Simulation Assisted Learning in Statistics: How Important are Students’ Characteristics?

A simulation assisted learning method is introduced to deal with students’ misconceptions concerning the properties of estimators; bias, efficiency and consistency. The design of the exercise is based on cognitive conflict theory, i.e. the simulations provide contradictory information to obtain a conceptual change and induce students to abandon misconceptions. The evaluation of the intervention is done by a pre-test and both a post-test and a delayed post-test. As predicted by the cognitive conflict theory, individual characteristics, such as values and attitudes towards learning and passing a prior mathematical course, are important to obtain a meaningful cognitive conflict.