This paper is from Session 5H: In search of evidence: exploring the relationship between real workplace based data and statistics education

which comes under Topic 5: Statistics education in the disciplines and the workplace

Experiences with real and accessible recent data in context to motivate student learning at higher levels in statistics

Presenter

• John Harraway (University of Otago, New Zealand)

Abstract

Motivational data and statistical analyses arise in research in the workplace and at university. Videos of researchers developing context are recorded. As well as designed experiments researching food authentication, the videos show data from surveys reviewing social issues. These include a postal survey of 2200 citizens investigating use of taxes for building a controversial sports stadium, a telephone survey of attitudes of 1200 women to alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and contrasting opinions of 5000 tourists from Japan, Australia and Germany to the attractions of New Zealand. The studies are practical, relevant and locally generated which capture student interest. Survey design is discussed. Statistical techniques used are regression modelling and multivariate procedures. A data set is given to students who have eight weeks to analyse it and write a report of 25 pages for the organization which commissioned the study.