Setting aside the technical aspects (where the trials and construction issues are recorded in the StudyBlog on the Technical Log post), the display below gives a sense of which dimensions are presented most often by students with dyslexia in the HE sector - based on the responses to the QNR.
The percentage (%) prevalence listed for each dimension is the mean average prevalence reported by the 30 respondents who replied to the QNR. So for example in the first dimension listed ... in their writing, students say that they often use the wrong word for their intended meaning, the mean average prevalence for this dimension is 47.8%. This means that QNR respondents recorded that in 47.8% of their interactions with students with dyslexia, this dimension was presented.
To understand what this means in a more numerical sense, let us translate this to say that out of every 100 student interactions, this example dimension was presented approximately 48 times.
We can scale this up further by regarding 100 as a baseline number of student interactions with each professional colleague who submitted a reply to the QNR, which, given that the QNR attracted 30 respondents, factors up to a theoretical 3000 interactions altogether. So now re-applying the mean average prevalence of 47.8% for this dimension, this generates a theoretical 1433 student interactions which presented this dimension. We must be minded that the figure of 47.8% for this dimension does NOT necessarily mean that an average of approximately 48 students with dyslexia out of 100 present this dimension as this enquiry recorded the number of interactions, not the number of students presenting that interaction. So as noted elsewhere in this preliminary commentary, it must be remembered that the dimensions are not mutually exclusive. That is, in any particular student interaction, the student may present more than one of the dimensions.
Got it? Lies, damned lies and statistics :-P
Teasing out what it all means is the topic of a post on the StudyBlog.
... in their writing, students say that they often use the wrong word for their intended meaning; n = 1433; /3000 = 47.8%
... students report difficulties in making sense of lists of instructions; n = 1561; /3000 = 52.0%
... students' spelling is generally poor; n = 1586; /3000 = 52.9%
... when scoping out projects or planning work, students say they prefer looking at the 'big picture' rather than focusing on details; n = 1714; /3000 = 57.1%
... students show evidence of creative or innovative problem-solving capabilities; n = 1896; /3000 = 63.2%
... students say that they find it very challenging to manage their time effectively; n = 2098; /3000 = 69.9%
... students say that they can explain things more easily verbally than in their writing; n = 2117; /3000 = 70.6%
... students show evidence of poor short-term (and/or working) memory - eg: remembering telephone numbers; n = 2234; /3000 = 74.5%
... students show evidence of having difficulty putting their writing ideas into a sensible order; n = 2271; /3000 = 75.7%
... students say that when reading, they sometimes re-read the same word or miss out a line altogether; n = 2237; /3000 = 74.6%
... students are ver unwilling, or show anxiety when asked to read 'out loud'; n = 2152; /3000 = 71.7%
... students report their tutors telling them that their essays or assignments are confusing to read; n = 2112; /3000 = 70.4%
... students show evidence of difficulties in being systematic when searching for information or learning resources; n = 1929; /3000 = 64.3%
... students show evidence of being very disorganized most of the time; n = 1716; /3000 = 57.2%
... when planning their work, students say they prefer to use mindmaps or diagrams rather then bullet points or lists; n = 1700; /3000 = 56.7%
... students say that they find following directions to get to places challenging or confusing; n = 1570; /3000 = 52.3%
... students report regularly getting their 'lefts' and 'rights' mixed up; n = 1551; /3000 = 51.7%
... students seldom remember appointments and/or rarely arrive on time for them; n = 1070; /3000 = 35.7%