Enriching Students' Conceptual Understanding of Confidence Intervals: An Interactive Trivia-Based Classroom Activity. Issue 1 (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Xiaofei; Reich, Nicholas G.; Horton, Nicholas J.
• Is Part Of: American statistician. Volume 73:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 50
• Page End: 55
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Calibrating confidence -- Subjective probability -- Uncertainty; Statistics -- Periodicals; 001.42205
• DOI: 10.1080/00031305.2017.1305294
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-1305

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Confidence intervals provide a way to determine plausible values for a population parameter. They are omnipresent in research articles involving statistical analyses. Appropriately, a key statistical literacy learning objective is the ability to interpret and understand confidence intervals in a wide range of settings. As instructors, we devote a considerable amount of time and effort to ensure that students master this topic in introductory courses and beyond. Yet, studies continue to find that confidence intervals are commonly misinterpreted and that even experts have trouble calibrating their individual confidence levels. In this article, we present a 10-min trivia game-based activity that addresses these misconceptions by exposing students to confidence intervals from a personal perspective. We describe how the activity can be integrated into a statistics course as a one-time activity or with repetition at intervals throughout a course, discuss results of using the activity in class, and present possible extensions. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.