Rethinking the First Statistics Course for Math Majors: From Easy Additions and Changes to a Complete Metamorphosis

• Activity Number: 375
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
• Author(s): Andre M. Lubecke*+ and Allan Rossman*+ and Beth Chance*+ and Ann Cannon*+ and Deborah Nolan*+ and Mary Parker*+
• Companies: Lander University and California Polytechnic State University and California Polytechnic State University and Cornell College and University of California, Berkeley and Austin Community College/University of Texas
• Keywords: class activities ; mathematical statistics ; statistics education ; calculus-based course

Abstract

Over the last decade, a great deal of time and energy has been expended redesigning the content and pedagogy used in the algebra-based introductory statistics course. During that time, a number of educators have also been thinking about enhancing the experiences of the more mathematically sophisticated student who is introduced to statistics through a course with a calculus prerequisite. Panelists will describe the calculus-based introductory statistics course that was being taught at their college/university, their perception of why change(s) would benefit the student, what they hoped to accomplish through change(s), and what the response to their change(s) has been. Each panelist will also describe one or two enhancements, activities, or changes that they have made, and, in one case, describe an alternative approach to the traditional calculus-based introductory statistics course.