 |
An International Journal for Teachers |
|
The Language of Statistics p. 34 Margaret Rangecroft
The discussion of problems associated with the use of language, specifically
vocabulary and symbolism, is extended from the teaching and learning of mathematics
to particular areas of statistics.
The Binomial and Hypergeometric Probability Distributions in Jury Selection
p. 38 Jude T Sommerfield
This article considers the composition of juries, asking whether this is representative
of the general population from which juries were drawn. The binomial and hypergeometric
distributions are used for probability calculations. Several example applications
of both of these distributions are given, addressing racial, sex and age distributions
in various cases.
More Happy Returns to the Birthday Problem p. 43 Michael
Bedwell
This article shows how the birthday problem can be used to introduce
the exponential distribution.
Using Consulting for Teaching Elementary Statistics p. 46 John
Truran and Anne Arnold
Consulting in Statistics is usually deferred until at least near the end of
a first degree, but this article shows how some aspects can be effectively
taught to students in upper secondary or early tertiary courses in a way which
reinforces their learning of standard basic concepts. We suggest that the
existence of a real client adds a degree of realism not available in other
ways, and emphasizes to students the importance of blending statistical calculations
with meaningful communication.
COMPUTING CORNER
Spreadsheets as a Simulation Tool for Solving Probability Problems
p. 51 M I Ageel
This article illustrates the use of spreadsheets as a simulation tool for
solving a collection of probability problems.
Classroom and Worksheet Activities across the Curriculum p. 55
Doreen Connor and Peter Holmes
This article shows how teachers can create useful classroom activities to
underpin data-handling methods for pupils aged 7 - 19. We use the data base
of responses from the UK CensusAtSchool project that are available for pupils
and teachers.
An International Resource for Learning and Teaching p. 59
Doreen Connor and Neville Davies
This article compares the national curriculum data-handling specifications
of the UK, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and shows how data from
the CensusAtSchool project can be used to enhance the data handling capabilities
of pupils in these countries. These data can also provide enhanced opportunities
for the integration of ICT into core curriculum activities. Some ideas to
enable teachers of statistics to create classroom teaching material with an
international flavour are also provided.
Web-based Project and Key Skills Work p. 62 Doreen
Connor, Neville Davies and Bradley Payne
Pupils in England and Wales are increasingly being asked to undertake
investigative-type work, be it the new compulsory projects in data-handling
for GCSE Mathematics (age 14-16) (see Browne, 2002) or the Key Skills
topic application of number. This article shows how teachers can generate
realistic project scenarios using real data and produce indicative model solutions
from the same data. The projects range from simple presentational problems
for data, through hypothesis testing to complex modelling scenarios.
Understanding Correlation p. 66 A V Kharshikar and
S Kunte
This article uses a simple counter-intuitive example to point out a common
misinterpretation of correlation. l
Statistical Laboratories Using Minitab, SPSS and Excel: A Practical Comparison
p. 68 Tania Prvan, Anna Reid and Peter Petocz
This article discusses three statistical laboratories - on descriptive
statistics, statistical inference and regression - for introductory statistics
courses. They are presented in Minitab, SPSS and Excel, three packages widely
used in statistical education, and are available on the Web.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR p. 75 Ruma Falk and Ester Samuel-Cahn
Another reference to Lewis Carrol's pillow problem that was the substance
of a recent article in Teaching Statistics by the writers.
BOOK REVIEW
Statistics GCSE for AQA by Jayne Kranat,
Brian Housden and James Nicholson p. 76
Reviewed by John du Feu
Prize Crossword p. IBC by Erithacus
Please email: alison.davies2@ntu.ac.uk with any comments or corrections.
©
The Teaching Statistics Trust 2006. The Teaching Statistics Trust is a registered
charity.
ISSN 0141-982X (Print) ISSN 1467-9639 (Online)