ERIC Number: EJ1238084
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1069-1898
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Developing Interactive Educational Songs for Introductory Statistics
Lesser, Lawrence M.; Pearl, Dennis K.; Weber, John J.; Dousa, Dominic M.; Carey, Robert P.; Haddad, Stephen A.
Journal of Statistics Education, v27 n3 p238-252 2019
This article describes the process used to develop and assess an NSF-funded instructional innovation: an online collection (https://www.CAUSEweb.org/smiles/) of 28 interactive songs of high esthetic quality designed to span literature-based learning objectives of introductory statistics that develop statistical literacy and reasoning. The interactive songs are also designed to reduce statistics anxiety and require little time or instructor expertise. The songs are interactive in that the interface solicits (and provides hints and feedback on) student contributions (concepts or examples) and then plays back the song with student inputs integrated and highlighted. After providing a brief background, this article describes requirements, challenges, and opportunities in educational songwriting for the mathematical sciences, then describes the intervention and how its special nature affected the development process. Pilot studies at a research university and at a majority Black two-year college showed that students found the innovation to be a good tool to help their learning, reduce their anxiety about statistics, have an easy to follow interface, and use high quality songs. Analysis of log files from the use of the software shows some evidence of better performance on assessments after use and informs improvements of the automated feedback. Supplemental materials for this article are available online.
Descriptors: Singing, Introductory Courses, Statistics, Mathematics Instruction, Teaching Methods, Feedback (Response), Musical Composition, Anxiety, Black Colleges, Two Year Colleges, Two Year College Students, Instructional Innovation, Student Attitudes, Computer Software, Mathematics Tests, Active Learning, Cues, Computer Assisted Instruction
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1544426; 154437; 1544243
Author Affiliations: N/A