Teaching and supporting large groups of very diverse students at level one

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Teaching and supporting large groups of very
diverse students at level one

• Professor Christine Dancey
• and
• Dr. Joan Painter

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Introduction

• ?One of the largest and most diverse psychology
  departments in the UK.
• ?Growth
• - 1990 120 level 1 UG Psychology students
• - 2005 450 level 1 UG Psychology students
• ?Strategy Planned growth driven by commitment
  to
• - student centred approach
• - flexible modes of study

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The Teaching of Statistics1990

• ?Taught in 2 groups of 45 and 1 evening group of
  approx 30 (taught 1 hr per week for 3 terms).
• ?Cookbook method
• ?No SPSS little use of email, no on-line
  support
• ?Less diverse, more time available to give
  support where appropriate

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The teaching of statistics 1994

• ?Taught in 2 large day groups and 1 evening group
  of approx 30 (taught 1 hr per week for 3 terms).
• ?SPSSPC
• ?Limited use of email, no on-line support
• ?Increased diversity, less time available to give
  support where appropriate

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Post 1994

• ?Increasing numbers of students every year, Very
  diverse in a range of ways.
• - 52 from non-white groups
• - 61 over aged 24
• - 86 from London and Home counties
• - 63 of the above figure from East London
• ?A high proportion of these students have little
  or no formal mathematical training
• ?Taught in large groups in large lecture theatre

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Statistics without maths

• ?We wanted to develop ways of teaching statistics
  which didnt rely on students needing to perform
  calculations
• ?Created CDs
• ?Created Workbooks which developed into
  Statistics Without Maths Dancey Reidy. (1999)
• ?Accuracy-simplicity trade-off
• ?Written for UEL students

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Giant Pandas
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Chocolate bars
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correlations
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On-line support

• ?Before WebCt email discussion lists, FAQs
  handouts
• ?Introduction of WebCT.
• ?First module to have WebCT support
• - Research methods
• ?Students cannot email/ask staff for support
  until posted to WebCT

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WEBCT
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Study Materials
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Lecture Materials
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Powerpoint
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Powerpoint
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Supplementary Material
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Activities
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Activities
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Resources on the Web
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Web Resources
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Examples from the Literature
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Quizzes
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MCQ
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Summary Statistics
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Item Statistics
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Communications
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Discussion Forum
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Evaluation Did WebCT help
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F1,32926.393, plt.001.
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Other sources of support for research methods

• ?Practicals
• ?Broken up into smaller groups of 30 50, taken
  by lecturers and GTAs
• ?Lecturers and GTAs given guidance and training
  by module leader to ensure consistency of
  approach, content, statistical analysis etc.
• ?Personal tutorials providing further IT, SPSSFW,
  WebCT support if necessary

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Summary sources of support

• ?Support comes from a variety of sources
• ?Support is co ordinated so that students have
  consistency of approach across lectures,
  practicals and lecturers
• ?Core textbook
• ?WebCT
• ?One hour statistics lectures
• ?Practicals
• ?Small group work

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The End

• ?Teaching statistics is still difficult
• ?Need to find even more innovative ways of
  teaching statistics
• ?ongoing challenges as numbers of students
  increase