A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL ANALYZING THE RELATIONSHIP OF STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD STATISTICS, PRIOR REASONING ABILITIES AND COURSE PERFORMANCE

Authors

  • DIRK T. TEMPELAAR Maastricht University
  • SYBRAND SCHIM VAN DER LOEFF Maastricht University
  • WIM H. GIJSELAERS Maastricht University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52041/serj.v6i2.486

Keywords:

Statistics education research, Statistical reasoning, Achievement motivations, SATS, SRA, Structural equation modelling

Abstract

Recent research in statistical reasoning has focused on the developmental process in students when learning statistical reasoning skills. This study investigates statistical reasoning from the perspective of individual differences. As manifestation of heterogeneity, students’ prior attitudes toward statistics, measured by the extended Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS), are used (Schau, Stevens, Dauphinee & DeVecchio, 1995). Students’ statistical reasoning abilities are identified by the Statistical Reasoning Assessment (SRA) instrument (Garfield 1996, 1998a, 2003). The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between attitudes and reasoning abilities by estimating a full structural equation model. Instructional implications of the model for the teaching of statistical reasoning are discussed.

First published November 2007 at Statistics Education Research Journal: Archives

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Published

2007-11-29

Issue

Section

Regular Articles