As a project for my 2004 Fellowship with CNDLS at GU, I developed a proposal to create a two-level introduction to biostatistics. This proposal is also included in this portfolio under "Reflections", but is included here because it captures an early (2004) version of my thinking on statistical literacy and specifically, how our current one-course-done approach to teaching (bio)statistics is insufficient. This proposal very clearly identifies the lack of contextualization in the one-course-done paradigm, as well as the challenge of supporting rigour in science through the single, isolated, introductory course. intro.2.stats.revision28may04.doc
This approach to teaching introductory statistics was not supported at the time. I am in discussions (August 2011) with other statistics instructors (at the University of Maryland) about a possible NSF grant application to study the impact of this strategy on graduate student achievement in statistical reasoning and scientific rigor.
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