Kari Lock Morgan- Penn State University

Simulation-based methods, with minimal background knowledge required, give you the option of introducing inference on the first day of class.  This is fantastic, and enabling the course to start inference earlier is one of the big advantages of simulation methods, but it’s also completely fine to NOT jump into inference on the first day of class if you don’t want to!   [pullquote]I believe the key to getting students excited about statistics is to focus on REAL DATA[/pullquote]My approach, and more generally the Lock5 approach, is to start the class simply by talking about data. Continue reading →

Allan Rossman – Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

I think the most important goals for the first day of class are to give students a sense for what statistics is and to excite them about studying statistics.  [pullquote]this exercise allows me to introduce students to diverse and fascinating kinds of research questions that can be addressed with a statistical study[/pullquote]So, you might find it surprising that I spend much class time on the first day with what might appear to be a boring task: identifying observational units and variables.

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Soma Roy – Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

One of the great advantages of using simulation and randomization methods to introduce statistical inference is that because it does not rely on a formal discussion of probability, you can start the discussion of the logic of inference as early as day one! And, I choose to do just that. [pullquote]We find ourselves convinced that observed results did not happen by chance alone[/pullquote] Continue reading →