Asking students how to best teach statistics virtually: results of focus group discussions

Figures & data

Table 1. Description of the resulting themes and sub-themes.

Theme (description)	Sub-theme (description)
Catering to/supporting external students (Externally enrolled students were generally older, with other responsibilities such as work or family. This affected their availability to attend live lectures or tutorials and their ability to engage with the content for extended periods of time.)
Why it does not work (Difficulties experienced by participants in the online environment.)	Social norm of efficiency (Perceived social norms contributing to participants’ lack of willingness to engage in the online environment.)
	Limits immediacy (Perceptions around availability or response times from educators.)
How to make it work (Subject components and suggestions that resulted in positive online learning experiences.)	Flexible and accessible content (Content that was short and flexible to engage with among other life responsibilities.)
	Communication and connection (Perceptions of educators’ availability for interactions.)
	Statistical software (Students considered statistics as a subject that taught the use of a specific software package as much as it taught statistical concepts. At-home access was essential.)

Focus Group Question Schedule

Part A

Can you tell us about a statistics learning activity that you have experienced that you found particularly engaging?

Particularly dis-engaging?

Particularly helpful to your understanding of statistics?

Particularly confusing?

What was the most challenging research methods topic for you?

If you were to design an activity for teaching statistics, what would be important to you?

What helps engage students?

How do you learn SPSS without being in a lab?

What’s helpful? (Videos? Demonstrations? Step-by-step instructions?)

Thinking about the online space, how likely are you to turn your video and audio on to ask questions?

What about the use of the online chat?

Breakout rooms for small group activities?

Part B

Let’s think about a few things that are commonly taught in the undergraduate statistics subjects. We are curious about how we can best develop online activities to teach these topics.

–Interpreting and writing up the results of an analysis

–Video tutorial, the book’s directions, a tutorial worksheet, a template

–Descriptive statistics – and creating plots

−Assumption testing

−Calculating effect size

What aspects sound engaging?

What do you think the relative advantages/disadvantages are to these?

How could these activities be improved?

Data availability statement

The raw data and materials presented in this article are not readily available in compliance with the study’s ethical approval. Requests regarding the data should be directed to Amanda Krause, [email protected]. No aspects of the study were pre-registered.