USCOTS 2005 - Program

Thursday, May 19th, 2005

  • 4:30 - 5:00 Registration (Hotel Lobby)
  • 5:00 - 6:00 Vendor Receptions
    • W.H. Freeman (Ballroom foyer)
    • Prentice Hall (Ballroom foyer)
  • 6:00 - 7:00 Mixer (Ballroom)
    Light food, games, home-grown music

Friday, May 20th, 2005

  • 7:15 - 8:00 Registration (Hotel Lobby) and Continental Breakfast (Ballroom)
  • 8:00 - 8:10 Welcome to USCOTS! (Ballroom)
  • 8:10 - 9:00 Plenary Session on Curriculum (Ballroom)

    "Statistics for All: Nearer Our Destination or Slip Sliding Away?"
    Speakers: Richard Scheaffer and Ann Watkins
    Abstract: An astonishing change has taken place in the statistics curriculum in the past 25 years. Or has it? Certainly great new books, materials, labs, technology, and activities are available. Has this brought us closer to achieving our goal of statistical literacy for all college students? Are students able to obtain the depth of statistical knowledge needed for their specializations? Is statistical thinking permeating the quantitative world? Answers to such questions depend on perusal of both school and college curricula and the articulation between them.

  • 9:10 - 10:00 Spotlight on Curriculum: (Pfahl Hall)

    "What's on Your Statistics Syllabus, What's Not, and Why?"
    Posters & More
    Also: software testing and analysis of USCOTS survey data in the computer lab (321 Mason Hall)

  • 10:00 - 10:30 Break
  • 10:30 - 11:50 Breakout Session #1
    Breakout Sessions on Curriculum Breakout Session on Pedagogy Breakout Session on Research Test-Drive with the Expert (321 Mason Hall)
    • 10:30 - 11:10 ActivStats with Paul Velleman
    • 11:10 - 11:50 Minitab with Jason Krasowitz
  • 12:00 - 1:00 Lunch and Table Discussions (Tent on Patio)
  • 1:00 - 1:50 Spotlight on Pedagogy: (Pfahl Hall)

    "What's Your Approach to Teaching Statistics, and Why?"
    Posters & More
    Also: software testing and analysis of USCOTS survey data in the computer lab (321 Mason Hall)

  • 2:00 - 3:00 Plenary Session on Pedagogy (Ballroom)

    "How Did Teaching Introductory Statistics Get to Be So Complicated?!?"
    Speaker: Roxy Peck
    Abstract: This talk will illustrate three observations regarding student learning and explore their implications for the way in which introductory statistics is taught.

  • 3:00 - 3:30 Break
  • 3:30 - 4:50 Breakout Session #2
    Breakout Sessions on Curriculum Breakout Sessions on Pedagogy Breakout Session on Research
    • Research in Statistics Education: It's Not a Solo Sport
      202 Pfahl Hall
      Cliff Konold (Scientific Reasoning Research Institute at Univ. of Massachusetts)
      Carl Lee (collaboration with Maria Meletiou)
      Bob delMas (collaborations with Joan Garfield and Beth Chance)
      Marsha Lovett (collaborations with statisticians at Carnegie Mellon)
    Test-Drive with the Expert (321 Mason Hall)
    • 3:30 - 4:10 CAUSEweb with Roger Woodard
    • 4:10 - 4:50 Fathom & Tinkerplots with Cliff Konold and Bill Finzer
  • 5:00 - 6:00 Technology Demonstrations
    • StatTutor with Patti Collings (202 Pfahl Hall)
    • TI Navigator with Randy Miller (302 Pfahl Hall)
    Also: software testing and analysis of USCOTS survey data in the computer lab (321 Mason Hall)
  • 6:00 - 6:30 Break
  • 6:30 - 8:00 Banquet and Awards (Ballroom)

    "Introductory Statistics: A Saber Tooth Curriculum?"
    Dinner Speaker: George Cobb
    Abstract: According to J. Abner Peddiwell's The Saber Tooth Curriculum, "The important thing is to recognize the principle, not to do obeisance before one of the cogs of its mechanism." In my talk I plan to argue that despite laudable changes in content and broad agreement about what we should teach in the introductory statistics course, far too much of our energy is still devoted to mere cogs in the mechanism. I'll offer some thoughts about historical reasons for this shortsighted preoccupation, then get specific about what this costs in terms of student learning, what it is that I think we should scrap, and what things I'd like to see us teach instead.

Saturday, May 21st, 2005

  • 7:30 - 8:00 Registration (Hotel Lobby) and Continental Breakfast (Ballroom)
  • 8:00 - 8:10 Welcome to USCOTS! & Announcements (Ballroom)
  • 8:10 - 9:10 Plenary Session on Research (Ballroom)

    "I Wonder"
    Speaker: Cliff Konold
    Abstract: Research reports typically omit the description of where the idea for the research came from. In this presentation, I attempt to reconstruct the beginnings of and inspiration behind several of my studies and make some observations about this question-formation process. Of course, the thought process leading up to a study is irrelevant to the question of whether there is scientific support for the conclusions we draw from our research. However, generating fruitful research ideas is undoubtedly the most important and challenging part of our enterprise.

  • 9:10 - 10:00 Spotlight on Research: (Pfahl Hall)

    "Share Your Research on Teaching and Learning Statistics"

    Posters & More
    Test-Drive with the Expert (321 Mason Hall)
    • 9:10 - 9:40 WebAssign with Peg Gjertsen
    • 9:40 - 10:00 software testing on your own
  • 10:00 - 10:30 Break
  • 10:30 - 11:50 Breakout Session #3
    Breakout Sessions on Curriculum Breakout Session on Pedagogy Breakout Session on Research
    • Hatch a Little Research
      202 Pfahl Hall
      Joan Garfield, The University of Minnesota
      Beth Chance, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
      Cliff Konold, The University of Massachusetts
    Test-Drive with the Expert (321 Mason Hall)
    • 10:30 - 11:10 StatCrunch with Webster West
    • 11:10 - 11:50 EESEE with Chris Sroka and Shari Modur
  • 12:00 - 1:00 Lunch and Table Discussions (Tent on Patio)
  • Plenary Session on Resources (Ballroom)

    "Incorporating Resources for Teaching Statistics"
    Speakers: Robin Lock and Roger Woodard
    Abstract: "I want to teach a modern, data-driven, activity-rich, conceptually-based, technology-enhanced, authentically-assessed introductory statistics course like I've been hearing about at USCOTS. I've seen lots of interesting ideas, but now I have to go back and see what can actually be done in my own teaching situation. Once I'm back "home" where can I find the resources I need to support the changes I want to make and how might I go about using them?" This is an important question to answer. We'll offer our best advice for strategies and ideas for incorporating teaching resources into your classes in this session.

  • 2:00 - 3:00 Closing Session: (Ballroom)
    What we Learned and What's Next?
    • Conference Summary: The Big Ideas
    • Remarks by Plenary Speakers
    • How CAUSE can support you
    • Ideas for next USCOTS

    Special Panel Discussion:
    Question and Answer Session with USCOTS Plenary Speakers
    Moderator: Deborah Rumsey, USCOTS Program Chair
    Abstract: This is your chance to ask questions of the plenary speakers about anything related to statistics education, past, present, and future; to voice your opinions on what the current needs are; and to give your insights and feedback on issues that are important to you as a statistics educator.

A map of the Exhibitor Area is now available!