If you want to get students up and running in R with zero install headaches (on their end), set up an RStudio server. Students simply log in like they do with facebook and have their R session resume where they left off. With a little R savvy on your end you can pre-install and pre-load any packages you like, so students don't need to mess with any of that either. Students who want, can also install the desktop/laptop version if they want to be independent of the internet, but most of my students like having R in a web setting.
---rjp On Nov 19, 2012, at 4:15 PM, Paula Young wrote: > I can answer one of your questions, Bob. > > R does *not* get entangled with Windows. I've run it from the same flash > drive on a Windows, a MacOS and a Linux-based machine. > > PGY > > --- > Dr. Paula Grafton Young > Associate Professor of Mathematics > Chair, Curriculum Committee, 2011 - 2013 > Chair, Strategic Planning Steering Committee, 2012 - 2013 > [email protected] > 336.721.2747 (O) > 336.721.2653 (F) > > <http://www.facebook.com/SalemCollege><http://www.twitter.com/SalemCollege> > > > > > On Mon, Nov 19, 2012 at 1:17 PM, Bob <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Almost all the R documentation seems to me to be written for >> statistician/programmers and is way over the heads of most students. >> For that reason I made my own materials for my online classes and they >> are at >> >> http://statland.org/Software_Help/R/Rhome.htm >> >> For the teacher, the book by John Verzani gives detailed coverage >> relevant to the topics in a first course. There is a free, older and >> shorter version at CRAN last I knew which might be a useful reference >> for students. I have found these the most readable for beginners >> though they tend to tell you every possible thing you can do and every >> way you can do it which can be overwhelming. >> >> You might also look at some of the alternative interfaces to R. R >> Commander is a GUI interface that might make life easier, but last >> time I tried it the installation was a nightmare taking hours as >> dependencies of dependencies of dependencies downlaoded. I made (but >> did not get to test before I retired) a bootable Linux distribution >> with R and all the depnedencies I wanted preinstalled. I don't know >> if it is possible to copy an entire Windows R installation to a CD and >> hand out copies. Does R get entangled with the Windows registry or >> put files in the Windows directory? It's not that the install is all >> that bad but I find it way too bad to be a student's first experience >> with R. It may end with R having 2.99999 strikes against it;-( It's >> a far cry from most Windows installs. >> >> Forwarded message: >>> From [email protected] Sun Nov 18 21:10:26 2012 >>> From: Nguyen Chanh Tu <[email protected]> >>> >>> Dear all, >>> I am going to teach Probability and Statistics for engineering students. >> I >>> probably use the book "Probability and Statistics for engineeriing and >> the >>> sciences" by J. L. Devore. And I am going to use R for the course. >>> This is the first time for me to try to use R. (Before I just use Excel). >>> Could you please be so kind to help me for anything concerning to a >>> beginner, especially: >>> 1) Which packages should I install with the standard R? >>> 2) Can I find some where demo files of teaching or script files >> concerning >>> to the course. >>> 3) If there is any help already had in the forum about these starting >>> steps, please point out to me such that I can read more. >>> 4) Is there anyone using the same textbook or similar one of mine such >> that >>> we can exchange teaching experients on the course. >>> >>> Thank you very much in advances. Looking forward to hearing from you. >>> Sincerely, >>> Nguyen >>> >>> [[alternative HTML version deleted]] >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> [email protected] mailing list >>> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching >>> >>> >> >> Sent from my nine-year-old Dell GX-260 running Mepis Linux 8.0 >> -------> First-time AP Stats. teacher? Help is on the way! See >> http://courses.ncssm.edu/math/Stat_Inst/Stats2007/Bob%20Hayden/Relief.html >> _ >> | | Robert W. Hayden >> | | 142 Main Street >> / | Apartment 104 >> | | Jaffrey, New Hampshire 03452 USA >> | | email: bob@ the site below >> / | website: http://statland.org >> | x / phone: (603) 532-7224 (home) >> '''''' >> >> _______________________________________________ >> [email protected] mailing list >> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching >> > > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] > > _______________________________________________ > [email protected] mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching _______________________________________________ [email protected] mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching
