Enhancing Statistical Education in Chemistry and STEAM Using JAMOVI. Part 1: Descriptive Statistics and Comparing Independent Groups

This laboratory experiment was devoted to teaching descriptive statistics and comparing independent groups to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) students using open-source and graphical user interface software. Students answered 21 questions using JAMOVI in previously published data sets to learn fundamental statistics concepts. It was divided into four parts. In the first part, descriptive statistics were carried out (mean, median, standard deviation, interquartile range, data normality, and skewness). In the second part, data normality was checked by using visual inspection of plots (histograms and Q–Q plots). In the third part, two independent groups were compared. In the fourth part, more than two independent groups were compared. Normally, comparisons between two or more groups are presented in many textbooks, and a normal and homogeneous distribution of the data is assumed. Only parametric tests were taught, while nonparametric tests were not presented. Thus, data normality was checked using hypothesis tests (Shapiro–Wilk, Kolmogorov–Smirnov, and Anderson–Darling tests). Then, homogeneity was checked using Levene’s and Bartlett’s tests. Normality and homogeneity were also checked using a visual inspection of plots. Once normality and homogeneity were checked, parametric tests were used (t test and ANOVA). If the normality of the data was not checked, nonparametric tests were used (Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests).