Aprendizaje de las medidas de tendencia central a través de la herramienta EXeLearning / Learning of the central tendency measures through the tool eXeLearning

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal de 24 estudiantes de la especialidad de estadística de salud, pertenecientes a la Facultad de Enfermería-Tecnología de Santiago de Cuba, desde diciembre de 2016 hasta marzo de 2017, a fin de determinar la factibilidad de la herramienta informática eXeLearning. Se mostró la utilidad de dicha herramienta como objeto de aprendizaje en la adquisición y ejercitación de conocimientos de las medidas de tendencia central en series de datos simples para las clases prácticas y el estudio independiente, con un alto grado de independencia en la búsqueda y recuperación de la información. Se logró en los estudiantes el desarrollo de un aprendizaje autónomo y en red, que obedece a la formación multidisciplinaria en la educación médica

A descriptive and cross-sectional study of 24 students from the health statistics specialty, belonging to the Nursing-technology Faculty in Santiago de Cuba was carried out from December, 2016 to March, 2017, in order to determine the feasibility of eXeLearning as a computing science tool. The usefulness of this tool was shown as a learning object in the learning and training of knowledge of central tendency measures, in series of simple data for the practical classes and independent study, with a high degree of independence in searching and recovering information. The development of an autonomous and net learning was achieved in the students, which follows the multidisciplinary training in the medical education

¿Cómo potenciar desde la enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico la motivación profesional del estudiante de Medicina? / How to enhance professional motivation of medical students in the teaching-learning process of statistical content?

Introducción: En la carrera de Medicina se evidencia desmotivación por parte del estudiante hacía la enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico. Esa situación incide negativamente en la motivación profesional de los mismos porque repercute en la calidad de la prestación de los servicios en salud. Objetivo: Estimular la motivación profesional del estudiante de Medicina desde el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico. Material y Métodos:Se realizó una intervención pedagógica entre los meses de septiembre de 2015 a julio de 2016, en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Camagüey. Para ello, se seleccionó de manera directa, una muestra integrada por 105 estudiantes, a quienes se les aplicó una entrevista individual y la técnica de la composición; posteriormente se trabajó con ellos empleando diversas actividades y al final se aplicó una encuesta. La información obtenida se procesó de forma automatizada y se utilizaron medidas de resumen para estadística descriptiva. Resultados: Se observó el avance positivo en la percepción estudiantil acerca de la importancia y necesidad del aprendizaje del contenido estadístico para la futura profesión; así como el interés en su uso en las diversas áreas o campos de actuación profesional. Conclusiones: La aplicación de actividades integradoras que vinculan el contenido estadístico con la labor asistencial, gerencial e investigativa de la profesión médica favorece la potenciación de la motivación profesional en los estudiantes de Medicina(AU)

Introduction: Students´ lack of motivation in the teaching-learning process of statistical content is evidenced in the medical studies. This situation goes on negatively on their professional motivation since it has an effect on the quality of the health care services. Objective:To encourage professional motivation of medical students in the teaching-learning process of the statistical content. Material and methods: A pedagogical intervention was carried out in the University of Medical Sciences of Camaguey from September 2015 to July 2016. For it, a sample composed of 105 students was selected directly, to whom both an individual interview and the composition technique were applied; later, different activities were involved in carrying out the work with all of them to finally apply a survey. The information obtained was processed automatically, and summary measures were used for descriptive statistics. Results:A positive advance was observed in the students´ perceptions regarding the importance and need of learning statistical content for their future profession, as well as their interest in its use in different areas or fields of professional activity. Conclusions:The implementation of integrating activities that link statistical content with interest, management and investigative work in the medical profession promotes professional motivation in medical students(AU)

Acercamiento al proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de estadística en el currículo de Medicina / An approach to the teaching and learning procces of statistics in the Medicine degree program

