ERIC Number: EJ1228488
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Oct
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0098-6283
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Statistical Software Output in the Classroom: A Comparison of R and SPSS
Rode, Jacob B.; Ringel, Megan M.
Teaching of Psychology, v46 n4 p319-327 Oct 2019
The current study examines whether R or SPSS output induces greater initial anxiety in students and whether anxiety toward one or both changes after being taught one type of software output throughout the course. The authors each taught an introductory statistics course, with the first course (n = 43) teaching R output exclusively and the second course (n = 39) teaching SPSS output exclusively. Students in both courses were given surveys assessing their anxiety and confidence toward R and SPSS output on the first and last days of class. Students initially reported greater anxiety and lower confidence when viewing R compared to SPSS output. However, the initial difference between R- and SPSS-related anxiety and confidence level disappeared when students were taught R and decreased substantially when students were taught SPSS. The results suggest that although R output may seem more intimidating initially, students adapt to it as well as they do to SPSS.
Descriptors: Statistical Analysis, Computer Software, Computer Uses in Education, Introductory Courses, Statistics, Undergraduate Students, Mathematics Anxiety
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Translations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A