Teaching

  • A unit of study that introduces sorting and classification as a way of organizing data is presented. Suitable for students in grades 2 and 3, it provides a foundation for further work in statistics and data analysis. The investigations may extend from one to five class sessions and are grouped into three parts: "Introduction to Sorting"; "Sorting and Classifying Data"; and "Projects in Data Analysis." An overview of the investigation, session activities, dialogue boxes, and teacher notes are included in each investigation. The major goals developed in each part of this guide are: (1) examining differences and similarities of objects or data; (2) decision making; (3) using negative information to clarify the definition of a category; (4) making sketches of data; (5) thinking flexibly about the characteristics of data; (6) articulating logical reasoning; (7) constructing categories to describe data; (8) inventing representations of data; (9) building theories about data; (10) collecting and recording survey data; (11) comparing two data sets; and (12) experiencing the phases of a data analysis investigation. Appended are reproducible student materials, including two sets of cards for developing sorting skills. (KR)

  • COMPENSTAT, a menu-driven statistical program for IBM-compatible microcomputers, has two distinct versions: instructional and computational. The instructional version can be used by instructors as a classroom resource, and the computational version is used directly by students to calculate answers to problems. The software package is primarily used as an assignment generating and problem solving tool. Each student in a class is assigned unique data for a problem type. Since all data sets generate different answers, students can help each other learn but cannot simply copy answers. The instructor is not burdened with extra work, since each student's assignment is followed by a personalized answer key on which the student's answer is computed. An answer sheet is even provided to organize students' responses for easy checking. This paper provides instructions for using the menu-driven features of COMPENSTAT in a business statistics course including diagrams of the menu options, which facilitate building, viewing, or modifying data sets; generating individualized assignments for students in a class; and performing statistical calculations (e.g., frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, probability distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, chi-square and ANOVA, index numbers, regression and correlation, and nonparametric statistics). Examples of a COMPENSTAT answer sheet and statistical problems on regression, correlation, and ANOVA are also provided. (GL)

  • Many authors have argued the benefits of collaborative learning (diSessa and Minstrel, 1995; Cohen, 1994; Reynolds, 1995; Bruer, 1993; von Glaserfield, 1991) and activity based courses (Jones, 1991; Yackel, Cobb and Wood, 1991). However, few have presented tools or methods for applying these ideas in large undergraduate service courses. In the context of undergraduate statistics education, we introduce ``Virtual Benchmark Instruction'' a method to facilitate collaborative learning using HyperNews, a structured hypertext bulletin board on the World Wide Web. We draw extensively on previous work by Minstrell, diSessa, and others, who developed and evaluated ``Benchmark Instruction'' in the context of the high school physics classroom. We adapt their ideas and add a virtual environment, generalizing the technique to larger audiences.

  • For many years the Royal Statistical Society has had an Ordinary Certificate in Statistics as a first qualification in statistics. In 2000 the three authors worked with colleagues from the National Statistical Office (NSO) in Malawi and from Chancellor College, University of Malawi, to develop a parallel course in Key Statistical Skills for clerks at the NSO. This course emphasizes the practical nature of statistics and develops skills in teamwork, communication and project work as well as including some extra statistical content in demographic and economic statistics. The first students took the courses in 2000/2001. The authors will report on the experience and the positive gains in tailoring courses for particular student needs.

  • The paper reflects on the growing demand for statistics training, in permanent education in general, and in just-in-time training with direct applicability in particular. It reports on work in short-course and in in-company training in statistics. Special attention is given to two cases, on the one hand a self-study course for a government department, on the other hand a system of highly interactive applets for visualization of statistical concepts related to the linear model.

  • The New Zealand national curriculum framework provides a context within which Statistics New Zealand can deliver relevant statistical teaching resources to the school sector. The presentation will discuss the 2001 Census Education Resource and its benefits to both students in the classroom and Statistics New Zealand. It will look at the consultation process undertaken with the educational sector to ensure the delivery of an appropriate resource in the two official languages of New Zealand (English and Mäori) and give examples of how the resource was used by teachers to provide interesting, real life learning experiences for their students. The resource was supported by additional teaching material in the education media and on Statistics New Zealand's website as well as key educational websites. Examples of the range of activities will be included.

  • This paper will outline the development of a course in Official Statistics presented in the Department of Statistics, University College Dublin, Ireland. Courses in official statistics would generally not be found in university statistics' departments but the experience in UCD may help others decide that such courses may deserve a position alongside the more traditional academic statistics courses.

  • The first aim of this project was improving the knowledge of the censuses and their function and importance for the Country. The second aim was disseminating numeracy among the students of primary and secondary schools. ISTAT organized a simulated census asking students to answer a questionnaire that contains special questions for children (how many times can you bound back a balloon in fifteen seconds?) and other real official statistics questions, easy enough for children (way of reaching school in the morning; what was eaten at breakfast, atcivities in the free time). The students followed every step of the collecting process, even making exsercises using their own figures, then they sent the figures to ISTAT using an electronic form filled in on- line by Internet. ISTAT is now collecting the figures to give back statistics to the schools who participated in the project.

  • This paper intends to be a report on the statistical methods and tools used in geography courses in Italy. We will mostly focus on the upper level of Italian educational system as well as on the geographical disciplines taught both in Italian universities and in some strictly selected postgraduate courses. We will also take into account the didactical role that statistical and mathematical disciplines have been playing in geography courses for the last ten years, as well as university programmes that are presently adopted. Data will be taken from the programmes of geography degree courses, and from the programmes of twelve selected master courses, carried out in partnership with some of the most prestigious Italian universities. This study aims at explaining the utility of quantitative language in didactics and geographical research.

  • This paper reviews the current status of teaching both undergraduate and post-graduate doctors in the UK. An example is given of the way both areas are covered at the University of Sheffield UK. The use of topical subjects to interest students is described. The future of teaching medical statistics, the way it may be delivered and its links with Evidence Based Medicine are discussed.

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