INSIGHTS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW SUBJECT IN STATISTICS EDUCATION

Authors : Henny Sunartie Tiga, Masitah Shahrill, Abby Tan, Mar Aswandi Mahadi, Hajah Zurina Haji Harun

Pages : 258-268

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Publication Date : 2016-09-01

Article Type : Research

Abstract :This study investigated the implementation of a new subject or syllabus called Statistics 4040 in Years 9 and 10, in one of the secondary schools in Brunei Darussalam. We examined firstly, the students’ attitude towards Statistics 4040 and secondly, their challenges and limitations in learning the new subject. A survey on Students’ Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS with 36 items) was distributed to a sample of 42 students. Focus group interviews were also conducted to extract students’ opinions regarding Statistics 4040. The results of this study indicated that students found the new subject, Statistics 4040, a rather complicated subject. However, the survey findings also showed that students were optimistic and determined to put a lot of effort into learning this subject. Moreover, students expressed that enrolling in this subject will make them more employable. The limitations faced by the students were mainly due to lack of relevant resources, which posed challenges in relation to their learning. The small case study provided valuable insights about the students’ attitudes toward Statistics 4040 and how this can be used as a guide in preparing teachers’ teaching plans to suit their students’ needs. In addition, the positive results obtained in this study may encourage other schools to introduce Statistics 4040 in their school syllabus.
Keywords : Statistics education, secondary school, attitudes and challenges