Dr Richard Cook / HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh 2014
AN ON-LINE TOOLKIT FOR TEACHING
STATISTICS TO BIOSCIENCE STUDENTS
Dr Richard Cook
School of Life Sciences
Kingston University London
Project funded by an HEA Teaching Development Grant GENTDG147
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
The Problem
 Bioscience students don’t like
statistics!
 Statistics is an essential skill for
bioscientists!
 Often large numbers – statistics
taught as ‘separate subject’
 RELEVANCE?
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
The Problem
 Even if taught statistics, students often forget later
when they need to use it (project!)
 When they have their own data, difficult to decide which
statistical tests to use
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
My Solution!
 Guide to select appropriate statistical tests
 Web-based with videos for SPSS
 Lots of subject-relevant examples
 Flexible, interactive learning and revision aid –
encourage independent learning & practice
 On-line software:
 Keep control: update & develop easily
 Xerte Toolkit: University of Nottingham
Flexible on-line template for interactive, web-based teaching
materials
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
AIMS
 Teach biostatistics as a tool – keep it simple
 ‘Decision tree’ guide:
o Help understand context of each test
o Help decide which test to use
 Use of animated videos - how to use SPSS and
understand output
 Subject-relevant example data with MCQs
o Relevance
o Practice
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Intended Purpose
 A teaching resource to support lectures and learning
NOT a replacement for lectures/books
 A revision aid: A resource for students to re-visit when
they need it
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Availability
 Available as an Open Educational Resource
 Address:
http://www.oercommons.org/authoring/5089biostatistics-toolkit
 Creative Commons License:
Allows sharing: can copy and redistribute the
material in any medium or format
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
The Biostatistics Toolkit
 Introduction shows (videos):
• the SPSS environment
• entering data and getting output (results) in SPSS
• obtaining descriptive (summary statistics)
 Rest of Toolkit is based on simple questions and decision
tree to lead to correct test
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
First Questions: 1.Type of Data
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
First Questions: 2.Type of question
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
The Decision Tree
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Decision Tree: next step
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Video for each test
A video for every test shows how to do this in SPSS and
what the output means
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Sample data sets for each test
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Use at Kingston University London
(Level 5)
 Aim to encourage independent & student-led learning
 Brief 1-hour lecture each week to introduce background &
purpose of selected tests; given problems to solve
 Use Toolkit to select test and watch video to solve problem
in SPSS – can do any time
 Computer workshops for help with problems
 Apply statistics to numerical data from lab classes on any
module (integration of statistics to subject)
 Revision – use example data from Toolkit
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Initial Conclusions & Feedback from
Students (n=56)
 Don’t expect all students to be able to watch a video and
apply it to a problem!
 Some resistance to independent learning – still want
contact and instruction
 Many students need further help to develop confidence
 Still an inherent resistance by many students to statistics
 Nevertheless, intitial feedback indicates the Toolkit is
helpful
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Was the toolkit useful in explaining how to
carry out a statistical test in SPSS?
Very useful
53.57%
Quite useful
35.71%
Neutral
10.71%
Not very useful
0.00%
Not at all useful
0.00%
Almost 90 % found
it Quite/Very Useful
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Does the toolkit improve your confidence
in using statistics to analyse data?
Yes, I have a better understanding about how to use statistics
48.15%
Yes, to some extent: I am not very confident but the toolkit has
helped a little
51.85%
No, it has not helped me understand statistics
100% said it
developed confidence
– at least a little!
0.00%
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Will you use the toolkit to carry out
statistical analyses in SPSS in future (eg
final year project)?
Yes
60.71%
Possibly
No
Don't know
35.71%
96% said Yes/Possibly
0.00%
3.57%
Dr Richard Cook | HEA STEM Conference Edinburgh | 2014
Further Conclusions
 Lack of confidence: students need encouragement
& support
 Help needed to interpret results of statistics in
relation to the biological context
 Overall, toolkit well accepted by the students
 Anticipate that benefit will become more apparent
to students during final year
Thank you for listening!