Formative Feedback - Supporting and Enhancing Teaching and Learning in Statistics.

Abstract

Practice and formative feedback are valuable and practical tools when teaching statistics to non-statisticians. Non-specialist learners of statistics frequently seek statistical training to acquire practical skills and experience, rather than to pass exams; therefore, these learning outcomes should be paramount. Opportunities to apply new knowledge, solve problems, and evaluate these applications are essential to this aim, and can be achieved via formative feedback. Methods and technologies used to produce formative feedback (e.g., voting, embedded practical activities, in-teaching discussion and annotation) enhance traditional lecture-style teaching, creating a higher level of interactivity that helps learners to apply, assimilate, and retain information. Teachers can gauge the understanding of individuals and groups and tailor teaching time accordingly, and the process of evaluation and emphasis on reasoning behind ‘correct’ and ‘incorrect’ answers help to amend errors in understanding at an early stage. The use of formative feedback requires a flexible approach to topics, emphasis, and pace, but the benefits for teaching, learning, and practice in statistics training can be substantial; keeping learners involved throughout, ensuring that delivery is appropriate to specific groups, and improving inclusivity across abilities.