4. Results
4.3. Surveys A and B – Exploratory Analysis
37 Focusing on the pre-class preparation the amount of information to study, not having the teacher explaining the contents, and have not a clear understanding of the contents, were the statements in which students mostly agreed on feeling anxiety while being more aware of the contents statement they mostly agreed that their anxiety decreased (Appendix D – Figures 31, 32, 33 and 34).
In the iRAT phase, agreeing on feeling anxious when not knowing the answer to a question, was the predominant answer (Appendix D - Figure 35). Additionally, the same number of students agreed and disagreed on feeling anxiety when answering incorrectly in the iRAT, however, when joining those with the ones that strongly agreed with this statement we have on total 29 students while with the strongly disagree option it has only 25 students (Appendix D - Figure 38).
Turning our attention to the tRAT, the student majority agreed that the fact that the tests or exercises were done with a team made them feel less anxious as well as having the possibility to learn with each other (Appendix D - Figures 39 and 40). Likewise, the same results were achieved when students were asked about team content awareness with students agreeing that they felt less anxious due to it (Appendix D - Figure 36). On the other hand, most of them felt anxious when their team answered incorrectly to several questions (Appendix D - Figure 37). Additionally, most of the students disagreed when asked if they felt anxious when discussing answers with their teams, when teams did not reach a consensus, knowing that their answer had an impact on the team's answer or that their team's answer could have an impact on their grade (Appendix D - Figures 41, 42, 43 and 44).
Regarding the application exercises and handouts, 41% of the students agreed that the short time to finish the application exercise/handouts in the class made them feel anxious and 50% agreed that they felt anxious when they did not understand an application exercise (Appendix D - Figures 45 and 46).
38 Table 18-Surveys A and B Number of Students per Answer
Variable Answers Number of Students
Age
21 27
22 12
23 4
24 6
25 5
35 1
Gender
Female 25
Male 30
City
Lisbon 34
Setúbal 4
Viana do Castelo 3
Santarém 2
São Miguel 1
Nicosia 1
Guarda 1
Funchal 1
Faro 2
Berlin 1
Beja 1
Castelo Branco 1
Vila Real 1
Benghazi 1
Porto 1
Nationality Portuguese 51
39
German 1
Brazilian 1
Cyprus 1
Libyan 1
Master Program
Data Science for Marketing 1
Digital Marketing and Analytics 3
Information Systems Management 2
Knowledge Management and Business
Intelligence 48
Information Analysis and Management 1
Classes Format
In-Person 42
Online 13
Professional Status
Working 14
Not Working 41
By comparing the number of students per anxiety type before and after the classes it was possible to verify that the number of students with minimal anxiety was the only value that decreased while all the others increased, especially the severe level.
Figure 12-Surveys A and B Number of Students per Anxiety Type
26
17
8
4 16
19
12 12
Number of Students per Anxiety Type
Pre-Classes Anxiety (Survey A) Post-Classes Anxiety (Survey B)
Minimal Mild Moderate Severe
40 In survey A, it was registered a mean score of 5.95 while in survey B this value increased to 8.91, also, the median values were 5 points at the beginning of the semester and 7 points at the final. It is also important to mention that in the first survey the maximum score value of 21 points was never achieved by those students, while in the second this value was present.
Table 19-Surveys A and B Statistics
Survey A GAD-7 Anxiety Score Survey B GAD-7 Anxiety Score
Count 55 55
Mean 5.9455 8.9091
Std. Dev. 4.9681 6.0070
Min. 0 0
25% 2 4
50% 5 7
75% 9 13.5000
Max. 20 21
Through the analysis of the average anxiety scores for the different levels, it was verified that at the beginning of the semester, the students with minimal anxiety reported an average of 2 points while at the final of the semester those presented an average score of 2.73. In mild anxiety, 6.59 points were reported in the beginning and 6.22 in the final, in moderate firstly the average was 11.38 and then evolved to 12.09 points and in severe anxiety, the scores were 18 and 18.55, respectively.
