1. Utility of Online Learning in the Topic
of Confidence Intervals
Zane Ricks
Dr. Anita Mahadevan-Jansen

2.  Students often struggle in the field of biostatistics,
particularly in interpreting results, and in articulating
numbers to words.
 Though able to parrot a number of mathematical
equations, they do not understand what these
equations mean.
 To wit, with symbolic representation and equation
regurgitation, meaning is lost.
The Current Need
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3.  The purpose of this module is to present a statistical
concept, confidence intervals, in a manner that
promotes comprehension and retention.
 The material was presented with the aim of inspiring
students to take an interest in the material and
understand where their miscomprehensions lie.
Goal of Project
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4.  In order to promote student interest, a multimedia
approach was decided upon based on favorable results1,2
 Module elements were designed using multimedia tools
 Flash CS6
 Animation
 Simulator
 Assessment
 CamStudio and YouTube
 Example Problems
 Material was delivered on the Vanderbilt website -
https://my.vanderbilt.edu/zanericks/ci-home-page/
Method of Design and Delivery
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5. Module Elements
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6. Confidence Interval Simulator
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7. Practice Assessment
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8.  Two types of data, indirect and direct, were taken to
assess the viability of the module.
 Post-module survey was given for a indirect metric of the
module’s reception and was focused on assessing the
following:
 Student assessment of their learning
 Student assessment of the module
 Furthermore, student performances on a test question were
compared that on a similar question given in a previous year
in order to more quantitatively gauge the module’s efficacy.
Evidence of student learning
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9. Evidence of Student Learning –
Survey Responses
Overall, was the module helpful?
Not at all A little bit A fair amount A good amount They helped a lot
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10. Evidence of Student Learning –
Survey Responses
How well did the animated lecture introduce the concept of confidence
intervals?
Not at all A little bit A fair amount A good amount They helped a lot
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11. Evidence of Student Learning –
Survey Responses
How much did the confidence interval simulator help in your understanding of
confidence interval behavior?
Not at all A little bit A fair amount A good amount They helped a lot
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12. Evidence of Student Learning –
Survey Responses
How much did the solved example problems help in your
understanding of how to create confidence intervals?
Not at all A little bit A fair amount A good amount They helped a lot
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13. Evidence of Student Learning –
Survey Responses
Did the online practice assessment help you identify misconceptions you had
about confidence intervals?
No Yes
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14.  Regarding the module, students had the following to say
 I liked that it gave us examples and ways to test our knowledge
other than book problems. It really helped me in learning these
concepts.
 I liked the practice assessment. It was a good chance to see where
my understanding was at before the test, and you could retake it
after learning what you made mistakes on the first time to make sure
you got it.
 I liked that I could take it over until I got it right, so that I could really
reinforce the information.
 Complaints were minimal, and related primarily to technical
aspects and potential features that could be added.
Evidence of student learning –
Student Responses
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15. Part a Part b Part c Part d
Correct
Procedure?
How to fill in
equation?
Correct
Procedure?
How to fill in
equation?
Correct
Procedure?
How to fill in
equation?
Correct
conclusions?
Module 1.96 ± .18 1.88 ± .34 1.94 ± .35 1.93 ± .35 1.88 ± .49 1.88 ± .49 1.47 ± .72
Control 2 ± 0 1.96 ± .19 1.78 ± .41 1.67 ± .48 1.75 ± .59 1.61 ± .63 .71 ± .60
P value 0.417832 0.276692 0.120885 0.0314723 0.233903 0.053145 0.000126159
Evidence of Student Learning – ABET
Performance
a) Calculating Standard Error
b) Calculating a 95% Confidence Interval
c) Calculating a 90% Confidence Interval
d) Interpreting the meaning of the confidence interval
P-values determined using the Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test.
Bolded columns show a p-value less than 0.05
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16.  According to both assessments, the module was successful in
garnering student attention and promoting student
understanding.
 Student report of learning indicated a greater understanding
of material with this multimedia approach, and many students
expressed a desire in seeing similar modules in the future.
 There is potential in including similar modules in course
material in the future, facilitating an increase in student
interest and retention.
Conclusions and future directions
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17.  NSF CIRTL
 Center for Teaching
 Cynthia Brame
 Reht McDaniel
 Blaine Smith
 The other BOLD Fellows, Tessy Sebastian and Lauren
Palladino
Acknowledgements
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18. 1. Allen, Robert. "The Web: interactive and multimedia
education." Computer Networks and ISDN
Systems 30.16 (1998): 1717-1727.
2. Neumann, David, Michelle Neumann, and Michelle
Hood. "Evaluating computer-based simulations,
multimedia and animations that help integrate
blended learning with lectures in first year
statistics." Australasian Journal of Educational
Technology 27.2 (2011): 274-289.
References
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