Page 27 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 8

CPS2162 Rima Kregzdyte

How trees can help to learn statistics
Rima Kregzdyte
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract
Teachers know and use different methods of teaching statistics. Many years’
experience in teaching statistics to biomedical students allowed to appear one
more way to make statistics more close to nontechnical people. Suggested
way for teaching statistics is based on principle of growing tree. Practical
application of statistical methods in undergraduate works and master’s theses
of biomedical students at Lithuanian University of Health Sciences was
reviewed Students, who were taught statistics using statistical tree, correctly
chose and applied more various methods than students, who were taught
statistics as mathematically-oriented explanation of a particular method.
Principle of growing statistical tree makes understanding of choosing and
application of statistical methods easier and more attractive.

Keywords
Teaching Statistics; Statistics Education; Learning Statistics

1. Introduction
Curious and creative people observe nature, try to understand processes
happening around, and try to evaluate existing complex systems. Statistical
knowledge and ability to apply them is necessary in order to achieve the tasks.
There are many methods and tricks of teaching statistics (Gelman & Nolan,
2002; Čekanavičius & Murauskas,2000; Čekanavičius & Murauskas, 2002). But
no one of them is universal, good for all target groups.
Modern biomedical students also need to understand the choice of the
statistical method and the results of performed statistical analysis. As many
biomedical students dislike statistics, therefore the most appropriate teaching
way should be found. Suggested way for teaching statistics is based on
principle of growing tree.

2. Methodology
Two different methods of teaching statistics were used at Lithuanian
University of Health Sciences. One was mathematically-oriented explanation,
based on teaching about a particular method, without generalized idea of
statistical analysis. Another was problem-oriented explanation, based on
systematic approach and visualized by statistical tree. Statistical tree consists

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