People in many areas of empirical sciences have their research methods, like "Grounded Theory", hermeutics, fenomenology, statistics etc. Maybe sometimes mathematics. While statisticians have mathematics as the research method. My experience is that many users of statistics don't have time to go that deep into mathematics but still can have sound ways of coping with "the evaluation of consequences, and to be able to FORMULATE investigations in this manner (Herman Rubin below, I don't disagree) using concepts like variables, distributions, variability etc. from data analysis. Besides of course they do have access to statistical software.
So let me suggest some aspects of usability of skills and knowledge from statistics courses. And hope for more remarks and suggestions:
1. A statistics package should be integrated in the learning process throughout the course.
2. The course should be "complete" in a sense which has to do with problems/variable types.
3. Cases including context, data, discussions should be there.
Etc.
Rolf Dalin
> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> Rolf Dalin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >In a discussion about the desired direction of development of intro level
> >statistics courses, a group where I am a member came to a preliminary
> >agreement that It is important to develop applied statistics. I started
> >to think about that concept in terms of main goals of a course. The two
> >main goals I suggest are
>
> >1. abilities to use statistics in scientific work
> >2. ability to study statistics further
>
> I would differ on both. In fact, there should not
> be ONE "introductory level" statistics course, but
> the introduction should be at the highest level of
> mathematical understanding which will be attained.
>
> What the non-expert need most of all is to understand
> probability, probability modeling, and the evaluation
> of consequences, and to be able to FORMULATE investigations
> in this manner. The usual study by the one applying
> statistics of methods is greatly to be deplored; it is
> often necessary to devise new methods for a particular
> problem, and the one who does not understand theory is
> very likely to mess this up. Understanding need not
> require the full mathematics to derive results.
>
> It is totally irrelevant if the student knows how to
> compute a mean or a standard deviation. From some
> of the postings here, it seems clear that not all
> know what they mean and why they should be used, if
> at all.
>
> For anything, understand the theory, and then it can
> be correctly applied, often with assistance. Learn
> methods of application with no understanding, and
> they will be misapplied, and it also gets harder to
> achieve the understanding.
>
> --
> This address is for information only. I do not claim that these views are
> those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University. Herman Rubin,
> Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558
>
>
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Rolf Dalin
Department of Information Tchnology and Media
Mid Sweden University
S-870 51 SUNDSVALL
Sweden
Phone: 060 148690, international: +46 60 148690
Fax: 060 148970, international: +46 60 148970
Mobile: 0705 947896, intnational: +46 70 5947896
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.itk.mh.se/~roldal/
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