I personnaly found a way to have the students memorize formulas without
forcing them. I let them use their books for exams but I regularly ask
questions on how the statistics calculated from the formula are affected
when I change, say, the number of subjects, the homogeneity of a set of
data, the range of the independent variable, etc. Therefore, they study the
formulas before the exams because they don't want to be looking for it while
their thinking about the question.
--
Dr Julie Lamoureux, dmd, MSc
Tampa, Florida
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Bob Hayden" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
[EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> ----- Forwarded message from Michael Granaas -----
>
> I honestly believe that there is something to be learned from
> memorizing several of the basic formulas that are involved in defining
> statistics. I, less elegantly, tell my students that it is important
> to have this basic understanding so that it can 1) be utilized when we
> have the machines start doing the computations for us and 2)be drawn
> on for understanding when the mathematics is no longer so simple.
>
> ----- End of forwarded message from Michael Granaas -----
>
> I doubt your students will gain ANY understanding from memorizing
> formulae. Once they have the understanding, then formulae MIGHT
> provide a summary or reminder -- but only for students who are VERY
> fluent at READING mathematics -- as opposed to mindlessly manipulating
> formulae. I do not see any such students in the undergraduate
> introductory course that I often teach. I noted that Karl presented
> all the understandings he sought verbally on the list. Why not do the
> same in class?
>
>
> _
> | | Robert W. Hayden
> | | Work: Department of Mathematics
> / | Plymouth State College MSC#29
> | | Plymouth, New Hampshire 03264 USA
> | * | fax (603) 535-2943
> / | Home: 82 River Street (use this in the summer)
> | ) Ashland, NH 03217
> L_____/ (603) 968-9914 (use this year-round)
> Map of New [EMAIL PROTECTED] (works year-round)
> Hampshire http://mathpc04.plymouth.edu (works year-round)
>
> The State of New Hampshire takes no responsibility for what this map
> looks like if you are not using a fixed-width font such as Courier.
>
> "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in
> overalls and looks like work." --Thomas Edison
>
>
>
> =================================================================
> Instructions for joining and leaving this list and remarks about
> the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES are available at
> http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/
> =================================================================
>
=================================================================
Instructions for joining and leaving this list and remarks about
the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES are available at
http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/
=================================================================