Table 20-Survey A Anxiety Type Statistics
Age Survey A GAD-7 Anxiety Score Mean Std. Dev. Median Mean Std. Dev. Median
Minimal 22.9231 2.9247 22 2 1.3565 2
Mild 21.9412 1.1440 22 6.5882 1.5024 7
Moderate 21.3750 0.5175 21 11.3750 1.0607 11.5000
Severe 21.7500 1.5000 21 18 2.1602 18.5000
Table 21-Survey B Anxiety Type Statistics
Age Survey B GAD-7 Anxiety Score Mean Std. Dev. Median Mean Std. Dev. Median
Minimal 23.2000 3.6292 22 2.7333 1.4376 3
Mild 22.1111 1.3235 22 6.2222 0.9428 6
Moderate 21.9091 1.3751 21 12.0909 1.6404 12
Severe 21.8182 1.1677 21 18.5455 2.0671 18
Having into consideration the question that related the anxiety to daily life activities, in the beginning, the students that answered, “Not difficult at all”, “Somewhat difficult”, “Very difficult”
41 and “Extremely difficult” had a mean score of 3.29, 0, 12.80 and 16 points, respectively while after the TBL classes, those students obtained mean scores of 4.30, 7.27, 14.90 and 16.25.
Table 22-Survey A Daily Life Difficulties Statistics
Age Survey A GAD-7 Anxiety Score Mean Std. Dev. Median Mean Std. Dev. Median Not difficult at all 22.8824 3.4439 22 3.2941 2.4435 3
Somewhat
difficult 22.1111 1 21 0 0 0
Very difficult 22.4000 1.5166 22 12.8000 4.0513 6 Extremely
difficult 21.5000 0.7071 21.5000 16 5.6569 16
Nothing 21.5000 1 21 0 0 0
Table 23-Survey B Daily Life Difficulties Type Statistics
Age Survey B GAD-7 Anxiety Score Mean Std. Dev. Median Mean Std. Dev. Median Not difficult at all 23.3000 4.4234 21 4.3000 2.2136 5
Somewhat
difficult 22.0667 1.2847 22 7.2667 4.9336 6.5000 Very difficult 21.9000 1.1972 21.5000 14.9000 5.4661 14
Extremely
difficult 22.2500 1.8930 21.5000 16.2500 2.8723 17.5000
Nothing 24 0 24 15 0 15
By combining the different types of anxiety and the scores obtained on the first survey with gender, it was verified that both females and males had mostly minimal scores however the former had average scores of around 2.36 points while the latter had 1.73 points (Appendix E – Table 35).
The non-working students majority had mean scores of 2.14 points, equivalent to minimal anxiety, while most of the working ones had also minimal anxiety, however, the difference between the number of students getting mild anxiety scores was very subtle. (Appendix E – Table 36). The Portuguese students had mostly minimal anxiety with a mean score of 2.50 points. The non-Portuguese had the same number of students obtaining minimal and mild scores corresponding to 2.5 points and 8 points on average, respectively (Appendix E – Table 37). Considering the master programs most of the Business Intelligence students got minimal anxiety scores, so, on average, 2.17 points, and the ones not frequenting this specialization got mostly mild anxiety, with an average score of 6.25 points (Appendix E – Table 38). Also, most of the students frequenting the classes in the daytime and in-person got minimal anxiety scores around 2.13 points and 2 points, on average, respectively (Appendix E – Table 39). Finally, the ones frequenting the other classes on the nighttime format and in-person got mostly minimal and mild anxiety, with means of 0.50 points and 7 points,
42 respectively, while the ones who attended the online classes got minimal and moderate anxiety with means of 2 points and 11.60 points, respectively (Appendix E – Table 40).
