Available online
Description
This programme examines the concept of statistical significance in relation to some research in development of children's reading skills.
This programme examines the concept of statistical significance in relation to some research in development of children's reading skills.
| Module code and title: | E341, Methods of educational enquiry: an empirical approach |
|---|---|
| Item code: | E341; 06 |
| First transmission date: | 23-06-1973 |
| Published: | 1973 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:24:15 |
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| Producer: | Vic Lockwood |
| Contributors: | John Bynner; Philip Williams |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Children's reading skills; Educational implications; Numeracy; Phonics; Sample size; Statistical significance; WISC test |
| Footage description: | Programme opens with a montage on gambling: roulette wheels etc. John Bynner explains that laws of chance govern the interpretation which can be made of statistical data. This programme examines the use of statistical significance, using data collected by Phillip Williams from research into the development of reading skills in children. He discusses this with Bynner and explains the four types of score he has collected for reading, phonics, WISC test and numeracy. Bynner explains the problem: to find out if the differences in scores between advantaged and disadvantaged children could have occurred by chance. He uses a model which dispenses black and white balls to indicate the incidence of sampling error. Captions. He extends the idea using graphs. Finally he identifies the critical values beyond which results can be considered statistically significant. He proceeds to explain how to convert the difference between means into standard error. Captions show the final results, giving significant differences for phonics and numeracy and not for the other scores. Phillip Williams comments and raises the question of sample size. Bynner develops this and shows how to apply a more cautious test which takes it into account. The results are similar. Williams and Bynner discuss the educational implications of this application of statistical significance. Bynner concludes the programme. |
| Master spool number: | 6HT/70977 |
| Production number: | 00525_6014 |
| Videofinder number: | 3898 |
| Available to public: | no |
