Multivariate count data is ubiquitous in many areas of research including the physical, biological, and social sciences. These data are traditionally modeled with the Dirichlet Multinomial distribution (DM). A new, more flexible Dirichlet-Tree Multinomial (DTM) model is gaining in popularity. Here, we consider Bayesian DTM regression models. Our…

Recently Burkholder "et al." argued that class normalized gains over the entire population of courses is approximated by a Cauchy distribution, not by a normal distribution, and therefore should not be used to compare different classes because means and standard deviations cannot be calculated. They argued that multiple linear regression…

Sampling distributions are fundamental for statistical inference, yet their abstract nature poses challenges for students. This research investigates the development of high school students' conceptions of sampling distribution through informal significance tests with the aid of digital technology. The study focuses on how technological tools…

In this paper, we address the following questions: What misconceptions do high school students exhibit in their first encounter with significance test problems through a repeated sampling approach? Which theory or framework could explain the presence and features of such patterns? With brief prior instruction on the use of Fathom software to…

When students with the capacity to succeed in a 4-year college do not take a college admission test, this represents a potential loss of opportunity for students and colleges alike. However, the costs of testing--both pecuniary and nonpecuniary--may exceed the benefits for students who lack the interest in or qualifications for college attendance.…

Informally testing the fit of a probability distribution model is educationally a desirable precursor to formal methods for senior secondary school students. Limited research on how to teach such an informal approach, lack of statistically sound criteria to enable drawing of conclusions, as well as New Zealand assessment requirements led to this…

While various studies suggest that informal statistical inference (ISI) can be developed by young students, more research is needed to translate this claim into a well-founded learning trajectory (LT). As a contribution, this paper presents the results of a cycle of design research that focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of the…

Many studies have reported on the influence of teachers' conceptions of variability on different aspects of their professional knowledge for teaching statistics and their classroom practices. However, research on these kind of conceptions is still scarce, particularly in Latin American countries like Venezuela. In an effort to help fill this gap,…

Drawing inference from data is an important skill for students to understand their everyday life, so that the sampling distribution as a central topic in statistical inference is necessary to be learned by the students. However, little is known about how to teach the topic for high school students, especially in Indonesian context. Therefore, the…

Although hypothesis testing is ubiquitous in data analysis, research suggests it is commonly misunderstood. Simulation-based inference methods have potential to make student thinking visible, thus providing a valuable lens to analyze developing conceptions about inference. This paper identifies difficulties made visible through simulation-based…

We have been looking at two different numbers that have been used to describe the availability of physics in U.S. high schools: 60% and 95%. Last month we noted that the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) includes over 7,000 more public schools in the denominator than American Institute of Physics (AIP) Statistics does.…

Background: Despite the increasing need for STEM skills, to date, the connection between STEM subject choices and their impact on students' educational pathways has not been widely studied. Focusing on the mathematics choice (basic/advanced/no mathematics), a large register dataset that covered students admitted to Finnish universities during…

This study aimed to determine the opinions of high school students relating to time management and present a correlation of their time management skills with demographic variables, as well as examining the relation between their level of research anxiety and time management skills. The study group composed 270 12th-grade students (127 males and…

Rapid growth of Advanced Placement (AP) exams in the last 2 decades has been paralleled by national enthusiasm to promote availability and rigor of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Trends were examined in STEM AP to evaluate and compare growth and achievement. Analysis included individual STEM subjects and disaggregation…

Educational opportunities have a very important impact on a person's life. Employment, earnings, well-being, health and trust are all strongly related to education and skills. A lack of high-quality educational opportunities is the most important way in which poverty, social inequality and exclusion are transmitted from one generation to another.…