The same analysis was carried out but for the post classes survey, survey B, where it was verified that both females and males had mostly mild scores however the former had also the same number of students with minimal anxiety. The average scores obtained were 6.71 and 2.14 points in females and 5.91 in males (Appendix E – Table 41). The non-working students majority had mean scores of 6.25 points, equivalent to mild anxiety, while the working ones had minimal anxiety with 2.83 points (Appendix E – Table 42). Most of the Portuguese and non-Portuguese students had mild anxiety with a mean score of 6.25 and 6 points, respectively (Appendix E – Table 43). By analyzing the master's programs most of the Business Intelligence and non-Business Intelligence students got mild anxiety scores, which corresponds to averages of 6.20 and 6.33 points (Appendix E – Table 44). In addition, most of the students frequenting the classes in the daytime and presential formats got mild anxiety with scores around 6.18 and 6.25 points, on average, respectively (Appendix E – Table 45). Finally, the ones frequenting the other classes at nighttime and attending the classes online got mostly minimal, with means of 1.50 points and 3.67 points, respectively (Appendix E – Table 46).
By performing the same analysis as in Survey B for the TBL questions presented in the survey, however, considering only the 55 matching students it was discovered that 49% of the students disagreed or strongly disagreed that the TBL lecture made them feel anxious while only 28% agreed or strongly agreed that it made them feel anxious. Also, similar to what was discovered in survey B sample, in this case, the majority of the students felt anxious before the first TBL class due to the fear of the unknown (Appendix E - Figure 48). When asked about the anxiety felt in this type of class in comparison with a traditional class 46% of the students disagreed and strongly disagree that TBL caused more anxiety. On the other hand, when asked if anxiety could be related to having to conciliate TBL with the other classes, the same number of students answered disagree, neither agree nor disagree and agree, however, if it is included also the ones that strongly disagree and strongly agree, the difference between the two parts gets bigger having in total 25 students that disagreed or strongly disagreed and 16 students that agreed or strongly agreed with that affirmation (Appendix E – Figure 47).
Figure 13-Surveys A and B TBL Lecture and Anxiety Opinions
43 Figure 14-Surveys A and B TBL and Traditional Classes and Anxiety Opinions
In the evaluations part, 19 students reported that having low-weighted evaluations made them feel less anxious and having evaluations constantly was not a cause of anxiety while 23 agreed that TBL helped them to feel less anxious for other examinations namely, projects, exams, and handouts (Appendix E – Figures 49, 50 and 51).
Having the possibility to clarify their doubts through burning questions or with colleagues contributed, for most of the students, to decrease anxiety along with the teacher's explanations during the classes (Appendix E – Figures 52 and 53).
The four phases of the TBL, preparation, iRAT, tRAT, and application exercise were also examined within the anxiety scope, and it was possible to conclude that, similarly to what has been verified before, the iRAT, the application exercise, and handout were the activities that caused anxiety. The preparation phase was the one in which most of the students disagree on feeling anxiety.
Figure 15-Surveys A and B Preparation and Anxiety Opinions
7%
45%
20%
24%
4%
The preparation made me feel anxious
1: Strongly Disagree 2: Disagree
3: Neither Agree or Disagree 4: Agree
5: Strongly Agree
44 Figure 16-Surveys A and B iRAT and Anxiety Opinions
Figure 17-Surveys A and B tRAT and Anxiety Opinions
Figure 18-Surveys A and B Application Exercise and Anxiety Opinions
11%
29%
16%
36%
7%
The iRAT made me feel anxious
1: Strongly Disagree 2: Disagree
3: Neither Agree or Disagree 4: Agree
5: Strongly Agree
20%
38%
13%
22%
7%
The tRAT made me feel anxious
1: Strongly Disagree 2: Disagree
3: Neither Agree or Disagree 4: Agree
5: Strongly Agree
7%
24%
18%
45%
5%
The application exercise made me feel anxious
1: Strongly Disagree 2: Disagree
3: Neither Agree or Disagree 4: Agree
5: Strongly Agree
45 Figure 19-Surveys A and B Handout and Anxiety Opinions
Focusing on the pre-class preparation, the amount of information to study, not having the teacher explain the contents, having to prepare all the contents alone, and have not a clear understanding of the contents, were the statements in which students mostly agreed on feeling anxiety while being more aware of the contents the statement they mostly agreed that their anxiety decreased (Appendix E - Figures 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58). When asked if not having the opportunity to clarify their doubts before the class caused anxiety most of the students answered neither agree nor disagree (Appendix E – Figure 59).
