ASA Connect

Hi,

I am new to the stats ed community, and I am wondering if anyone knows of a "best practices" guideline on what topics should be covered in an (algebra based) introductory statistics class and the sequence in which they should be taught. 

Although I have found numerous articles/papers/op ed pieces on this topic, I have found nothing in the GAISE guidelines or any other publication from an accredited statistics education organization on the second issue, regarding the sequence of topics.

Thank you,

Matthew T. Brenneman

Hi,

Here is what I consider the traditional sequence for algebra based introductory statistics class:

Introduction to Statistics to Motivate the Students

Either Exploratory Data Analysis  and then  How to collect data or vice versa

Exploratory Data Analysis would include (1) types of graphs, (2) types of measures (center, spread) or proportion, and (3) simple relationships (a) between two quantitative (regression) (b) between two categorical (two-way tables), and (c) between an independent (explanatory) categorical variable and a dependent (response) quantitative variable (e.g. sex versus height)

How to collect data would include sampling / surveys and experiments

Probability – how much depends upon client disciplines;

Move into sampling distribution either with mean or proportion first

Typically, if you do mean first, you have to cover the situation with sigma (population st. dev.) known then the t-test.  Next cover two independent sample t-test, and the dependent t-test.  Next is the proportion, one and two.   Here is an alternative (1)  mean, z-score, population st. dev. known, then (2 & 3) proportion, one and two sample, then (4 & 5) t-test, mean, one sample, two independent, and two dependent samples.

If you do proportion first, then you can usually skip the z-test situation.

Depending on your time, hypothesis testing regression, one-way ANOVA, chi-square.

I hope this helps.

Marjorie

Hi,

Here is what I consider the traditional sequence for algebra based introductory statistics class:

Introduction to Statistics to Motivate the Students

Either Exploratory Data Analysis  and then  How to collect data or vice versa

Exploratory Data Analysis would include (1) types of graphs, (2) types of measures (center, spread) or proportion, and (3) simple relationships (a) between two quantitative (regression) (b) between two categorical (two-way tables), and (c) between an independent (explanatory) categorical variable and a dependent (response) quantitative variable (e.g. sex versus height)

How to collect data would include sampling / surveys and experiments

Probability – how much depends upon client disciplines;

Move into sampling distribution either with mean or proportion first

Typically, if you do mean first, you have to cover the situation with sigma (population st. dev.) known then the t-test.  Next cover two independent sample t-test, and the dependent t-test.  Next is the proportion, one and two.   Here is an alternative (1)  mean, z-score, population st. dev. known, then (2 & 3) proportion, one and two sample, then (4 & 5) t-test, mean, one sample, two independent, and two dependent samples.

If you do proportion first, then you can usually skip the z-test situation.

Depending on your time, hypothesis testing regression, one-way ANOVA, chi-square.

I hope this helps.

Marjorie