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Statistics as Applied to Educational Questions*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2016

H. J. Meldrum
H. J. Meldrum*
Affiliation:
Teachers’ College, Sydney
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Extract

It is becoming more widely recognised each year, among leaders of educational thought, that in the field of educational science, where mere opinion holds sway, this opinion should be replaced by conclusions scientifically obtained from carefully collected data.

In the teaching of mathematics we have such questions as:

(i) What is the most economical length of drill periods in first-year algebra ?

(ii) What is the best method of procedure for acquiring skill in the mechanical work in algebra ?

(iii) To what extent does mechanical skill in algebra help the pupil intelligently to use algebraic processes, such as the equation, the graph and the formula ?

(iv) What proportion of pupils benefits by a certain type of course and up to a given standard ?

(v) The results of (iv) would be a factor in deciding whether all secondary school pupils should take mathematics throughout their course.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Mathematical Gazette , Volume 11 , Issue 156 , January 1922 , pp. 1 - 7
Copyright
Copyright © Mathematical Association 1922

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Footnotes

*

(Read at a meeting of the Sydney Branch of the Mathematical Association, 21st May, 1920.)

References

For the theory—Yule, G. V., An Introduction to the Theory of Statistics. Not the least valuable part of this book is the full list of references to original works.Google Scholar
The work of Dr. Nunn mentioned above is a valuable introduction to the study of the subject.Google Scholar
Several text-books have been written specially for teachers, dealing with educational problems mainly. These are not so much concerned with the theory as with the application to examples, and among them we may mention Thorndike, Social and Mental Measurements.Google Scholar