Who is in the class? What is your audience? Non math-inclined? Education
major? Business major? Statistics Major? Math Major? Social-Science Major?
The approach should be different for each group. The understandings learned
by all should be the same but the math work should be modified so that it
doesn't "scare off" certain groups. If you stress the math, you will lost
many individuals who should be using statistical analysis and its principles
in their future careers.
Take a look at how many individuals "fall on their face" when the unit on
probability is taught. If you go into too much detail in that unit you can
easily turn off students. I always worried about the student who needed the
statistical concepts but got bogged down in the unit on probability. Look at
some of the questions at the end of that chapter. Are they really important
and or/practical?
I taught for many years and always had my students prepare 5"x7" or 6"x8"
cards with sample problems on one side and a worked out problem on the
reverse side.
Assuming that when a student leaves the university level they may not be
using statistical analysis in their everyday work, I wanted them to be able
to refresh their knowledge of statistics quickly and easily when they had to
do random statistical analysis of data, such as to check reports of another
person or check information given in magazines or journals.
I also assumed that if the student was going to make their life work
statistical analysis, they would be involved everyday and would, in all
probability, be using statistical software (SAS, SPSS, Modstat, Excel, or
some other commercial product) and would be more involved in setting up/and
or running the analysis. At that point in time I didn't think they would
need to have memorized all the formulas.
My concern was for the non-statistical analysis professional. I wanted them
to have a handy, useful reference. The cards seemed the best way to go.
During tests, I allowed students to use their reference cards. They seemed
more comfortable while working out the problems on the tests. I made sure
that there were enough test questions to assure me that the student had a
good understanding of the statistical approach to each analysis. In later
years I allowed students to use their PC in class, and supplied school PC's
for the students during test taking time.
My concern was that the student knew how to approach the analysis, how to
decide on the proper test, knew the restrictions of that test, knew how to
interpret the results of the test and then how to deteremine if the proposed
hypotheses were either accepted or rejected. The math work is the "grunt"
work and I felt it should take a back-seat to the understanding of the work
to be done.
Just my two-cents.
Dr. Robert C. Knodt
4949 Samish Way, #31
Bellingham, WA 98226
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."
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