This paper is from Session 4D: Innovations in teaching statistics at the tertiary level
which comes under Topic 4: Statistics education at the post secondary (tertiary) level
(Monday 12th, 14:00-16:00)
Real-life module statistics: a happy Harvard experiment
Presenter
Co-author
- Kari Lock (Harvard University, United States)
Abstract
Five years ago, a discussion ensued over wine about how to make learning statistics a “happy” experience. This turned into many discussions over dinners and wine, and the formation of the “happy team”: a team of faculty and grad students dedicated to creating the course “Real-Life Statistics: Your Chance for Happiness (or Misery)”. The course is module based, featuring modules such as “Romance”, “Wine and Chocolate”, “Finance”, “Medical”, and more. We’ve taught this course at Harvard three times; twice as a second level course and once with no prerequisites. Here we discuss the team approach to creating a course, the module approach to teaching statistics, and the happiness (and misery) involved both for us and our students.
