inference can be drawn from an association, based on how the data were collected (e.g., the design of the study) That words such as normal, random and correlation have specific meanings in statistics that may differ from common usage. Students should understand the parts of the process through which statistics works to answer questions, namely: How to obtain or generate data. How to graph the data as a first step in analyzing data, and how to know when thats enough to answer the question of interest. How to interpret numerical summaries and graphical displays of data - both to answer questions and to check conditions (in order to use statistical procedures correctly). How to make appropriate use of statistical inference. How to communicate the results of a statistical analysis. Students should understand the basic ideas of statistical inference: The concept of a sampling distribution and how it applies to making statistical inferences based on samples of data (including the idea of standard error) The concept of statistical significance including significance levels and p-values. The concept of confidence interval, including the interpretation of confidence level and margin of error. Finally, students should know: How to interpret statistical results in context. How to critique news stories and journal articles that include statistical information, including identifying what's missing in the presentation and the flaws in the studies or methods used to generate the information. When to call for help from a statistician. These numerous recommendations comprise the Statistical Data Analysis Student Learning Objective in the M.S. Economics program at California Lutheran University. From the Loyola University Chicago website, this definition of Statistical Data Analysis as a student learning outcome was used to describe course/curriculum goals: Learning Outcome: Demonstrate understanding of quantitative analysis.

Quantitative analysis enables one to understand and analyze quantitative information presented in various formats. It involves reasoning by symbolic, numerical, or geometrical means; determining various ways to solve problems; and predicting possible consequences. Competencies: By way of example, Loyola graduates should be able to: Represent and interpret quantitative information symbolically, graphically, numerically, verbally, and in written form. Recognize the limitations of mathematical and statistical models. Describe and discuss the nature and history of mathematics, its role in scientific inquiry and technological progress, and its importance in dealing with issues in the public realm. Demonstrate the use of the rudiments of statistics, including sampling and hypothesis testing, and the uses of statistical reasoning in everyday life.1 Statistical Data Analysis is a higher order thinking skill. At a conference by the International Association for Statistical Education, an article by Milo Schield (Augsburg College, Minneapolis) was presented which was entitled Three Kinds of Statistical Literacy: What Should We Teach? After broadly defining Statistical Literacy, Schield then recommends literature addressing the three categories of statistical literacy: 1. Chance-Based Statistical Literacy 2. Fallacy-Based Statistical Literacy, and 3. Correlation-Based Statistical Literacy. Further, for each category, Schield lists explicit recommendations for college-level statistical literacy for each sub-type of statistical literacy. These include, but are not limited to, statistical significance, probability, sample size and confidence intervals, inferential statistics, and teach to motivate and learn good practices. In addition, other capabilities include the ability to predict and make decisions, and the ability to evaluate claims. Level of Assessment (based on Blooms Taxonomy2:) Level 1: Knowledge and Comprehension At this level of knowing, students should be able to recognize the fundamental concepts of Statistical Data Analysis such as an understanding of samples and the need to gather appropriate data for informal and formal inferences. They would see value in developing those skills, and begin to identify relevant information for thinking through a problem or issue using available data. Level 2: Application and Analysis At this level of knowing, students should be able to problem solve, perhaps apply some model to produce a result, and then be able to support that result with valid explanations and construct arguments. They would avoid personal bias in their thinking process. They would be able to evaluate statistical claims made by others, based on sample size, probabilities and/or possible bias. Level 3: Synthesis and Evaluation

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http://www.luc.edu/core/quantitativecourses.shtml http://www.officeport.com/edu/blooms.htm

Achievement at this level would include an ability to demonstrate the use of higher order thinking skills. Students would be able to recognize and resolve contradictions. They would be able to create whole ideas, recommendations, and alternative methodologies for improving confidence. For student assessment, sample questions and a more detailed look at what is expected at all 6 levels of knowledge in Blooms Taxonomy, this link is helpful.