This paper is from Session 3F: Statistical computing and communication
which comes under Topic 3: Statistics education at the post-secondary level
Paper 3F2 (Friday 13th, 11:00-12:30)
Defining the relationship between statistical thinking and statistical computing
Presenter
- Victoria Woodard (Meredith College, United States)
Abstract
As the demand for data scientists to analyze data has increased, using advanced statistical computing tools in the classroom to teach appropriate statistical techniques has grown more popular. As such, introductory statistics classrooms are replacing the tools designed to “teach” statistics in favor of the tools meant to “do” statistics. As with any technology change, this may affect how a student learns the concepts in their field. In particular, we have little knowledge of how students will think statistically while using these new tools. Through a qualitative study of written work and task-based interviews of students in a second course in statistics, this research study begins to define the relationship that exists between a student’s ability to think statistically while utilizing statistical computing tools.