Aprender Estadística en la carrera de Medicina de la universidad cubana exige a los estudiantes explotar sus competencias de razonamiento, cálculo e interpretación para obtener resultados docentes satisfactorios y apropiarse de una herramienta útil para su desempeño. Este trabajo se dedica a analizar las dificultades que confrontan para lograrlo, originadas antes y durante el proceso docente, a partir de la experiencia pedagógica de más de un decenio de sus autores y la revisión bibliográfica realizada. Los resultados apuntan a la incomprensión de su estudio, el contacto efímero con la Estadística y la escasa preparación para investigar en enseñanzas precedentes, la mala base matemática, el alto nivel de abstracción de los contenidos de Inferencia Estadística y el mecanicismo en la solución de problemas y al interactuar con paquetes estadísticos(AU)

Learning Statistics in Cuban University's Medicine career demands the students to develop reasoning, calculation and interpretation abilities for obtaining good marks and also to appropriate useful tools for their performance. This paper is dedicated to analyse the difficulties that they confront to achieve it, originated before and during the educational process, on the base of the educational experience of more than a decade of the authors and the carried out bibliographical revision. The results point to the incomprehension of the reason why Statistics is studied in the medical students curriculum, the ephemeral contact with it and the inadequate preparation to investigate, in precedent teachings, the insufficient mathematics knowledge, the high level of abstraction of the contents of Statistical Inference and the mecanicism in the solution of problems and also when interacting with statistical software(AU)

Which statistics should tropical biologists learn?

Tropical biologists study the richest and most endangered biodiversity in the planet, and in these times of climate change and mega-extinctions, the need for efficient, good quality research is more pressing than in the past. However, the statistical component in research published by tropical authors sometimes suffers from poor quality in data collection; mediocre or bad experimental design and a rigid and outdated view of data analysis. To suggest improvements in their statistical education, we listed all the statistical tests and other quantitative analyses used in two leading tropical journals, the Revista de Biología Tropical and Biotropica, during a year. The 12 most frequent tests in the articles were: Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Chi-Square Test, Student’s T Test, Linear Regression, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient, Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal-Wallis Test, Shannon’s Diversity Index, Tukey’s Test, Cluster Analysis, Spearman’s Rank Correlation Test and Principal Component Analysis. We conclude that statistical education for tropical biologists must abandon the old syllabus based on the mathematical side of statistics and concentrate on the correct selection of these and other procedures and tests, on their biological interpretation and on the use of reliable and friendly freeware. We think that their time will be better spent understanding and protecting tropical ecosystems than trying to learn the mathematical foundations of statistics: in most cases, a well designed one-semester course should be enough for their basic requirements. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (3): 983-992. Epub 2011 September 01.

Los biólogos tropicales estudian la biodiversidad más rica y amenazada del planeta, y en estos tiempos de cambio climático y mega-extinción, la necesidad de investigación de buena calidad es más acuciante que en el pasado. Sin embargo, el componente estadístico en la investigación publicada por los autores tropicales adolece a veces de baja calidad en la toma de datos, mal diseño experimental y una visión anticuada del análisis de datos. Para sugerir mejoras en la enseñanza de la estadística, hicimos una lista de todas las pruebas estadísticas y otros análisis cuantitativos aplicados en dos de las principales revistas tropicales, la Revista de Biología Tropical y Biotropica, durante un año. Las 12 pruebas más frecuentes en los artículos fueron: Análisis de Varianza (ANDEVA), Chi-cuadrado, t de Student, Regresión lineal, Coeficiente de Correlación de Pearson, U de Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, Índice de diversidad de Shannon, Prueba de Tukey, Análisis de Conclomerados, Correlación de Spearman y Análisis de Componentes Principales. Concluimos que la enseñanza de la estadística para los biólogos tropicales debe abandonar el viejo plan de estudios basado en el lado matemático de la estadística y concentrarse en (1) la correcta selección de estos y otros procedimientos y pruebas, (2) su interpretación biológica y (3) la utilización de programas de fácil uso. En la mayoría de los casos, un curso bien diseñado de un semestre bastaría para sus necesidades básicas.

