Dr Clifford Da Costa

Senior Lecturer, Department of Statistics & Operations Research, Faculty of Applied Science,
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Victoria, Australia

An Integrated Multimedia Approach to Learning a Statistical Topic
Called One-Way Analysis of Variance in Nursing Research

Abstract

This paper discusses the issues involved in teaching statistics to students doing degree course in the Faculty of Nursing at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. An outline is provided of the degree courses offered and the statistics subjects in which students have to enrol. Next, the aims of these courses are elaborated with particular attention to how the learning of statistics is of relevance. Problems that arise in teaching statistics to such students, given their mathematics background, are detailed. Finally, the decision to proceed with the multimedia approach is explained. Issues concerning storyboard development, individual screen production, choice of authoring tools, interface and screen design, programming, allocation of tasks, sources of expertise, roles of staff and student evaluation are briefly addressed.

Bionote

Dr Cliff Da Costa is a senior lecturer in Statistics in the Faculty of Applied Science at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia. He has been researching on teaching and learning issues in higher education for the past fifteen years. Dr Da Costa has a particular interest in teaching and learning issues involving statistics among undergraduate and postgraduate students. He has been teaching statistics and research methods to higher education students for over fifteen years. He has received several grants for the development of teaching and learning materials to improve the delivery of content to students. In 1998 he received the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Quality Award for his contributions to teaching and learning in higher education. In 2000, he received the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science Award in teaching and learning in recognition and celebration of outstanding commitment and performance in teaching and learning within the Faculty of Applied Science.

Presentation Type
30 min. Paper

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Country
Australia