LEARNING STATISTICS AT A DISTANCE: ANALYZING THE CAUSES OF FAILURE IN
STATISTICS COURSES IN THE ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY

LEARNING STATISTICS AT A DISTANCE: ANALYZING THE CAUSES OF FAILURE IN
STATISTICS COURSES IN THE ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY

THABITHA MAKEREDZI

CHRISPEN CHIOME

Adult learners face limitations, constraints, consequences and challenges as they study
statistics at a distance. These aspects need to be revealed and debated and, this study
attempts to contribute to that debate. The research analyzes causes of failure in statistics
by ZOU students across different programmes by interrogating effectiveness of procedures,
methods and materials. Questionnaires were administered on a purposeful sample of 167
respondents comprising students and tutors in ZOU centres nationally. A mixed method
approach was adopted for data gathering, analysis and interpretation. Findings highlighted
tutor effectiveness in the delivery of tutorials. Most students passed ‘O’-Level mathematics
creating an impression of reasonable grounding to understand statistics concepts. A general
negative attitude and fear of figures existed among students and time allocated for the heavy
statistics courses and examinations was limited. Course modules lacked adequate practice
exercises, worked examples and examination type questions. The study concluded that failure
in these courses was linked to both student and institutional factors. It recommended that
revision of modules, tutorial and exposure to examination time type question were critical.
Tutors need to build confidence in these adult learners during maiden tutorials to allay fears
of figures and develop a positive attitude towards statistics

Zimbabwe International Journal of Open & Distance Learning

2011