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Interpreting Statistics in the Media About the COVID-19 Pandemic = = פירוש סטטיסטיקה בתקשורת לגבי מגפת הקורונה.

Record Type:	Electronic resources : Monograph/item
Title/Author:	Interpreting Statistics in the Media About the COVID-19 Pandemic =/
Reminder of title:	פירוש סטטיסטיקה בתקשורת לגבי מגפת הקורונה.
Author:	Trostianitser, Anna H.
Published:	Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, : 2021,
Description:	85 p.
Notes:	Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 83-09.
Contained By:	Masters Abstracts International83-09.
Subject:	Students. -
Online resource:	http://pqdd.sinica.edu.tw/twdaoapp/servlet/advanced?query=29133586
ISBN:	9798209903055

Interpreting Statistics in the Media About the COVID-19 Pandemic = = פירוש סטטיסטיקה בתקשורת לגבי מגפת הקורונה.
Trostianitser, Anna H.

Interpreting Statistics in the Media About the COVID-19 Pandemic =פירוש סטטיסטיקה בתקשורת לגבי מגפת הקורונה. - Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2021 - 85 p.

Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 83-09.

Thesis (Master's)--University of Haifa (Israel), 2021.

This item must not be sold to any third party vendors.

This study examined how adults who are university students (N=279) perceive their level of understanding of statistical and mathematical information related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the news media, and several factors that may affect such understanding. The study contributes to the literature regarding cognitive and information-processing capabilities that citizens need in order to cope with numeracy-related tasks in general, and with information related to a health crisis such as COVID-19 in particular and highlights important gaps in extant knowledge in this regard. The study has conceptualized a new dependent variable - perceived knowledge of COVID related mathematics and statistics in the media (Perceived COV-MAS) and developed a new 12-item scale for that purpose. Moreover, we examined the relative contribution to Perceived COV-MAS of several correlates, including students' background in terms of prior studies in mathematics and statistics, their self-efficacy and confidence in their mathematical skills ('subjective numeracy'), and their attitudes both in terms of perceived value of statistics and affect towards statistics.A preliminary factor analysis showed that the original scale developed to measure the dependent variable, perceived knowledge of COVID related mathematics and statistics, was comprised of two groups of items representing simple and more advanced levels of mathematical and statistical ideas demanded by the news media. This led to the creation of two separate dependent variables that focus on such basic and advanced elements. Further analyses showed that learning more mathematics at school or taking more university-level courses in statistics contributes very little to respondents' perceived knowledge of COVID related mathematics and statistics in the media, neither for the simple nor for the advanced parts of Perceived COV-MAS. In addition, multivariate analyses showed that subjective numeracy and positive attitudes toward statistics contribute much more to the level of perceived understanding of COVID-related mathematics and statistics data in the media, compared to prior achievement and background in mathematics and statistics. The results have several implications for theory, future research, and educational practice. Among other things, the results suggest that the level of Perceived COV-MAS is not only moderate, but for a sizable of the study sample it is quite low. Given that the sample has an educational background in statistics that is well above that of typical citizens, it is conjectured that the general population does not have enough knowledge and tools to deal with COVID-related mathematical and statistical information in the media. It is hence suggested to rethink the teaching of mathematical literacy and statistics in schools. For example, by using realistic and media-based examples in statistics instruction that touch on issues of prediction and modelling which were especially unfamiliar for many respondents in our sample. Considering the above, theoretical models of adult numeracy and statistical literacy need to be adjusted to accommodate the practical demands of the media as part of describing 21st century skills required of citizens. There is a need for continued thinking regarding the types of mathematical and statistical knowledge but also attitudes and positive self-perceptions of skills that need to be strengthened. Further, the results point to the need to examine how both subjective and objective aspects of mathematical and statistical knowledge can be developed in a coordinated way, since both contribute to the ability of graduates of education systems to cope with quantitative media demands after formal studies.

ISBN: 9798209903055Subjects--Topical Terms:

756581
Students.

Interpreting Statistics in the Media About the COVID-19 Pandemic = = פירוש סטטיסטיקה בתקשורת לגבי מגפת הקורונה.
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520 $a This study examined how adults who are university students (N=279) perceive their level of understanding of statistical and mathematical information related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the news media, and several factors that may affect such understanding. The study contributes to the literature regarding cognitive and information-processing capabilities that citizens need in order to cope with numeracy-related tasks in general, and with information related to a health crisis such as COVID-19 in particular and highlights important gaps in extant knowledge in this regard. The study has conceptualized a new dependent variable - perceived knowledge of COVID related mathematics and statistics in the media (Perceived COV-MAS) and developed a new 12-item scale for that purpose. Moreover, we examined the relative contribution to Perceived COV-MAS of several correlates, including students' background in terms of prior studies in mathematics and statistics, their self-efficacy and confidence in their mathematical skills ('subjective numeracy'), and their attitudes both in terms of perceived value of statistics and affect towards statistics.A preliminary factor analysis showed that the original scale developed to measure the dependent variable, perceived knowledge of COVID related mathematics and statistics, was comprised of two groups of items representing simple and more advanced levels of mathematical and statistical ideas demanded by the news media. This led to the creation of two separate dependent variables that focus on such basic and advanced elements. Further analyses showed that learning more mathematics at school or taking more university-level courses in statistics contributes very little to respondents' perceived knowledge of COVID related mathematics and statistics in the media, neither for the simple nor for the advanced parts of Perceived COV-MAS. In addition, multivariate analyses showed that subjective numeracy and positive attitudes toward statistics contribute much more to the level of perceived understanding of COVID-related mathematics and statistics data in the media, compared to prior achievement and background in mathematics and statistics. The results have several implications for theory, future research, and educational practice. Among other things, the results suggest that the level of Perceived COV-MAS is not only moderate, but for a sizable of the study sample it is quite low. Given that the sample has an educational background in statistics that is well above that of typical citizens, it is conjectured that the general population does not have enough knowledge and tools to deal with COVID-related mathematical and statistical information in the media. It is hence suggested to rethink the teaching of mathematical literacy and statistics in schools. For example, by using realistic and media-based examples in statistics instruction that touch on issues of prediction and modelling which were especially unfamiliar for many respondents in our sample. Considering the above, theoretical models of adult numeracy and statistical literacy need to be adjusted to accommodate the practical demands of the media as part of describing 21st century skills required of citizens. There is a need for continued thinking regarding the types of mathematical and statistical knowledge but also attitudes and positive self-perceptions of skills that need to be strengthened. Further, the results point to the need to examine how both subjective and objective aspects of mathematical and statistical knowledge can be developed in a coordinated way, since both contribute to the ability of graduates of education systems to cope with quantitative media demands after formal studies.
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