In article <PAGm9.7423$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Voltolini,
>Although some children are capable of thinking abstractly enough to >understand stats, most below the age of 13 probably are not. The work of the >child psychologist Jean Piaget supports this assertion. Piaget described >different stages of thinking in kids. This assumes that abstract ideas are ONLY abstractions of more concrete situations, and are not taught directly. Abstract ideas are far more easily understood early, and it is adults who have the problems. Start with probability, and NOT "equally likely". This involves "mathematical" notation, which is simple language, and understanding of numbers, which is not promoted by learning to do arithmetic. With all that has to be taught, probably age 9 or 10 will do. -- This address is for information only. I do not claim that these views are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University. Herman Rubin, Deptartment of Statistics, Purdue University [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558 . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . =================================================================
