Post on 15-Jan-2016
Empowering Introductory Statistics Students with a Passion-Driven, Project-based Curriculum
USCOTS, 2015
Economics Psychology
Mathematics
NS&B
Government
Sociology
College/Social Science
Background….
Biology E&ES
This was a direction no one was interested in going in….
Creation….
Studentsfeasible
attractive
inspirational
Institutionfeasible/sustainable
affordable
policy
Instructorseasy
attractive
inspirational
Large numbers
Diverse backgrounds
Competing pressures
flat/shrinking resources
“boxes”
“priority fear”
Small numbers
Diverse backgrounds
Competing pressures
Public Access Data
Project-based approach
Faculty Data
Community Data
Weeks 1 and 2
Generate testable hypothesis from available data*
Conduct a literature review (and writing)
Week 3 and 4
Statistical software basics
Formatting and managing data in the service of a question
Descriptive statistics and Graphing
Week 5 through Week 10
Conduct analyses
Univariate, bivariate, testing for confounding, moderation
Week 11 through Week 14
Reconciling study limitations
Presenting and interpret results
Syllabus: Outline of inquiry
Schedule:
MW – class
F – peer mentoring
Software: As many as possible
Our modifiable iBook
Transition to the MOOC environment
Support…
Collaborative space for 50+ students
Instructor(s)
Peer mentors (1:5)
What needs to be fixed?
There is always lots of room for tinkering…
So what does NOT need to be fixed?
Use of real, interesting and flexible data
The student sets the topic and does the work (no sage on the stage)
Just in time (need to know) content knowledge
As much one-on-one support as needed and expectations that it will be needed.
Flexible end point for all types of learners
Introductions
Open floor for questions
Overview of steps - handout
Schoology
Opportunities to collaborate…
Who: Statistics instructors (and their students)
How: Instructor MOOC, Student/instructor MOOC, discussion forums, Skype support, intensive teacher/training.
Acknowledgements
TUES0942246 from the National Science Foundation
Center Grant (NIDA DA010075) awarded to the Methodology Center, Penn State University
Numerous colleagues and advisors have generously contributed to the development of this course: Drs. George Cobb, Lisa Harlow, Nick Horton, Daniel Long, Michael Singer, Wendy Rayack, Erika Fowler, Manolis Kaparakis and Jennifer Rose.
Lauren B. Dachs Grant in Support of Interdisciplinary Research in the Social Impacts of Science.