In the iRAT phase, similarly to what has been verified before, agreeing on feeling anxious when not knowing the answer to a question and that answering incorrectly in the iRAT caused anxiety, were the predominant answers (Appendix E – Figures 60 and 61). Most of the students disagreed on feeling anxiety due to the individual responsibility or to the individual answer's visibility to others (Appendix E - Figures 62 and 77).
Turning our attention to the tRAT, 23 students agreed that the fact that the tests or exercises were done with a team made them feel less anxious as well as having the possibility to learn with their colleagues (Appendix E - Figures 63 and 64). The same number of students also agreed on feeling less anxious due to team content awareness (Appendix E - Figure 65). On the other hand, in this phase, anxiety was associated to when their team answered incorrectly to several questions having 15 students selected this option (Appendix E - Figure 66). Additionally, anxiety did not seem to be associated to team discussions, when teams did not reach a consensus, knowing that the individual answers could have an impact on the team answer or that their team answer could have an impact on their grade or due to the team choice made by an algorithm (Appendix 67, 68, 69, 70 and 71).
Regarding the application exercises and handouts, 40% of the students agreed that the short time to finish those in the class made them feel anxious, and 49% agreed that they felt anxious when they did not understand an application exercise (Appendix E – Figures 72 and 73). The handout difficulty, solving exercises involving python, and seeing the other team members solving the exercises faster did not seem to have a big impact on anxiety (Appendix E - Figures 74, 75, and 76).
4%
27%
24%
38%
7%
The handout made me feel anxious
1: Strongly Disagree 2: Disagree
3: Neither Agree or Disagree 4: Agree
5: Strongly Agree
46 It was also possible to analyze the scores evolution from pre-TBL anxiety (Survey A) to post-TBL anxiety (Survey B). Of the students that had minimal anxiety in the beginning 10 maintained the same score, 11 evolved to mild anxiety, 4 to moderate, and 1 to severe. Of those who presented mild anxiety, 5 maintained that score 4 changed to minimal anxiety, 6 evolved to moderate, and 2 students to severe anxiety. Looking into the students with moderate anxiety, only one maintained that score while 2 decreased to mild anxiety and 5 to severe anxiety. Finally, by analyzing those who had severe anxiety in the beginning 3 maintained the level of anxiety, and one decreased to minimal.
By evaluating the average anxiety scores for the same level, minimal and severe anxiety increased, moderate maintained, and mild anxiety decreased.
Table 24-Survey A Anxiety Type Evolution
Pre Classes
Anxiety (Survey A)
Post Classes Anxiety (Survey B)
Number of Students
Pre Classes Anxiety Mean Score (Survey A)
Post Classes Anxiety Mean Score (Survey B)
Minimal (26 Students)
Minimal 10 1.40 2.70
Mild 11 2.72 6.27
Moderate 4 1.50 12.25
Severe 1 2 15
Mild (17 Students)
Mild 5 6.40 6.20
Minimal 4 6 2.50
Moderate 6 6.30 12.17
Severe 2 9 17
Moderate (8 Students)
Moderate 1 11 11
Mild 2 11 6
Minimal 0 0 0
Severe 5 11.60 19.40
Severe (4 Students)
Severe 3 18 19.33
Minimal 1 18 4
Mild 0 0 0
Moderate 0 0 0
When asked “how difficult have these problems made it for you to do your work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people”, the student majority maintained the answer
“Somewhat difficult” in the pre and post-classes anxiety surveys. From the students answering, “Not difficult at all”, the majority evolved to “Somewhat difficult”, the ones that answered, “Very difficult”
at the beginning of the semester, answered mostly “Somewhat difficult” at the final. The students with extreme difficulties maintained those while the majority of the students that did not answer this question, in the beginning, ended up answering “Somewhat difficult” at the final of the semester.
