Attitudes toward statistics 2017

Veterinarian’s Students enter with the belief that statistics is not useful in ordinary and professional life. The Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS-28©) Pre and Post questionnaires were applied to 431 Veterinarian’s students. Dimension scores were analyzed using the Generalized Linear Model (GzLM) of fixed effects. Individual answers to questions were categorized (disagreements, neutral and agreements) and were analyzed using Chi-squared test between the Pre- and Post-questionnaires. Sixty nine percent were women, 91% studied at UNAM’s high schools, 67% preferred the medical area. A higher value was observed in women, also in students whose mother’s occupation was related to numbers and in those in which his father worked in a profession unrelated to numbers (p < 0.05). The Post questionnaires showed differences between groups in 2/4 dimensions: affective and cognitive competence, also, there was higher cognitive proficiency in the evening shift. Between Pre- and Post-questionnaires there was a decrease of affection and cognitive competence (p < 0.5). This same was observed when responses were categorized (13/28 questions). It is important to consider and know the negative attitudes toward statistics, this will make it possible to look for alternatives to better transmit knowledge and facilitate learning.

The database is modified in the identification, as the original database contains the names of the students participating in the study.