Introductory Statistics in Two-Year Colleges: Important to Our Future

• Activity Number: 239
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 4, 2014 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
• Author(s): Brian Kotz*+
• Companies: Montgomery College
• Keywords: introductory statistics ; two-year college ; education

Abstract

Enrollment in many two-year colleges has increased in recent years, and so too has the number of students interested in or required to enroll in introductory statistics. Even with the rising success, impact, and recent favorable press that many two-year colleges have enjoyed, many people are still unaware of the unique opportunities, achievements, and concerns that are central to many two-year colleges. While the content in a two-year college's introductory statistics class might be the same as that found in a four-year college, variations in delivery are common. This talk will briefly examine some of the particular needs and practices usually encountered in and associated with two-year colleges from the perspective of a long-time introductory statistics instructor at one of the nation's larger two-year colleges. The speaker will also reflect on the impact of the statistics education community's work in his teaching while making an argument for even greater assistance and concern from the statistics education community.