Teaching Statistics in a Hybrid or Online Format

• Activity Number: 460
• Type: Roundtables
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 : 7:00 AM to 8:15 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences
• Author(s): Kirk Anderson*
• Companies: Grand Valley State University
• Keywords: health sciences ; teaching statistics ; statistics education ; online ; hybrid ; GOALS test

Abstract

I often teach a face-to-face course in applied statistics to graduate students in health sciences. Students learn t-tests, linear and logistic regression, 1- and 2-way ANOVA, ANCOVA, chi-square, and nonparametrics. Articles from health science literature are discussed in class or online and are part of homework and exams. Recently, I taught the course as a hybrid and online, using Blackboard. I used learning modules, discussion boards, and graded uploaded assignments in the grade center. Tools used to create online materials were Camtasia and Explain Everything. I will summarize my experience converting the traditional course to hybrid and online. Creating screencasts and techniques for online discussions will be discussed. I will speak of the difficulties encountered on a pilot study comparing traditional to online using the Goals and Outcomes Associated with Learning Statistics (GOALS) test. Most importantly, participants will share their experiences and we will all learn from each other. This roundtable should be of interest to anyone who teaches, or plans to teach, statistics in a hybrid or online format.