B2G: Building a thinking classroom (BTC) to improve student learning in statistics and data science

Abstract

This session is designed to introduce the Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) model for statistics and data science educators which provides a framework for building a course that puts the onus on the students doing the thinking within a classroom. The BTC model includes 14 research-based practices developed and championed by Peter Liljedahl. In this session, participants will see how some of these practices (such as actively utilizing vertical nonpermanent surfaces, creating groups randomly and visibly, and experiencing a different way to answer questions and provide hints and extensions) can be used within a larger framework for structuring a course. This model of teaching is already making waves in math education but can easily be brought into the secondary and post-secondary statistics and data science classroom. Participants will first learn about these practices through a short introduction to the BTC model. This introduction will be followed up by a chance to engage in “Square it Up,” a modeling task that looks at the relationship between the years 1900-2010 and the life expectancy of people in America. This task was designed to help build a conceptual understanding of the least-squares regression line by adjusting features of the line in a statistical software to minimize the sum of squares. After experiencing several of the BTC practices firsthand through this task, participants will end the session with a further examination of the 14 BTC practices, discussion about the impact of using such a model in the classroom, and time for participant questions.