Is This Applied Statistics? A Concept Map

• Activity Number: 518
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 6, 2014 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
• Author(s): Glenn Johnson*+ and Scott Roths and James Rosenberger and Mosuk Chow
• Companies: Penn State and Penn State and Penn State and Penn State
• Keywords: Applied Statistics ; Curriculum ; Concept Maps ; Statistics Education

Abstract

Concept maps suggest relationships between concepts. Penn State's Master of Applied Statistics is comprised of 5 required core courses and 11 electives each courses covering a range of concepts and procedures involved in statistical reasoning and decision making. The program culminates in a practicum that involves students in statistical consulting contexts where students apply what they have learned in the courses they have taken. As a result, graduates need to know which concepts to apply in the appropriate circumstances. As a means of opening conversations about the curriculum, we gathered the syllabi from all of the courses offered as part of the program and printed out all of the concepts or procedures that the syllabi stated the course covered. We then placed all of these as individual slips of paper on a table and proceeded to arrange these so that we felt they began to fit together. After a time, concept mapping software helped us move, arrange and add small reasons why the link makes sense. This poster session shares our concept map in progress. We are interested in feedback and suggestions. How well do you think this concept map describes applied statistics?