Assessment in First Courses of
Statistics: Today and Tomorrow
Ann Ooms
University of Minnesota
GAISE Recommendation 6

Use assessments to
improve and evaluate
student learning
GAISE Recommendation 6


Assessments: aligned with learning
goals
Focus Assessments:


on understanding key ideas
not just on skills, procedures, and
computed answers.
GAISE Recommendation 6

Formative assessments to provide
feedback to students


e.g., quizzes, midterm exams, small
projects
Summative evaluations to determine
what they learned

course grades
GAISE Recommendation 6



Useful and timely feedback is essential
for assessments to lead to learning
Types of assessment may be more or
less practical in different types of
courses
However, it is possible, even in large
classes, to implement good
assessments
Assessment Today


Two surveys conducted online
Goal surveys: evaluate ARTIST project




Assessment Resource Tools for Improving
Statistical Thinking
NSF funded project
PI: Joan Garfield, Bob delMas, Beth Chance
RA: Ann Ooms
Assessment Today

Introductory Statistics Educators:
n=194

December 2004: ARTIST users: n = 99


June 2005: non ARTIST users: n = 95


Statistics Educators who use ARTIST item
database
Used stat ed list serves
Combined data of 2 surveys
Demographics

Years teaching experience:



Mean: 14.99 (SD: 10.85)
Range: 1 to 48 years
Number of intro stats courses per year:


Mean: 2.88 (SD: 2.06)
Range: 0 to 17 courses
Demographics: Institution
University
56.3%
4-year College
31.1%
2-year College
5.3%
Technical College
.5%
Other
6.8%
Demographics: Department
Mathematics
54.0%
Statistics
17.6%
Business
7.0%
Educational Psychology
7.0%
Psychology
2.1%
Other
12.3%
Types of Assessment

GAISE Recommendation:


This should be done with formative
assessments used during a course (e.g.,
quizzes and midterm exams and small
projects) as well as with summative
evaluations (course grades).
Survey Question:

Which of the following types of assessment
do you use in your course?
Types and Use of Assessment
Type
Yes
Info
Grade
Exams
97.9%
2.1%
97.9%
Homework
87.5%
17.9%
82.1%
Projects
73.0%
8.6%
91.4%
Quizzes
71.9%
10.1%
89.9%
Participation
58.3%
42.9%
57.1%
Presentation
16.6%
50.0%
50.0%
Assessment: Focus

GAISE Recommendation:


Assessments need to focus on
understanding key ideas and not just on
skills, procedures, and computed answers.
Survey question:

What percent of items on your in-class
tests are primarily computational?
Percent of in-class tests items
that are primarily computational
Use of Computational Items
40%
35%
30%
34.2%
35.3%
21.4%
25%
20%
15%
10%
9.1%
5%
0%
0-25%
26-50%
51-75%
76-100%
Assessment: Feedback

GAISE recommendation:


Useful and timely feedback is essential for
assessments to lead to learning.
Survey question:


For which of the following purposes have
you used assessment results?
Which of the following actions have you
taken based on assessment information?
Assessment: Purposes
Identify misconceptions
86.1%
Provide diagnostic feedback
73.7%
Identify struggling students
51.0%
Assessment: Actions
Modified classroom activity
85.6%
Provided additional resources
71.6%
Developed a new classroom activity
68.0%
Modified assessment tools
53.1%
Modified assessment plan
26.3%
Level of satisfaction with
assessment methods
Satisfaction Assessment Methods
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
76.06%
12.77%
10.64%
0.53%
very
somewhat
dissatisfied dissatisfied
somewhat
satisfied
very
satisfied
Confidence with writing good
assessment items
Confidence Writing Items
60%
53.20%
50%
40%
29.30%
30%
13.80%
20%
10%
3.70%
0%
not
confident
somewhat
confident
confident
very
confident
Assessment Resources

ARTIST: http://www.gen.umn.edu/artist/

Database of over 1100 items focusing on
assessment of







Statistical literacy
Statistical reasoning
Statistical thinking
11 Topic scales: online tests for formative evaluation
CAOS scale: online tests for summative evaluation
Projects
Resources, examples, articles.
Contact Information

For more information, please contact
Ann Ooms:

ooms0001@umn.edu