SOCR Events ISIS Aug2009
Contents
SOCR News - 2009 ISI Special Session
Interactive, Data-Driven and Technology-Enhanced Approaches for Probability and Statistics Education
In this 2-hour special session we'll select and invite 4 speakers to give 20+5 min talks presenting their novel approaches for integrating 20+technology and modern pedagogical ideas in different types of probability and statistics classes. The focus of this session will be on hands-on utilization of research-generated data, tools for statistical computing and Web-based learning resources and instructional materials.
The presenters we will discuss ideas and activities for helping students to learn fundamental concepts of statistical inference with a randomization-based curriculum rather than normal-based inference. These approaches lead to deeper conceptual understanding, make clear connections between study design and scope of conclusions, and provide powerful and generalizable analysis frameworks.
Logistics
- Organizers: Ivo Dinov & Nicolas Christou
- Date: TBD
- Place: TBD
- Abstract submission and inquiries: Contact Nicolas Christou
Speakers
- Nicolas Christou, Examples of Embedding SOCR materials in Undergraduate Statistics Curricula
- Allan Rossman, Concepts of Statistical Inference: A Randomization-Based Curriculum
- I will present ideas and activities for helping students to learn fundamental concepts of statistical inference with a randomization-based curriculum rather than normal-based inference. I propose that this approach leads to deeper conceptual understanding, makes a clear connection between study design and scope of conclusions, and provides a powerful and generalizable analysis framework. I present arguments in favor of such a curriculum, demonstrate some activities through which students can investigate these concepts, highlight some difficulties with implementing this approach, and discuss ideas for assessing student understanding of inference concepts and randomization procedures.
- TBD, TBD
- Ivo Dinov, Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of Technology-Enhanced Probability and Statistics Education
Modern technological advances have direct impact on the format, style and efficacy of delivery and consumption of educational content. For example, various novel networking and information technology tools and resources enable efficient, timely, interactive and graphical demonstrations of diverse scientific concepts. In this presentation, we will report on a meta-study of 3 controlled experiments of using the Statistics Online Computational Resources (www.SOCR.ucla.edu) in probability and statistics courses. Web-accessible SOCR applets, demonstrations, simulations and virtual experiments were used in different courses as treatment and compared to matched control classes utilizing traditional pedagogical approaches. Qualitative and quantitative data we collected from all courses included Felder-Silverman-Soloman index of learning styles, quantitative background assessment, pre and post surveys of attitude towards the subject, end-point satisfaction survey, and varieties of examination, quiz and laboratory test scores. Our findings indicate that students’ learning styles and attitudes towards a discipline are important confounds of their final quantitative performance. We also identified a weak effect (within each study), but very consistent (across all studies) of the technology-enhanced curricula to increase student satisfaction (measured by post surveys) and improve quantitative performance (measured by standard assessment instruments). The observed positive effects of integrating information technology with established pedagogical techniques may be valid across disciplines within the broader spectrum courses in the science education curriculum. The two critical components of improving science education via blended instruction include instructor training, and the development of appropriate curriculum- and audience-specific activities, simulations and interactive resources for data understanding.
See also
- SOCR Home page: http://www.socr.ucla.edu
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