Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics duringa Pandemic

Michael Hohle1

1Department of MathematicsStockholm University, Sweden

Cramersallskapets hostmoteLinkopings universitet

26-27 Oct 2021

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 1 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Outline

1 Introduction

2 Didactic Setup

3 Technical Aspects

4 Increase Audience

5 Discussion

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 2 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Introduction

7.5 ECTS B.Sc. summer distance course The Mathematicsand Statistics of Infectious Disease Outbreaks at StockholmUniversity during Jun-Aug 2020

Lecturers: Tom Britton and Michael Hohle

Combined experience in mathematics & statistics forinfectious disease epidemiology, media exposure and workingat a public health institution

Aim of this talk:

Share my experiences, advertise the post-course sharing idea.

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 3 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Outline

1 Introduction

2 Didactic Setup

3 Technical Aspects

4 Increase Audience

5 Discussion

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 4 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Course Setup

12 Lectures on infectious disease modelling and analysis topics(often with a COVID-19 outlook):

Material + videos for preparation (1-1.5h),1h discussion session via Zoom once a week

Examination:

Home exam (5h)Two written project reports:

one structured (solve data & modelling exercise)one open (re-analyze scientific paper, visualize data, makesimulation)

Methods were illustrated in R, but students could choose theirfavorite analysis framework

93 registered students (∼30 finished)

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Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Course Topics

Simulation and Fitting of Epidemic and Endemic Models

Estimating Reproduction Numbers

Latencies and Delays

Vaccination

Modeling using Networks and other Heterogeneities

Univariate and Multivariate Outbreak Detection

COVID-19:

Reproduction Number and Herd ImmunityDigital Contact Tracing

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Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Example: Nowcasting Confirmed COVID-19 Deaths

Sources: Mix of Qvintest entry, Adam Altmejd’s COVID-19 Dashboard and course slides

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Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Example: Interactive AppsIn some cases the lecture material was to read a Blog post

. . . and experiment with the associated interactive Shiny app

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 8 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Outline

1 Introduction

2 Didactic Setup

3 Technical Aspects

4 Increase Audience

5 Discussion

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 9 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Technical Setup

Moodle for the interaction with the students

Zoom for recording. No editing!

Recording setup:

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 10 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Outline

1 Introduction

2 Didactic Setup

3 Technical Aspects

4 Increase Audience

5 Discussion

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 11 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Making it available to a greater audience (1)

GitHub page for Code & Slides:

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Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Making it available to a greater audience (2)

SU Video Platform:

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Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Making it available to a greater audience (3)

Youtube Playlist:

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Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Making it available to a greater audience (4)

Usage Statistics:

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Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Outline

1 Introduction

2 Didactic Setup

3 Technical Aspects

4 Increase Audience

5 Discussion

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 16 / 17

Introduction Didactic Setup Technical Aspects Increase Audience Discussion

Discussion

Online format allowed a larger group of people to participate(including me!)

Students learned how to access COVID-19 data sources andrelate the theory to practical COVID-19 application

Discussion session ended up being the same 2-5 studentsdiscussing... (use breakout rooms!)

Most student projects were excellent!

Course layout formed the basis for a M.Sc. course at theuniversity of Zurich and will be given again at SU duringVT2022.

Teaching Statistical Analysis of Pandemics during a Pandemic Michael Hohle 17 / 17