This paper is from Session 7D: Statistics education for engineering

which comes under Topic 7: Statistics education and the wider society

Other papers under session 7D ... 7D1: Individualised learning for engineers — combining face-to-face... 7D2: Statistics for the working engineer — bridging theory and reality... 7D4: Using directed online tutorials for teaching engineering statistics

(Thursday 15th, 14:00-16:00)

The impact of problem-based learning on statistical thinking of engineering and technical high school students

Presenter

• Andreja Drobnič Vidic (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Abstract

Engineering statistics teachers are often faced with two problems: time pressure and the lack of curriculum guidelines. This report presents two cases from Slovenia, illustrating how the problem-based learning approach can be applied in engineering education at university level and in high schools. This approach enables activities which encourage statistical thinking and improve students’ problem-solving skills, teamwork skills as well as skills for effective use of information technology (IT) even with a time-pressured curriculum. The report describes organization of engineering problems, which all trigger learning of statistics in a typical introductory statistics course as well as organization of engineering problems (cases) which connect statistical contents with some other subjects in technical high school curricula (such as sociology, IT, mathematics). Furthermore, the results of students’ success through problem-based learning are provided.

Other papers under session 7D ... 7D1: Individualised learning for engineers — combining face-to-face... 7D2: Statistics for the working engineer — bridging theory and reality... 7D4: Using directed online tutorials for teaching engineering statistics