By Samantha Patterson (University of Texas at El Paso)
Information
Elementary Statistical Methods (STAT 2480) is an introductory statistics course at the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP). The typical student has declared a major in the biological sciences and has career aspirations as a professional scientist or in the medical field. STAT 2480 is a 4-credit class with a lecture and lab component. Currently, the lab is designed to complement the topics covered in the preceding lecture by demonstrating calculations with technology. The sessions are highly structured, including step-by-step instructions --there are no exploration or interpretation components. While this curriculum design may increase understanding by offering another modality to access the concepts, it fails to address the primary purpose of a statistics lab – promoting statistical thinking around data analysis. To realign the lab with its intended purpose, I designed new labs for this class using a social constructivist format, which promotes exploration and communication to demonstrate understanding. These labs comprise four vignettes spanning 8-weeks, covering the basics of experimental design and analysis. The new labs are being pilot tested in three online sections of STAT 2480. Students will be asked about their lab experience and perceived learning benefits at the conclusion of the semester (pending IRB approval).