A theoretical framework for developing statistical package competence as an outcome of statistical literacy

Developing students' competence with statistical packages, such as SPSS, Minitab, R and SAS, is an important, but somewhat overlooked outcome, of statistics education. This paper proposes that statistical package competence be regarded as an outcome of statistical literacy. While the development of statistical package competence should not interfere with the development of statistical literacy, statistical reasoning and statistical thinking, it should be recognised as an important skill our students need to acquire in becoming data scientists. A theoretical framework for the development of statistical package competence will be proposed along with an overview of a promising evidencebased training strategy. Issues, considerations and much needed research related to the training and assessment of statistical package competence will also be discussed.

[1]  Beth Chance,et al.  Components of Statistical Thinking and Implications for Instruction and Assessment , 2002 .

[2]  Beryl Hesketh,et al.  Dilemmas in training for transfer and retention , 1997 .

[3]  Eleanor M. Smith,et al.  Relationships of goal orientation, metacognitive activity, and practice strategies with learning outcomes and transfer , 1998 .

[4]  P. Ackerman,et al.  Motivation and cognitive abilities: an integrative/aptitude-treatment interaction approach to skill acquisition , 1989 .

[5]  Ann L. Brown.  Learning, remembering, and understanding , 1982 .

[6]  Nina Keith,et al.  Active/Exploratory Training Promotes Transfer Even in Learners with Low Motivation and Cognitive Ability , 2010 .

[7]  Robert G. Gould,et al.  Statistics and the Modern Student , 2010 .

[8]  P. Karoly.  Mechanisms of Self-Regulation: A Systems View , 1993 .

[9]  Iddo Gal,et al.  Teaching and Assessing Statistical Reasoning: National Council Teachers of Mathematics 1999 Year , 1999 .

[10]  Joan Garfield,et al.  First Courses in Statistical Science: The Status of Educational Reform Efforts , 2002 .

[11]  Michael Frese,et al.  Error training: Replication and the function of exploratory behavior , 1994, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Interact..

[12]  B. Skinner,et al.  Technology of Teaching , 1967, Nature.

[13]  Michael Frese,et al.  Errors in Training Computer Skills: on the Positive Function of Errors , 1991, Hum. Comput. Interact..

[14]  James Baglin,et al.  An experimental study comparing two different training strategies on how to use statistical packages in an introductory statistics course , 2011 .

[15]  M. Frese,et al.  Self-regulation in error management training: emotion control and metacognition as mediators of performance effects. , 2005, The Journal of applied psychology.

[16]  M. Frese,et al.  Effectiveness of error management training: a meta-analysis. , 2008, The Journal of applied psychology.