Statistical Literacy in the Classroom: Should Introductory Statistics Courses Rethink their Goals?

McLauchlan Cynthia () and Schonlau Matthias
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McLauchlan Cynthia: University of Waterloo, Bldg M3, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Schonlau Matthias: University of Waterloo, Bldg M3, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada

Statistics, Politics and Policy, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1-2, 99-115

Abstract: Many undergraduate degrees require the completion of an introductory statistics course, but it is unclear to what extent taking a statistics course improves statistical literacy. We conducted an online survey with a simple random sample of undergraduate students at the University of Waterloo, Canada. We then compared students who have completed at least one statistics course to those who have completed none and found that taking a statistics course did not improve statistical literacy on the questions asked (causation versus correlation, margin of error, and others). Introductory statistics courses may want to address statistical literacy as a learning outcome more explicitly for a better understanding of public policies.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1515/spp-2017-0001

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