Statistical Literacy: A Short Course

• Activity Number: 119
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 2, 2010 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
• Author(s): Gerald J. Hahn*+ and Necip Doganaksoy and Ricki Lewis and Jane E. Oppenlander and Josef Schmee
• Companies: GE Global Research (Retired) and GE Global Research and Author and geneticist and Union Graduate College and Union College (Retired)
• Keywords: Adult education ; Lifelong learning ; Numbers in everyday life

Abstract

Building a statistically literate society is one of our profession's major challenges. In addition to addressing students, we need reach those who have already completed their formal education, and who might not be willing or able to take a full-fledged course in statistics. This potential audience can often be best reached by short, less formal courses through lifelong learning or adult education programs. We were invited to develop and present such a course, consisting of five two-hour lectures, for the Union College (Schenectady, NY) Academy of Lifelong Learning. We describe the course, strategically entitled "Numbers in Everyday Life" and our experiences in giving it. Our aim is to help others who might teach a similar course or promote its creation; most of our presentation charts, etc. can be accessed on statlit.org. The talk elaborates on a February 2009 Amstat News article.