Students should gain an insight into the usefulness of what they have learned in class such as the applicability of formulae, ideas, and methods. They should also have the opportunity of developing hypotheses and proving theorems. Probability theory and statistics provide many suitable ways for learning about these concepts. Students will be motivated to learn mathematics by using it to solve real problems. Consider, for example, a discussion of the risks associated with nuclear reactors - we should all be able to critically evaluate official statements and the arguments of so-called experts which are based on apparently legitimate mathematical methods. Looking at real applications in mathematics lessons, students get an insight into the part mathematical sciences play in the real world. We shall give three examples to illustrate our ideas.
The CAUSE Research Group is supported in part by a member initiative grant from the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics and Data Science Education