Integrating R in a College Statistics Course Improves Student Attitudes Toward Programming

• In Event: Technology, STEM Learning, and Contexts

Abstract

This study aims to characterize the experiences of non-computer science majors as they learn to use R as part of an introductory course in statistics. Participants were 677 students at two universities who used an interactive online textbook with embedded R programming activities as part of an introductory course in statistics. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, we explored students’ attitudes at the beginning and end of the course and examined how those attitudes differed based on students’ prior programming experiences and demographic characteristics. Though students entered the course with negative attitudes toward programming, students, regardless of demographic characteristics or prior programming experiences, developed more positive attitudes toward programming after engaging with our course materials.

Authors

• Mary C Tucker, University of California - Los Angeles

• Stacy Shaw, University of California - Los Angeles

• Ji Son

• James W. Stigler, University of California - Los Angeles