Conference presentation
Identification and definition of lexically ambiguous words in statistics by tutors and students
USC Learning & Teaching Week, 2013 (Sunshine Coast, Australia, 26-Aug-2013–30-Aug-2013)
University of the Sunshine Coast
2013
Abstract
Lexical ambiguity arises when a word from everyday English is used differently in a particular discipline. As an example, when the word "significant" is used in statistics and research, the meaning is not the definition that is usually used in everyday English. This paper begins by identifying tutors' perceptions of words that are potentially lexically ambiguous to students, in two different ways. Students' definitions of nine lexically ambiguous words are also collected at the beginning and end of a semester of introductory statistics study, in a complex design taking account of multiple tutors and multiple words in multiple contexts. Tutor perceptions and actual student difficulties at the beginning of semester are compared. The lexical ambiguity associated with the word 'significance' is shown to be evident in students even after completing an introductory statistics course, though student do show an acknowledgement that the word has a technical meaning. This conclusion has implications for teaching statistical concepts at introductory level. We plan to develop tools to enhance students' understanding of these lexically ambiguous terms, using technology-based solution suitable for inclusion in one online USC course and one blended-learning USC course in 2014.
Details
- Title
- Identification and definition of lexically ambiguous words in statistics by tutors and students
- Authors
- Peter K Dunn (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringAlice Richardson (Author) - University of Canberra
- Conference details
- USC Learning & Teaching Week, 2013 (Sunshine Coast, Australia, 26-Aug-2013–30-Aug-2013)
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- Date published
- 2013
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99449396902621
- Output Type
- Conference presentation
Metrics
407 Record Views