Hi All!
I know we have visited this topic before, but I am unable to find the
previous posts. My questions are: what is being taught in stats today?
(Maybe more correctly, "how is stats being taught?") Specifically: Are you
teaching how to compute the equations by hand, by computer, or by both? If
you do both, do you have them do hand calculations for both descriptive and
inferential stats or just one?
A little background: here stats and research methods are taught as a
combined 2-semester sequence; I teach the "first half" of research methods
and descriptive stats and my colleague teaches the "second half" of methods
and inferential stats. We are planning a meeting to evaluate how this is
working (there have been some complaints by fellow colleagues about the
students' abilities to retain info on stats and APA format - but that could
be a whole separate issue) and we are wondering if we need or should change
how much calculating by hand we teach. We both were taught the "by hand
method" and see advantages to learning it followed by how to do it on
computer. (I personally feel that "seeing where the numbers go" helped me
to understand stats better, but, of course, that's just me.)
Also, and maybe a bit jaded, what kind of "quality" are you seeing in papers
(not just mathematical homework asssignments) turned in? I am currently
frustrated by the quality (content and style) I see (granted, these are
students fresh out of intro. psych., algebra, and english grammar), despite
teaching APA format and writing style and providing extensive feedback on
first drafts. Am I just being overly "anal" (as I warn my students I am) or
are students becoming less careful (caring?) in their writing and
proofreading? (Of course, there are exceptions, but this is an overall
"feel".)
Thanx in advance for your input, suggestions, and "pickiness-reduction"
techniques. :)
--Cheryl
************************************************************
Cheryl Schwartz, Ph.D.
Northeastern IL University, Chicago, IL
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
OR
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
--------------------------------------------------
If logic is in the eye of the logician,
then is wit in the eye of the wittician?
************************************************************
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