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), a 101 años de su fallecimiento / Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), 101 years after her death

We herein describe Florence Nightingale's life and work. She is considered one of the pioneers in nursing practice. Her greatest success was during the Crimean war when, along with 38 voluntary nurses, she cleaned and refurbished the hospital in Scutari and reduced the mortality rate from 40 to 2 percent. She used to make rounds at night in the wards under the light of a lamp, and therefore she was named "The Lady with the Lamp". Queen Victory gave her the Royal Red Cross and she was the first woman who was honored with the Order of Merit in 1907. She had solid knowledge on Statistics and Mathematics which were useful for her nursing job.

Microsoft execel y la estadística / Microsoft Excel and Statistic

Con el objetivo de demostrar que la utilización del libro electrónico confeccionado para el uso de la aplicación Microsoft Excel (MSE) en el procesamiento de datos contribuye a que los estudiantes mejoren el aprendizaje de la Estadística, se realizó un experimento durante el segundo semestre del curso 2006-2007 en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas Dr Salvador Allende. El libro electrónico se confeccionó utilizando el formato HTML, lo que permite su utilización en cualquier computadora a través de un navegador web. Consta de tres partes: una primera, en la que se explica someramente el trabajo con el MSE; la segunda, dedicada al procesamiento de datos a nivel descriptivo y la tercera, a las técnicas inferenciales. Los resultados obtenidos a partir de la aplicación del test de rendimiento, encuesta y observaciones a clases evidenciaron que el uso del Libro Electrónico para las clases de Estadística puede contribuir a mejorar la calidad del aprendizaje de esta asignatura.

In order to demonstrate that using of electronic book making for the use of Microsoft Excel application in the data processing contributes to the students get better the Statistic learning, an experiment was carried out during the second semester at the academic year 2006-2007 in the Faculty of Medicine Dr Salvador Allende. The electronic book making in the HTML format allows it to be use in any computer through Web navigator. It has three parts, the first one explains summarily the work with the MSE, and the second one deals with the data processing at descriptive level and the third one the inference techniques. The obtained results starting from the performance tests and poll applying and observing classes clearly showed that using of Electronic Book for Statistic classes became better the quality of learning.

Doctors' statistical literacy: a survey at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University.

Medical doctors need to keep abreast of new developments in medicine. This is often done by reading medical journals and carrying out research activities that require an understanding of statistical methods. This study was designed to assess the knowledge of statistics among doctors in Thailand. A pretested, self-administered questionnaire with nine multiple-choice questions on basic statistical issues was used. In a survey of university hospital staff, there were 365 doctors, including 156 specialists, 152 residents and 57 final year medical students (externs). The overall response rate was 40.0 per cent. The overall median number of correct answers was 4.0 (95% CI 3.0, 4.0). Specialists had a significantly higher median score, 4.0 than residents, and externs, 3.0's, (p = 0.02). Respondents who had previously attended statistical workshops had a significantly higher median score (5.0) than those who had not (3.0) (p < 0.01). These results indicate that doctors in our hospital have insufficient knowledge of the basic statistical concepts that are commonly used in medical journals. Continuing education in statistics for doctors during residency and post doctoral training must be given serious consideration.

Computer-assisted learning package for frequency distribution of physiological variables.

There are a variety of ways of picturing a frequency distribution type, viz, the histogram, the frequency polygon, the smoothed curve and the ogive. We have developed a computer package to demonstrate gradual change of a histogram into a curve. For a given set of data on frequency distribution of, say blood pressure levels in specified categories, this package helps the computer to draw bars which gradually rise to the level of the frequencies, and lateron are replaced by the polygon and finally by the frequency curve of the Gaussian type on the computer screen pixel by pixel. This thus demonstrates the meaning and genesis of frequency curves. This package could be very useful in learning the concept of frequency curves particularly the Gaussian form.