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  • Florence Nightingale is remembered as a pioneer of nursing and a reformer of hospitals. She herself saw her mission in larger terms: to serve humanity through the prevention of needless illness and death. For much of her long life (1820-1910) she pursued this mission with a fierce determination that gave everything she did a singular coherence. Her greatest contributions were undoubtedly her efforts to reform the British military health-care system and her establishment, through the founding of training programs and the definitions of sound professional standards, of nursing as a respected profession. Much of what now seems basic in modern health case can be traced to the 19th century. Less well known, because it has been neglected by her biogrpahers, is her equally pioneering use of the new advanced techniques of statistical analysis in those battles.

  • The Handbook of Research Design in Mathematics and Science Education is based on results from an NSF-supported project (REC 9450510) aimed at clarifying the nature of principles that govern the effective use of emerging new research designs in mathematics and science education. A primary goal is to describe several of the most important types of research designs that:<br>* have been pioneered recently by mathematics and science educators;<br>* have distinctive characteristics when they are used in projects that focus on mathematics and science education; and<br>* have proven to be especially productive for investigating the kinds of complex, interacting, and adapting systems that underlie the development of mathematics or science students and teachers, or for the development, dissemination, and implementation of innovative programs of mathematics or science instruction.<br>The volume emphasizes research designs that are intended to radically increase the relevance of research to practice, often by involving practitioners in the identification and formulation of the problems to be addressed or in other key roles in the research process. Examples of such research designs include teaching experiments, clinical interviews, analyses of videotapes, action research studies, ethnographic observations, software development studies (or curricula development studies, more generally), and computer modeling studies. This book's second goal is to begin discussions about the nature of appropriate and productive criteria for assessing (and increasing) the quality of research proposals, projects, or publications that are based on the preceding kind of research designs. A final objective is to describe such guidelines in forms that will be useful to graduate students and others who are novices to the fields of mathematics or science education research. The NSF-supported project from which this book developed involved a series of mini conferences in which leading researchers in mathematics and science education developed detailed specifications for the book, and planned and revised chapters to be included. Chapters were also field tested and revised during a series of doctoral research seminars that were sponsored by the University of Wisconsin's OERI-supported National Center for Improving Student Learning and Achievement in Mathematics and Science. A Web site with additional resource materials related to this book can be found at http://www.soe.purdue.edu/smsc/lesh/

  • In this paper, we examine the role of technology in statistics education from the viewpoint of a developing country. We begin with a brief overview of the developing region in question. We next provide a definition of statistics education which, in our view, may be used to identify in general who needs statistics education, who should provide it, and at what level statistics education should begin.<br>The role of statistics education is explored in relation to three broad areas where it plays an important role, namely, in business and industry, some aspects of government, and overall socioeconomic and scientific progress. Following this, technologies for effective teaching and learning statistics at different levels are explored. This paper ends with a discussion of the questions to be addressed regarding the role of technology in statistics education. Recommendations for research are suggested, especially in relation to developing regions.

  • In inclusion of a double issue devoted to statistical thinking and learning to begin the second volume of "Mathematical Thinking and Learning" reflects major developments within statistics education during recent years. Statistics has entered or gained increased prominence in mainstream mathematics currcicula in many countries.

  • Statistical Science is concerned with the twin aspect of theory of design of experiments and sample surveys and drawing valid inferences there from using various statistical techniques/methods. The art of drawing valid conclusions depends on how the data have been collected and analysed. Depending upon the objective of the study, one has to choose an appropriate statistical procedure to test the hypothesis. When the number of observations is large or when the researcher is interested in multifarious aspects or some time series study, such calculations are very tedious and time consuming on a desk calculator. In this context, it is essential that the manpower engaged in teaching and research is to be trained in the applications of various statistical techniques / methods through the use of computer. An attempt has been made to cover computer aided analysis (using various statistical packages) related to Descriptive Statistics, Test of Significance, Design and Analysis of Experiment, Non parametric method, Forecasting through time-series models and some Financial analysis etc. A healthy group discussion (through practical exercises) can also be held on most commonly used statistical techniques. Computing platform will involve both the environment i.e. DOS as well as Windows 2000.

  • This paper illustrates how Excel can be used by students to develop their statistical understanding. The student can vary data values by simply dragging data points on graphs and charts and seeing how this affects statistical estimates; thus, by visually exploring the effects of changing data values, students can get a feel for statistical concepts. Excel spreadsheets have been developed to explore both univariate, bivariate and inferential statistical topics. It is important when teaching statistics to non-statisticians that new statistical ideas are presented in a familiar and relevant context. The flexibility of Excel spreadsheets means that tutors can download relevant examples into the spreadsheet. The spreadsheets and some sample data sets are available on the World Wide Web.

  • Statistical methodology textbook.

  • A unit of study for greades 5-6 from "Used Numbers: Real Data in the Classroom."

  • Examines the collaborative efforts of a mathematics educator and statistician to help prospective elementary teachers develop statistical knowledge and experience through merging statistical investigation into existing elementary curricula. Offers insight into preservice teachers' statistical and pedagogical content knowledge based on their application of the process of statistical investigation themselves and with children.

  • In Kenya today statistics is taught at various levels in the education system to various degrees of coverage and sophistication. At secondary school level there are rudimentary elements of descriptive statistics and probability. In teachers colleges elements of descriptive statistics and statistical inference are taught to those taking mathematics as a major teaching subject in secondary school. In the universities, statistics is taught principally in departments of mathematics in science faculties; but statistics is also taught to students of commerce, economics sociology, education, engineering, agriculture and computer science. This paper reviews the curriculum in statistics, the teaching approaches, availability of qualified teaching staff, availability of teaching and learning resources and performance of students. Emphasis is on teaching of statistics at university level.

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