47 Table 25-Survey A Daily Life Difficulties Type Evolution
Survey A Daily Life Difficulties Type
Survey B Daily Life
Difficulties Type Number of Students
Not difficult at all (17 Students)
Not difficult at all 5
Somewhat difficult 7
Very difficult 4
Extremely difficult 0
Nothing 1
Somewhat difficult (27 Students)
Not difficult at all 4
Somewhat difficult 18
Very difficult 3
Extremely difficult 2
Very difficult (5 Students)
Not difficult at all 0
Somewhat difficult 3
Very difficult 2
Extremely difficult 0
Extremely difficult (2 Students)
Not difficult at all 0
Somewhat difficult 0
Very difficult 0
Extremely difficult 2
Nothing (4 Students)
Not difficult at all 1
Somewhat difficult 2
Very difficult 1
Extremely difficult 0
Focusing on the grade averages of the students that evolved from different levels of anxiety to another, in the majority, the ones having severe anxiety after the TBL practice had the highest final grade averages.
Table 26-Survey A Anxiety Type Evolution and Final Grade Average
Pre Classes Anxiety
(Survey A)
Post Classes Anxiety (Survey B)
Number of Students
Final Grade Average
Minimal (26 Students)
Minimal 10 14.70
Mild 11 15.27
Moderate 4 15.50
Severe 1 15
Mild (17 Students)
Mild 5 15
Minimal 4 15.25
Moderate 6 14.30
Severe 2 16.50
Moderate (8 Students)
Moderate 1 15
Mild 2 15.50
Minimal 0 -
Severe 5 15.60
48
Severe
(4 Students)
Severe 3 16.60
Minimal 1 14
Mild 0 -
Moderate 0 -
When combining those final grades with the several anxiety types before and after the TBL practice it was possible to verify that people with the highest grades averages were people with the highest anxiety scores, for instance, in both pre and post-TBL practice anxiety scores, the students with the scores correspondent to severe anxiety were the students with the highest grades on average, in this case, 16 points out of 20. On the other hand, the minimal, mild, and moderate anxiety scores students had all grade averages of around 15 points out of 20. The individual tests presented lower grades than the group ones. In survey A, the highest grade mean value of individual tests was registered on the moderate anxiety students with 14.33 points out of 20, while in survey B this occurred for severe anxiety with 14.27 points. On the tRAT, the students achieved the highest grades within the TBL activities with the highest grades means being verified in severe anxiety in both surveys. Furthermore, on the handouts, the highest grades were verified on the moderate and severe students as in the iRATs with average values of 18.03 and 17.79, respectively.
Table 27-TBL Evaluation Elements Surveys A and B Grades per Anxiety Type
Pre Classes Anxiety Type (Survey A) Post Classes Anxiety Type (Survey B) Minimal Mild Moderate Severe Minimal Mild Moderate Severe
Final Grade
Average 15.07 15 15.50 16 14.80 15.22 14.82 16 iRAT Average 13.36 13 14.33 13.91 13.35 13.22 13.09 14.27 tRAT Average 17.83 18 18.78 19.075 18.32 17.53 17.96 19.04
Handouts
Average 17.47 18 18.03 17.31 17.48 17.52 17.54 17.79
Looking into the grades that were not associated with TBL activities the highest mean values were registered on the python quiz while the lowest were verified on the 1st call Exam. Those exams were a part of a continuous evaluation where the TBL activities were included, however, if the student did not achieve the minimum grade or wanted to improve it there was a 2nd call exam which was included on the 2nd call average. By analyzing the different averages associated with the different anxiety types in the first survey, the highest values were associated with moderate and severe anxiety while in the second, those were always associated with severe anxiety. The lowest values in the first survey are associated with minimal and mild anxiety, however, in the second one, those are shared with minimal and moderate anxiety levels.
49 Table 28-Non-TBL Evaluation Elements Surveys A and B Grades per Anxiety Type