Paul - I have taught several intro stats classes with sizes ranging from 10 to 40. I prefer the small classes as I use this as an opportunity to do one or two class projects. This usually involves selecting a topic (e.g., back pack carrying behaviors of college students on campus). Students then collect their own data using a protocol developed in class. We then come together and merge everyone's data into a single file. Then the fun begins. The class actually gets hands on experience running basic statistics using the data they collected to answer research questions they come up with. It is an excellent way for them to get in touch with a subject that is too often viewed as "scary as hell". I have received wonderful reviews from the classes that had the opportunity to do this. It is, however, a bit more time consuming for the instructor to oversee such projects, but I do think it is well worth it.
Best of luck. Brittawni L. Olson, Ph.D. Candidate Project Director Drug Free Communities Support Project Lincoln Council on Alcoholism & Drugs, Inc. 914 L Street Lincoln NE� 68508 P: 402-475-2695 F: 402-475-2699 E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Save a Tree ....... Use Email!!" -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paul Bernhardt Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 12:30 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [edstat] Teaching Small Stats Class I appear to have an unusually small undergraduate stats class this next semester. Query for the stats teachers out there: if you had a small class, about 7 to 10 students, are there any activities or approaches that you would love to do but haven't done because class size makes it unwieldy. Suggestions are desired since I have this opportunity. Paul . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . ================================================================= . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . =================================================================
