An Empirical Study of Presage Variables in the Teaching-Learning of Statistics, in the Light of Research on Competencies

Introduction: This research seeks to determine the influence exercised by a set of presage and process variables (students' pre-existing opinion towards statistics, their dedication to mastery of statistics content, assessment of the teaching materials, and the teacher's effort in the teaching of statistics) in students' resolution of activities and acquisition of competencies relating to quantitative data analysis (product variable). Method: We developed a correlational-predictive study with a sample of undergraduate students in Pedagogy from the University of Granada (N = 70). These students responded to a test with five problem situations, resolving the situations after having first rated the influence of the five predictive variables in their resolution process. Results: The results obtained from analyzing a linear multiple regression indicate that the teacher's effort and students' attitude towards statistics (in this order) play an essential role in performance achieved in the resolution of statistics problems and in mastering competencies of quantitative data analysis. Discussion or Conclusion: The model inferred from this study, in this particular case, gives less importance to the role of student effort or of supplementary instructional materials made available to students in their performance in statistics. (Contains 12 tables and 3 figures.)