Assessing schematic knowledge of introductory probability theory

Assessing schematic knowledge of introductory probability theory

[Abstract]: The ability to identify schematic knowledge is an important goal for both assessment
and instruction. In the current paper, schematic knowledge of statistical probability theory is
explored from the declarative-procedural framework using multiple methods of assessment.
A sample of 90 undergraduate introductory statistics students was required to classify 10
pairs of probability problems as similar or different; to identify whether 15 problems
contained sufficient, irrelevant, or missing information (text-edit); and to solve 10 additional
problems. The complexity of the schema on which the problems were based was also
manipulated. Detailed analyses compared text-editing and solution accuracy as a function of
text-editing category and schema complexity. Results showed that text-editing tends to be
easier than solution and differentially sensitive to schema complexity. While text-editing and
classification were correlated with solution, only text-editing problems with missing
information uniquely predicted success. In light of previous research these results suggest
that text-editing is suitable for supplementing the assessment of schematic knowledge in
development.

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