Lessons From Implementing Courseware in Gateway Statistics Courses

Digital Promise has been studying implementation factors and student outcomes associated with a digital courseware product for undergraduate statistics, a must-pass course for many degree programs. Collecting data from 63 classes using the courseware, our team measured the frequency with which teaching practices backed by research evidence were employed and students’ cognitive and affective outcomes. Students in classes of instructors who used more evidence-based teaching practices reported greater liking, valuing, and self-efficacy in statistics. After correcting for students’ prior achievement, these same classes also resulted in better student learning and grade outcomes. Five instructor spotlights illustrate how high-performing classes treated courseware as a resource to teach with, rather than a substitute for instructor involvement. The report concludes with seven recommendations for integrating courseware with effective instruction.