Does Method Matter? Examining the Effect of R and Hand Calculations on Student Learning

Introductory statistics courses are important for undergraduate psychology majors because they allow students to develop skills necessary for psychological research as well as the critical thinking skills necessary for academic success and to become engaged citizens. However, these classes have not changed much over time, despite technological advances and increased availability of statistical software. Incorporating software, such as R Programming, can be beneficial for students as it can facilitate calculation of statistics and provide opportunities for students to develop transferable skills. Little research has examined the effectiveness of R for student learning. The goals of the current study are to compare the effects of using R or hand calculations on student learning and to explore student perceptions of R. Students (n = 276) were assigned to either watch a video introducing a statistic with R or hand calculations and complete practice problems. Then, students switched conditions and learned a new statistic using the other calculation method. Results suggest that student calculation scores were higher in the R condition than in the hand calculations condition. There were no significant differences in students’ understanding of the definition, context, or interpretation of statistics. Students reported higher perceived learning with R over hand calculations. The results suggest that programming in introductory statistics courses can be both feasible and beneficial to students.