Dear Colleagues,
I think it would help to draw a distinction between iron-clad rules and
rules-of-thumb. Perhaps we can agree that it is generally not a good idea
to teach students iron clad rules for making statistical decisions,
especially if they do not understand the logic behind the rules.
On the other hand, with experience we all develop rules of thumb that allow
practical short cuts. If we can teach the logic behind the rules of thumb
and the conditions under which the rules of thumb are likely to be valid and
when they may fail, students can learn to use the rules of thumb
effectively.
It might be interesting to look at some of our favorite rules of thumb and
see where they are likely to hold and where they are likely to fail (and how
we can do diagnoses to tell the difference).
How about this one: The sampling distribution of the mean is likely to be
approximately normal with a sample of at least 30 cases IF the population is
roughly symmetrical with no extreme outliers. Diagnosis: Plot the data,
plus use whatever information is available about the population
distribution.
What do you think?
Cheers, Dale Berger
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Frick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 1999 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: teaching statistical methods by rules?
> I happened to have a vehement and probably radical opinion on this.
> One of my sayings: "Ironically, our educational system is ideally suited
> to teaching computers and ill-suited to teaching human beings." If you
> are going to program a computer to do statistics, tell the computer
> rules to follow.
>
> If you give students rules to memorize, they will surely forget them.
> If you had a student who learned and applied the rules, people would say
> that the student was mindlessly following rules and couldn't think for
> him/herself. But your best student will just remember half the rules --
> and by that, I mean half of each rule.
>
> I know it is hard to make statistics fun, but FOLLOWING RULES IS NEVER
> FUN. Not in math, not in games, nowhere.
>
> There are advantages to teaching rules. Most students like it. They
> certainly understand that method of teaching. They just won't learn
> anything.
>
> Bob F.
>
>
>
> EAKIN MARK E wrote:
> >
> > I just received a review which stated that statistics should not be
> > taught
> > by the use of rules. For example a rule might be: "if you wish to
> > infer
> > about the central tendency of a non-normal but continuous population
> > using
> > a small random sample, then use nonparametrics methods."
> >
> > I see why rules might not be appropriate in mathematical statistics
> > classes where everything is developed by theory and proof. However I
> > teach
> > statistical methods classes to business students.
> >
> > It is my belief that if faculty do not give rules in methods classes,
> > then
> > students will infer the rules from the presentation. These
> > student-developed rules may or may not be valid.
> >
> > I would be intested in reading what other faculty say about
> > rule-based teaching depending on whether you teach theory or methods
> > classes.
> >
> > Mark Eakin
> > Associate Professor
> > Information Systems and Management Sciences Department
> > University of Texas at Arlington
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] or
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
