I Heart My Team: Student Responses to Cooperative Learning Teams in Undergraduate Statistics

• In Event: 165 - Regular Session. Teaching Sociology

Abstract

Few courses in the sociology curriculum incite the level of apprehension caused by statistics. While this apprehension is by no means limited to sociology majors, the fact that statistics is one of the only typically-required courses that is not content-specific can make it seem more like an obstacle to overcome than an integral part of the sociology degree. As a result, students entering a statistics course may feel fearful or anxious, affecting their levels of engagement throughout the semester and, ultimately, their learning. Researchers have examined a number of ways to address these problems, from using computers for calculations to cold-calling students and organizing courses around student-led research projects. In this paper I examine student responses to the use of cooperative learning teams over five semesters at a small, non-selective private liberal arts college. I find that for a majority of students, statistics teams provided a small community of peers that they could turn to for help and support, providing motivation, helping them feel connected to the course, and making the course more enjoyable. Each of these factors is, in turn, related to providing students with a positive learning experience in a course that they initially feared.

Author

• Brent Harger, Gettysburg College