Bin Xiong | Searcharxiv

arXiv2024

Supplementary Private Tutoring and Mathematical Achievements in Higher Education: An Empirical Study on Linear Algebra

The present article is an empirical study that investigates the learning situation of linear algebra. Research was performed among 60 science and engineering students from different universities in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hubei, and Shandong who were taught by three mathematics teachers in the course of a 3-day short-term training consisting of 24 classes; following this, the effectiveness of short-term training for mathematics curriculum learning in higher education was evaluated based on the IRT measurement model. The results indicate that regardless of the difficulty of the test, short-term training significantly enhances students' mastery of linear algebra knowledge points, and students can accurately perceive their mathematical achievements; the effect observed is not consistent with that of private tutoring (PT) in primary and secondary schools.

math.HO↗

arXiv2022

Thou Shalt Not Reject the P-value

Since its debut in the 18th century, the P-value has been an important part of hypothesis testing-based scientific discoveries. As the statistical engine accelerates, questions are beginning to be raised, asking to what extent scientific discoveries based on P-values are reliable and reproducible, and the voice calling for adjusting the significance level or banning the P-value has been increasingly heard. Inspired by these questions and discussions, here we enquire into the useful roles and misuses of the P-value in scientific studies. For common misuses and misinterpretations, we provide modest recommendations for practitioners. Additionally, we compare statistical significance with clinical relevance. In parallel, we review the Bayesian alternatives for seeking evidence. Finally, we discuss the promises and risks of using meta-analysis to pool P-values from multiple studies to aggregate evidence. Taken together, the P-value underpins a useful probabilistic decision-making system and provides evidence at a continuous scale. But its interpretation must be contextual, considering the scientific question, experimental design (including the model specification, sample size, and significance level), statistical power, effect size, and reproducibility.

stat.ME↗