What Undergraduates Worry About in Online Statistics Class? A Mixed-Method Research

• In Event: Considerations on the Design of Online Learning Events

Abstract

Much research has been conducted in face-to-face statistics courses regarding statistics anxiety, but little is known about the role of anxiety in online statistics courses (Dunn, 2014), and little research has been done with undergraduates in this regard. Our study aimed to investigate statistics anxiety of undergraduates enrolled in an online statistics course. We found that online statistics anxiety had a significant relationship with the course performance including quizzes, exams, and final scores. Student self-concept, a predictor of statistics anxiety, was significantly related to the course performance. Most students had concerns in statistics conceptual understanding, time management, tests anxiety, and taking statistics class online, especially anxiety with the online proctoring software.

Authors

• Li Cheng, University of Florida

• Carole R. Beal, University of Florida

• Megan Mocko, University of Florida